This week from 13th – 19th June 2016 is Men’s Health Week and this year the theme is stress.
We all get stressed, but men in particular are particularly bad at talking about stress and releasing it. This is bad – bottle up stress can turn into more serious conditions.
According to the Mens’ Health Forum website “One in four of us will develop a mental health problem. That is odds of 3 to 1. Or about the same as France or Germany winning the Euro 2016 football. In other words, it’s likely to happen sooner or later if we let stress build.”
Warning Signs of Stress*
A relentless build-up of pressure, without the opportunity to recover, can lead to harmful stress. The important thing is to recognise the warning signs while you can do something about it. Common signs are:
- Eating more or less than normal
- Mood swings
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling tense or anxious
- Not sleeping well (or wanting to sleep all the time)
- Poor memory or forgetfulness
- Excessive drinking and/or drug use.
- Feeling really tired and lacking in energy
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Behaving out of character
- Finding it hard to concentrate and struggling at work
- Losing interest in things you usually enjoy
- Having unusual experiences, like seeing or hearing things that others don’t.
- There may be physical signs too like headaches, irritable bowel syndrome or aches and pains.
Beating stress is actually quite simple but the message from Mens’ Health Week is to TALK about stress. Here are some top tips* on managing your stress.
- We’re all different. Learn what pushes your stress and anger buttons.
- Walk away rather than lose your temper.
- Be honest with yourself. It will enable you to be honest with others.
- Talk about what’s on your mind. Don’t bottle it.
If you think your symptoms of stress are quite severe and talking to your mates just won’t cut it, then you can always choose to talk to a professional, like me. Take a look at the benefits of talking to me here or just get in touch for a chat.
*Source: “TOOLBOX TALKS: PUTTING THE HEALTH IN HEALTH AND SAFETY”, Mens’ Health Forum