​The medical stuff...

- Stress can be physical (disease) emotional

(injury or grief) or psychological (being afraid) or a

combination.

 

- Stress mediates the secretion of a number of

hormones (cortisol / adrenaline). These are the flight or

fight response hormones that increase your

concentration, ability to react, and strength. Also, your

heart rate and blood pressure increase, and your

immune system and memory are sharper. When the

acute stress has been overcome your body returns to

normal.

 

- If you frequently face challenges, your body is

constantly producing higher levels of stress hormones

and does not have time to recover this is known as

chronic stress.

 

- Chronic stress can affect your sleep, health and

emotional wellbeing.

 

- Overeating, drinking and smoking are often reactions to

stress which can add to the negative affects of stress.

 

​What can i do?

1. Recognise that you are stressed. There are physical

traits and also emotional traits that you may identify in

yourself when you are stressed. Do you notice your heart

beating faster? Or having a dry mouth, angry or short

tempered. Do you ‘fly off the handle’ at the smallest

thing, or get road rage when someone ‘cuts’ you up?

 

2. Write them down. ‘I get upset when….’

 

3. Reflect on why you might be stressed - think short

term but also long term. Often stress is accumulative and

happens over a long period of time. It can be events that

occur like illness or death, or it can be worry and anxiety

about passing exams or competition. Yourself

confidence may be low - reflect on why?

 

4. Acknowledge your stressors

I am stressed because...

I have exams, I want to do well for my parents, my

parents got divorced, I worry about the future,

I feel trapped, I feel lonely...

 

5. Talk - to someone. It can be a friend, or a strangers.

I have had very open conversations with people I have

never met before because I know they won’t judge me.

Often patients discuss their problems with me during

treatment.

 

6. It is OK to cry. Crying is not a sign of weakness, it is a

way of releasing stress. This an area that I am still

working on. I came from a traditional ‘ballet’ background

when you were taught to carry on dancing despite the

criticisms and pain. Like an iceberg you look beautiful

above the surface but there is a lot more going on under

the water.

 

7. Find a solution -  Is there a practical solution? Like

finding a new job or interest, or do you need to manage

your stresses - exercise, dancing, mindfulness.

 

8. Seek help - if you find yourself having increasing

negative thoughts or you just feel you can’t cope, then

speak to your GP - talking therapy, Cognitive behavioural

therapy (CBT), medication are just a few of the

treatments available. Don’t be afraid to ask.