First Psychology blog

Stress is part and parcel of everyday life and it’s a natural human response to certain situations. However, if you find yourself feeling stressed most of the time and don’t deal with your symptoms, this can lead to more serious mental health issues such as depression. What causes stress? Everybody is different and what might be stressful for one person might not be for another. But there are some situations that tend to be stressful for the majority of people, such as: Moving home Job insecurity Relationship problems Financial issues Stress is our body’s way of responding to mental or emotional pressures and it can be a sign that we need to take action to preserve our wellbeing. Symptoms of stress There may be times when stress goes unnoticed but the longer it does so, the worse it can become so it’s important to recognise early signs and take action. Some of the symptoms of stress include: Feeling angry or irritable  Headaches Sleep disturbance Exhaustion Lack of self-confidence ...

How often have you travelled somewhere and when you arrived, you have little or no recollection of the journey? Or how many times has someone been speaking to you, and although you’ve shown signs that you’re listening, such as a head nod, you actually have no idea what they’ve just said to you? It’s not uncommon for wandering thoughts to take over our mind but when they do, we miss out on so much good stuff. When we’re preoccupied with our internal chatter, it’s difficult to live in the present moment and focus on the here and now. Continually listening to your inner voice, when you should be focusing on something else can be a cause for concern when it starts to affect your mental wellbeing. It can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress and in some cases, symptoms of depression. How we can be more present When we learn how to hush our inner voice and be in the present moment, there are so many benefits that we can enjoy. Not only can it increase your energy levels and motivation, but it ...

If you’re not familiar with the term ‘stress bucket’, it’s a metaphorical bucket that fills up with different types of stresses that you carry around with you and was developed by Dr Douglas Turkington and Professor Alison Brabban in 2002. By identifying what our stressors are, we can create coping strategies and ways to empty the bucket. There are many things in life that can create stress such as work, financial pressures, health concerns or relationship issues. Each person will have their own individual types of stress and there are different symptoms that can arise, including: Anxiety Feeling of overwhelm Poor sleep Change in diet Headaches Lack of concentration Heart palpitations Stomach problems Poor memory Anger Ways we can empty our stress bucket As more stress enters our lives, the bucket keeps on filling up, so we need to put strategies into place to reduce our stress levels. Firstly, we need to identify our sources of stress. Make a list of everything that is causing you wo...