Stress management Perth

Although stress isn’t an anxiety disorder, it has some common features and often goes hand in hand with anxiety. The word stress is a common one in our language, but what exactly is it? Is stress always bad and to be avoided?

When demands are greater than the resources we have to cope with those demands. Stress can result either when the demands placed on us are perceived to be excessive, or when we consider our coping skills are insufficient to deal with the demand. Burnout can result if this state persists for too long.

When demands placed on us are about equal to the resources we have to meet those demands. This does not mean zero stress, it refers to the right amount of stress for us at the current time. Here we are operating well, and are feeling engaged and motivated.

When our demands are less than our resources.

Here we are operating below our capacity. While this may be fine some of the time, it can also be associated with feelings of boredom, reduced motivation, and reduced confidence.

People live with varying amounts of stress in their everyday life. The amount of stress that is manageable varies widely from person to person, depending on the nature of their personalities, coping styles, external supports, and the way their own body responds to stress.

Though chronic stress itself is not a diagnosed mental health disorder, it can make certain mental health and medical conditions worse and may trigger them as well.

Further, if you are going through a stressful period and have experienced significant distress or impact on your functioning for several months, you may be given a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder.

This diagnosis refers to distress that is out of proportion to the severity or intensity of the stressor, and would not be given if a person had recently experienced a bereavement. Sometimes our level of stress is well explained by the experiences we’re currently going through, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can do to improve how we’re feeling at those times.

There are lots of coping mechanisms that can be put in place to help us cope better when we’re under stress, and these involve adjustments to both our behaviours and our thinking.

Behaviour:

• self-care,
• communication skills,
• prioritising demands,
• exercise,
• nutrition,
• and sleeping habits

Thinking:

• learning how to ‘unhook’ from unhelpful thought patterns,
• learning to reduce perfectionism

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Metacognitive Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help to address these difficulties. Your clinical psychologist will also help you to be clear on what’s important to you in life and to make sure you’re engaging in life in a way that’s aligned with your values.

Contact our friendly staff today to book an appointment.