We all feel stressed at times, and we will all go through different life events that we will find stressful and difficult. There may be times when we feel able to cope well with stress. However, at other times it may feel like it is too much for us and we can quickly start to feel overwhelmed.
Stress is often defined as our body’s response to feeling under threat, or under pressure. When we feel stressed, our body releases two types of hormones, called adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones are released as part of the ‘fight or flight’ response; they help to prepare our bodies to either fight or flee from a stressor.
For short periods of time, this isn’t harmful. In fact, some people can find a degree of stress to be energising or motivating – for example, having to work to a deadline. Stress generally becomes a problem when it goes on for a long period of time, or if it is very intense. When this is the case, stress can affect both our mental health and our physical health.
In some circumstances, stress can affect whole groups of people at the same time, such as in the workplace, and even impact whole communities or occur at a societal level. You don’t need to look too far back for an example of this – the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 caused a great degree of stress to billions of people across the world.
Stress can cause a number of different symptoms or changes. It affects how we feel emotionally and physically
People can experience different types of stress, depending on the circumstances and the duration of time that it continues. Common types of stress are:
This type of stress generally occurs directly after a specific, stressful event and lasts for a relatively short period of time, usually days or weeks. It is very intense and may happen after an event that is very upsetting, such as a bereavement, or after something very unexpected and sudden happens, such as an assault or crime.
This type of stress lasts for a much longer period than acute stress, often for months or even years. Sometimes it can settle down for a while and then flare back up. Usually, people will experience chronic stress when they are consistently under a lot of pressure, day after day, for a long period of time.
Some of the most stressful experiences are events that are outside of our control and that we haven’t necessarily planned for – for example, serious illness or a significant bereavement. However, sometimes even positive events that are planned for can cause us a lot of stress, such as planning a wedding or starting a family.
The following personal factors can be causes of stress:
Relationship difficulties are one of the most common causes of stress reported by people seeking therapy. The ending of a relationship can bring with it a great deal of difficult emotions, often feeling very similar to a bereavement, while problems in an intimate relationship can make it difficult to concentrate on other areas of life.
The following relationship issues can cause stress:
Work-related stress tends to occur when people feel under more pressure than they can cope with at work. It can quickly turn into a vicious cycle and the problem is likely to reoccur if not addressed correctly.
In 2021/22, 914,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety so if you are experiencing similar difficulties, you certainly aren’t alone.
Here are some of the factors that can contribute to feeling stressed at work:
Worrying about money can have a big impact on our mental health and cause significant stress. Societal changes such as the increasing cost of living can add to this, as financial pressures feel like they are increasing.
The following financial factors can contribute to stress:
We might feel like we have no time to stay active but exercise can be very beneficial as a stress reliever, helping you to feel calm and clear your thoughts.
Keep active -Try to prioritise your sleep. Make sure you have a bedtime routine and incorporate some wind-down time at the end of the day. Turn your phone off a couple of hours before bed, and resist the urge to scroll through social media when you are in bed.
Sleep -Take some time to write out exactly what is contributing to your stress and brainstorm some potential ways of solving the problem. If you’re not sure which solution to go with, write down the pros and cons of each, then put together a plan for moving forward.
Problem-solving -Seeing friends and family can help us to feel relaxed, and give our minds a break from what is causing us to feel stressed in the first place. It can also be helpful to talk through your problems with close friends, to get an external perspective as well as some compassion and support.
Spend time with friends and family -Drugs, alcohol and smoking can all provide short-term relief when we are feeling stressed. Though they might make us temporarily feel better, these habits will create more problems for us long term. Think long-term; look for the source of your stress and tackle it properly rather than masking it.
Avoid unhealthy habits -If stress is having a significant impact on your day-to-day functioning, or if you have been trying to deal with it for a long period of time and it doesn’t seem to be resolving or improving, then it may be helpful to see a psychologist.
Seek help -Many people reach a point whereby they need some additional support in order to help them manage stress. There are various different strategies for managing stress, from some of the practical tips listed above to learning new skills and techniques through therapy.
At Turning Tides Psychology, we offer a number of different types of therapy that can be beneficial in treating stress.
CBT helps you to learn how certain patterns of thoughts or behaviour help to maintain stress, or even make it worse. There are several strategies from CBT that can help you to identify these unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and develop new ways of thinking and doing things, that could allow you to cope better with stress and make you feel you have more control over it.
Cognitive Behavioural TherapyACT encourages you to face your problems head-on, rather than avoiding them. ACT will teach you a number of strategies to help identify and confront the root cause of stress, allowing you to move forward in the direction of your values and what is important to you.
Mindfulness can be used as a standalone therapy but also plays a big role in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Practising mindfulness can help us to engage in the present moment while allowing us to take a step back from our thoughts. It teaches us to notice our thoughts without getting caught up in judgment about them.
Acceptance & Commitment TherapyAt Turning Tides, our team of psychologists are highly trained and have many years of experience working with common mental health conditions such as stress.
Our psychologists can help you to understand your stress, exploring some of the different factors that are contributing to how you are currently feeling. Based on these individual factors, they will teach you strategies to effectively manage your stress and allow you to move forward in your life.
We offer regular face-to-face appointments at our modern and comfortable clinic in Hoult’s Yard, Newcastle or we can offer online therapy via Zoom if you live further afield or have a preference for online sessions.
We have tried to keep our pricing as simple as possible. We charge £120 for a 60-minute appointment, regardless of whether this is an assessment or therapy session. Our fees are the same for face-to-face appointments and online appointments as you will receive the same high standard of care from our psychologists, regardless of how it is delivered.
A psychologist will then be in touch to arrange a free 15-minute no-obligation call, where we can discuss your requirements in more detail and you can get a feel for whether Turning Tides is the right psychology practice for you.
If we’re not right for you, we’ll try and signpost you to somewhere that is.
Please note – Turning Tides is not a crisis service, and if you feel you need urgent support or are experiencing a mental health crisis then it is important that you contact your GP if they are available, or attend A&E.