Stockport: let’s talk about stress

We all know that stress is a part of daily life and can even be helpful sometimes, motivating us to do things. But when stress builds up to the point where we feel out of control or overwhelmed it can start to damage our health, our mood and our relationships and we can end up physically and mentally exhausted.

Councillor Jude Wells, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring extra challenges and uncertainty to people’s lives, resulting in an increase in stress factors and stress levels for many.

“Recognising the signs of stress in ourselves and others means we can do something about it – although we can’t always prevent stress, there are lots of things we can do to manage it better.”

Although we all experience stress differently, some of the telltale signs to look out for are:
• feeling overwhelmed
• having racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating
• being irritable
• feeling constantly worried, anxious or scared
• feeling a lack of self-confidence
• having trouble sleeping or feeling tired all the time
• avoiding things or people you are having problems with
• eating more or less than usual
• drinking or smoking more than usual.

It’s important not to bottle things up. Talking things through with colleagues, friends or family can often help us see things from a different angle and they might be able to help in other ways too.

If you’re looking for some extra advice, there are local organisations and services in Stockport that can help:

• Stressed right now? Visit the Every Mind Matters website for top tips.
• Need to talk? Join our communities at Togetherall (16+) or Kooth (11-18)
• Want to learn new ways to manage stress? Take the online course on the SilverCloud website.