1.2 Evaluating stressors
You’ll now start to think about how you can identify signs of stress in your own life.
Activity 1 Identifying signs of stress
Timing: Allow about 5 minutes
Thinking about yourself, identify which of the following may indicate you are feeling over-stressed and/or not coping:
- feeling anxious
- worrying excessively about things
- over-thinking or rumination
- avoidant behaviour – e.g. not engaging or volunteering to participate
- tiredness or listlessness
- digestive problems
- feeling detached
- difficulty breathing
- blurred eyesight and/or sore eyes
- poor concentration
- sleeping difficulties
- muscle aches and headaches
- loss of motivation
- irritation and frustration
- ongoing irregular, or disordered, eating
- low mood
- deterioration in existing health conditions.
(Mind, 2023)
Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).
Discussion
All of these symptoms can be indicators or signs that you are stressed and/or not currently coping. Do remember, though, that stress is a fluid state, and strategies to reduce stress (see further on in this week’s content) can be really effective; this does not need to be a forever situation.