Stress is both a natural response, and a part of everyday life. A moderate amount of stress can be a positive thing, providing energy and motivation to tackle a challenging task or period. However large amounts of stress can impact your health, mood, productivity, relationships and overall quality of life. Your capacity to cope with stress is impacted by a range of external and internal factors, so it is important to develop stress management techniques that equip you for life’s many challenges.
Excessive stress can be the result of a broad range of factors, including a demanding work load, relationship conflicts, academic pressure, medical concerns etc. However, you may also be feeling extremely stressed, whilst also being unable to pinpoint a specific cause. Working with a psychologist can assist you to identify sources of stress you may not be aware of, or that you may be unable to articulate.
So how do you know if your stress has passed the point of being ‘healthy’ stress and is starting to affect you in a negative way? Some indicators include: