The fine line between stress & mental health

We may encounter stress from a variety of sources, such as workplace challenges, meeting financial obligations, dealing with COVID-19, relational worries and difficulties, and the perpetual difficulty of managing the social-emotional impacts of ADHD and/or Learning Disabilities.

We all know that stress is a “normal” part of our “modern” world today. We also know that stress in and of itself is not an illness per se. However, while a healthy dose of stress can “keep us on our toes”, the science of stress and mental health reveals that a prolonged stress response that is beyond our body’s built-in “fight or flight” survival system can significantly wear us down both mentally and physically. 

Science also strongly suggests that there is a link between stress and the development of mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis.

Though stress may seem to be generally unavoidable, there are many ways that we can empower ourselves to manage our stress levels in a constructive fashion. This would entail learning evidence-based strategies and tools, such as positive coping strategies, time management techniques, Mindfulness Meditation, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Cognitive- Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques.

If you are experiencing any of the following, or for support, please feel free to connect with Hanit @ [email protected].

• Sleep disturbances
• Low energy
• Prolonged anxiety and/or overwhelming worry
• Panic attacks and/or difficulty breathing
• Increased irritability and/or easily angered
• Prolonged sadness and/or low mood
• Poor concentration and/or memory
• Headaches, stomach aches, skin issues