Everyone feels stress at some point in their lives – in fact, it is an important part of our emotional health. When you encounter an obstacle or challenge, your body reacts on a mental and physical level, and when managed effectively, this can lead to better problem-solving and even higher confidence for future situations.

However, that last part is something that many of us struggle with. What do we do when squeezing a stress ball isn’t nearly enough to keep us going? How do we mitigate the negative effects of stress, while still allowing it to play its vital role in our development and growth?

At Your Counselling, we use therapies and practices to teach many different techniques for stress management in Calgary, and we believe that a consistent and appropriate approach will boost your mental health and better equip you for dealing with stressful situations throughout your life.

Symptoms Of Stress

One of the most commonly experienced symptoms of stressful conditions is a stress headache – also known as a tension headache, because it is often a result of tension and tightness in the muscles around the face, head, and neck. Rather than being sharp and localized, these headaches feel dull and constant.

However, getting stressed out can cause many other symptoms as well. These can be physical or mental in nature:

• general aches and pain
• elevated heart rate
• exhaustion
• high blood pressure
• digestive problems
• sexual problems
• weakened immunity
• anxiety, depression, or panic
• emotional control issues

You may suffer from any combination of these, or other symptoms that are specific to you. The most important thing to know is that no matter what form it takes, too much stress has a detrimental long-term effect on your physical and mental health. That’s why it’s important to address it and pursue stress management activities that help you feel in control once again.

Stress Management Strategies

Coping with stress is a part of life and learning useful stress management strategies is one of the best ways to do that. While everyday options for stress relief in Calgary like eating our favourite foods, listening to music, and partaking in hobbies are excellent places to start, they are often not enough for chronic sufferers. In such instances, many people turn to less healthy alternatives, like drugs, drinking, eating disorders, or compulsive activities.

Everyone’s response to and capabilities with stress are different, which is why it is important to get a professional opinion and approach to help manage yours. Our many therapeutic practices like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and supportive psychotherapy can help relieve your stress, all within a safe environment that is dedicated to healthy outcomes.