HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — We kick off Mental Health Awareness Month by discussing a topic a lot of us experience at least once - or even twice - in our lifetime. That topic is stress, and this Wellness Wednesday we'll break downs the dangers of stress for one's mental health and provide some healthy ways to properly cope.
According to the CDC stress can be overwhelming and affect one's mental and physical health. For Fort Payne resident Zanna Poe, sometimes it's the regular day to day necessities that can become just a little overwhelming. "For me, it is definitely work and worrying about money. At least like paying for gas. Like, how am I am going to get to work? Like that kind of thing. It's just like basic things we need for life."
Huntsville resident Chris Evans has a similar perspective. "I feel like it's just the constant pressure to always be working and there is no like, unless you're, you know, five or six figures make in a year, you got to just keep working. You don't get a chance to just stop and breathe and be a person."
For Huntsville Psychotherapy and Counseling Services Owner Monretta Vega, when it comes to stress, there are several aspects. "Let's break them all down. So emotionally, we'll be irritable, frustrated. We can have moments of sadness, hours, fluctuations in our mood and our emotions. Mentally, we may experience disorientation, confusion, lack of ability to focus, and then physically, we can have fatigue and chest tightness, stomach issues, muscle tension. so stress has a major impact on us all across the board."
So what are some healthy ways to cope? "Giving yourself time to be able to find peace. So whether you want to read a book or you want to cook a meal or you want to journal, are you want to go for a hike, have something for yourself. So you're balancing."