Stress Management

Signs & Symptoms Of Stress

(A)Physical

- Headache - Facial/jaw pain - Breathlessness
- Difficulty in swallowing - Mouth ulcers - Dry mouth and throat
- Dizziness - Slurred or stuttering speech - Neck pain
- Aching muscles - Weakness - Backaches
- Diarrhea - Nausea/vomiting - Constipation
- Chest pains - Weight loss/gain - Stomach pain/cramps
- Frequent urinating - Heartburn - Skin problems
- Sexual problems - Cold hands/feet - Palpitations
- High blood pressure - Insomnia - Excessive sweating
- Increased allergies - Chronic fatique - Excessive sleeping
- Accident proneness - Frequent cold/flu - Swollen joints
- Trembling/nervous - Alteration of menstrual pattern

(B)Emotional

- Irritability- Loss of memory/concentration- Anger
- Unusual aggressiveness- Nervousness- Anxiety- Depression
- Restlessness/excitability- Withdrawal from others- Disorientation
- Impulsive behavior- Inability to make decisions- Worry
- Feelings of panic- Thoughts of suicide- Cynicism- Unhappiness
- Frequent episodes of crying- Lack of interest in sex
- Feeling of losing control- Loss of confidence - Loss of enthusiasm
- Periods of confusion- Lack of self-esteem- Feeling Apprehensive
- Loss of sense of humor- Frustration- Moodiness- Nightmares
- Feelings of helplessness- Neurotic behavior- Dissatisfaction

(C)Behavioral

- Dependence on drugs- Taking work home- Difficulty in making decisions
- Consistently working late- Grinding teeth- Poor time management
- High pitched nervous laughter- Foot/finger tapping- Nail bitting
- Hair pulling/twirling- Loss of appetite- Major weight loss/gain
- Compulsive eating/dieting- Pacing the floor- Chronic procrastination
- Chronic tardiness- Increased smoking- Wrinkling forehead
- Increased alcohol consumption- Loss of interest in daily event
- Shutdown of emotions- Loss interest in physical appearance
- Being too busy to take time off for holidays.exercise/hobbies
- Tears near to surface with no apparent reason

Please remember :
These signs & symptoms are not exclusively limited to stress and may indicate other problems

Ways Of Coping With Stress

- Plan your day and give yourself sufficient time to prepare
- Try not to schedule more than one stressful activity at the same time
- Prioritize
- Be realistic
- Have short and long term goals
- Understand and aware of your concentration span and energy curve
- Break projects down into smaller parts
- Pace yourself
- Learn to delegate
- Ask for help when necessary
- Allow yourself a feeling of satisfaction when you achieve something
- Allow time for rest, relaxation, physical exercise and enjoyment of life
- Take pleasure in everyday activities at work and at home
- Express feelings and emotions
- Talk to colleague, friend or relative about problems
- Smile and laugh
- Learn yoga, tai chi, meditation techniques
- Eat fresh foods and avoid drinking too much coffee or tea
- Cut down on drinking and smoking
- Be assertive
- Learn to say "NO"
- Improve your skills
- If you cannot change a situation, accept it and move on

Sources Of Help

- Family
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Educational Organizations (Training courses, qualifications)
- Clubs and Gyms
- Organizations such as Samaritans, Alcoholic Anonymous, Kely support group
- Counseling Group (Employee Assistance Program-EAP)