Perhaps you are facing foreclosure or job loss, or your investments are in the toilet; just because part of your life may be going wrong doesn’t mean you have to let everything fall apart.
Everyone reacts differently to stress. Some of the most common signs of how stress can affect your life include; persistent sadness or fatigue, sleeplessness, excessive anxiety, irritability or anger, increased drinking, illegal drug use, difficulty in staying mentally focused, apathy, or a drop in your ability to function at work, home or school.
Unhindered, those problems can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse or compulsive behavior – such as overeating
or excessive gambling or spending. So what do you do?
Consciously try to keep things in perspective – spend time
recognizing what is going well in your life and that there is
hope for the future.
Stay closely involved with family and friends - there support
will be helpful.
Get exercise or make time for favorite hobbies – they can
relieve stress and anxiety.
Don’t be hesitant to get outside help if your best efforts at
establishing equilibrium don’t seem to be working. Your doctor
or community health clinic, your spiritual leader or your school
counselor may be able to assist or refer you to someone who
can.
Financial problems often affect one’s pride as well as one’s
wallet. For some, they can augment feelings of humiliation
and despair.
Get help if you or someone you care about is talking about
injury or suicide, is fantasizing about suicide, is acting
recklessly, sees no reason to live or has no sense of purpose.
Contact a local mental health care facility or call the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).
The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration’s web sites offers a locator for mental health
The agency’s locator for alcohol and drug treatment facilities
Source: The web site of the United States Department of
Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental