Stress Awareness Month Guide
Life can throw a lot of tough stuff our way—things like big tests at school or work, scary events, or big changes in life. Everyone gets stressed out sometimes. April is National Stress Awareness Month, and we’re here to help you understand stress, anxiety and give help when you need it. Remember, if you want to talk to someone or need help, just call 262-656-0044.
What’s Stress?
Think of stress like your body’s way of reacting when tough or big things happen. It could be because you have a ton of homework, you’re feeling sick or someone you care about is having a tough time. Sometimes stress happens just once and goes away. Other times, it stays with you or keeps coming back.
And What’s Anxiety?
Anxiety is when your body is still on high alert for stress, even when there’s no immediate problem. If you can’t shake off that anxious feeling and it starts messing with your daily life, it could lead to bigger issues, like trouble sleeping or feeling really down.
Ways to Manage Stress
Knowing when you are overstressed is important. If stress makes you want to avoid things you normally do or if it never seems to go away, it might be more serious. Here are some tips for dealing with stress and anxiety:
- Write it down: Keeping a journal can help you understand your feelings and triggers better.
- Use apps for calmness: There are apps that teach you how to slow down, breathe, relax and be in the moment.
- Stay active and eat right: Moving around and eating good food can make you feel better.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule: Sleeping enough at the same time each night helps a lot.
- Cut back on caffeine: Drinking too much soda or coffee might make you feel more jittery.
- Think positive: Try to change negative thoughts into positive ones. Look for the silver lining.
- Talk to friends or family: Sharing your worries with others can make them feel lighter.
When to Get Extra Help
If trying these things doesn’t make you feel better, or if stress and anxiety are really getting in the way of your life, talking to a professional like a counselor can help. They can talk things through with you and sometimes medicine can help, too.
It’s important to know that a lot of people sometimes struggle with their mental health and therapy can help. In fact, in 2020, nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. had a hard time with this. It’s no different where we live in Wisconsin. And it’s not just adults; kids and teenagers can have these feelings too. More and more young people are feeling anxious, very sad or thinking about very sad things.
It has been hard for people to find the help they need. That’s why at Pillar Health and Kenosha Community Health Center we are doing our best to help. We offer something called Psychiatry, which is when doctors check how you’re feeling and can give you medicine if needed to help you feel better. We also have Psychotherapy, or talk-therapy, where you talk to someone about your feelings and thoughts. Talking things through can really help you figure things out and can make life better.
It’s normal to feel stressed or anxious sometimes, but it’s important to know the difference when overstressed and what to do about it. Using these tips can help you handle tough times better. And remember, if things get really tough, asking for help is a really brave thing to do.
This guide is especially for the folks in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth Counties in Wisconsin, brought to you by Pillar Health and Kenosha Community Health Center. It’s all part of National Stress Awareness Month, and we’re here to help you feel your best.
If you want to talk to someone or make an appointment, just call 262-656-0044.
Do not wait to schedule your appointment.
Kenosha Community Health Center has many appointment options in Kenosha and Silver Lake to meet your needs.
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