Читать книгу Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace - Gill Hasson - Страница 17

Stress isn't a psychiatric diagnosis, but, say the mental health charity Mind, ‘it's closely linked to your mental health in two important ways:

 Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.

 Mental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to manage medication, healthcare appointments or treatments, can become extra sources of stress.

This can start to feel like a vicious circle, and it might be hard to see where stress ends and your mental health problem begins.’

Emotional and physical responses:

 Overwhelmed, worried

 A sense of dread

 Racing thoughts that won't switch off

 Unable to concentrate, indecisive

 Being wound up, irritable, impatient, aggressive

 Muscle tension

 Headaches

 Chest pains

 Indigestion or heartburn

 Constipation or diarrhoea

 Feeling sick, dizzy, or faint.

How you might behave:

 Avoiding situations that are overwhelming you

 Being tearful, snapping at people

 Being unable to sit still

 Eating more or less than usual

 Smoking, drinking, or taking drugs ‘to cope’

 Sleep problems.

Stress can lead to either or both of the two most common mental health problems: anxiety and depression.