Mental health and wellbeing column: a problem shared

How are you feeling? Are you stressed? Does life feel stressful? Have we always been this stressed?

Stress is the adverse reaction we have to excessive pressure or demands. When feeling under pressure, our bodies have a physical response, producing adrenaline and cortisol to give us the energy to deal with the pressure. We are designed to get away from the pressure, escape the threat or complete the demand, and come back to a state of being unstressed fairly quickly. This system is not designed for long-term pressure or ongoing demands.

When you call up the sensation of being stressed, you might think of headaches, tiredness, muscle tension or nausea, or perhaps becoming more irritable, restless or withdrawn. Stress might affect your appetite, your exercising patterns or desire for social interactions. These are all things which happen in the moment as we live it. However, the long-term effects of being under pressure, or being in a stressed state, can lead to serious long-term health issues, such as mental health conditions, cardiovascular problems, digestive problems, problems with the immune system, and drug and alcohol misuse.