Veterans Health Administration
Managing Stress: Good for Your Health
Too much stress can have serious consequences—both for you and those around you. Luckily, VA provides a number effective ways to help Veterans better manage stress and stay healthy.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO FEEL STRESSED, AND WE ALL DEAL
WITH IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT HOW MUCH STRESS
IS TOO MUCH? YOUR BODY WILL LET YOU KNOW
WHEN YOU'RE OVERSTRESSED, WITH MUSCLE TENSION,
SWEATY PALMS, OR DIFFICULTY SLEEPING. YOU MIGHT FEEL WORRIED,
FEARFUL, FATIGUED, IRRITABLE, OR HAVE
A HARD TIME CONCENTRATING. THESE CAN BE
THE SIGNS OF STRESS, BUT THE CONSEQUENCES
CAN BE MUCH LARGER, BOTH ON YOUR LIFE
AND THOSE AROUND YOU. THE SOLUTION IS TO KEEP
YOUR STRESS UNDER CONTROL WITH STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILLS. MIKE WENT THROUGH
A PERIOD OF HIGH STRESS. HE WAS LAID OFF FROM HIS JOB
AND RUNNING OUT OF SAVINGS. THE FINANCIAL STRAIN WAS
KEEPING HIM UP AT NIGHT. HE WAS IRRITABLE AND TENSE,
AND EVEN HAD DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS. AT THE VA, MIKE GOT HELP FINDING WAYS TO MANAGE
HIS STRESS, SUCH AS THINKING DIFFERENTLY
ABOUT HIS PROBLEMS AND MAKING TIME
FOR HOBBIES AND ACTIVITIES LIKE WALKING HIS DOG. THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
HELPED MIKE RELAX AND BE MINDFUL
OF HIS STRESS, AND HE LEARNED SOME NEW
PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS. HE FOCUSED ON POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS, AND NOT JUST
THE PROBLEMS, EVEN PROGRESS, LIKE VISUALIZING
HIMSELF STARTING A NEW JOB. GETTING EXERCISE
AND THINKING POSITIVELY HELPED MIKE GET BACK
INTO THE JOB MARKET. FINDING WAYS TO PHYSICALLY RELAX
CAN BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. JOE WAS FEELING DETACHED
FROM HIS GRANDKIDS, AS HIS ACHES AND PAINS WERE
KEEPING HIM FROM KEEPING UP. BUT SINCE HE TOOK
RELAXATION CLASSES AT HIS VA AND STARTED DOING LIGHT
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT HOME, JOE HAS FOUND THAT HE FEELS
BETTER, BOTH PHYSICALLY
AND EMOTIONALLY, AND IS ABLE TO ENJOY
MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY. RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS–
WE'VE ALL HAD THEM. GEORGE AND VICKIE'S
RELATIONSHIP WAS SUFFERING DUE TO TIME-MANAGEMENT-
RELATED STRESSES– WORKING LATE, ARGUING OVER
WHO WOULD PICK UP THE KIDS, AND SPENDING THEIR ONLY TIME
TOGETHER IN SILENCE. TIME CONSTRAINTS LED
THE JOHNSONS TO STOP
COOKING MEALS, AND THEIR NEW FAST-FOOD DIET
TOOK ITS TOLL ON THEIR WALLETS
AND THEIR WAISTS. THE JOHNSONS TOOK
A STRESS-MANAGEMENT
CLASS AT THE VA AND LEARNED THAT MAKING A PLAN–
AND STICKING TO IT– COULD EASE THEIR STRESS. THEY USED PROBLEM-SOLVING
SKILLS TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD PICK UP THE KIDS
AND MAKE DINNER ON WHICH DAYS, AND IN THE PROCESS
THEY MADE TIME TO GO
ON WALKS TOGETHER. THEY LEARNED NO MATTER
HOW CHALLENGING LIFE BECOMES, HELP IS AVAILABLE. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW
TO MANAGE STRESS, TALK WITH YOUR
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OR VISIT WWW.PREVENTION.VA.GOV. VA HEALTHCARE IS DEFINING EXCELLENCE IN THE 21st CENTURY.
#Managing #Stress #Good #Health
source
