Stress Counseling

Stress is a fact of nature—forces from the outside world affecting the individual. People respond to stress in ways that affect them as well as their environment.  There are critical differences in how people relate to their environment.  These differences have far-reaching consequences for survival.  Because of the overabundance of stress in our modern lives, we usually think of stress as a negative experience, but from a biological point of view, stress can be a neutral, negative, or positive experience.

In general, stress is related to both external and internal factors.  External factors include the physical environment (job, relationships with others, home, and all the challenges, difficulties, and expectations one is confronted with on a daily basis).  Internal factors determine your body's ability to respond to, and deal with, the external stress-inducing factors.  Internal factors which influence your ability to handle stress include your nutritional status, overall health and fitness levels, emotional well-being, and the amount of sleep and rest you get.

There is now evidence that points to stress as causing various diseases or conditions.  These include anxiety disorders, depression, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, certain gastrointestinal diseases, some cancers, and even the process of aging itself.  Stress also seems to increase the frequency and severity of migraine headaches, episodes of asthma, and fluctuations of blood sugar in diabetics. There also is scientific evidence showing that people experiencing psychological stress are more prone to develop colds and other infections than their less-stressed peers. Overwhelming psychological stress (such as the current economic climate) can cause both temporary (transient) and long-lasting (chronic) symptoms of a serious psychiatric illness.

Uncontrollable, unpredictable, and constant stress has far-reaching consequences on your physical and mental health.  Stress can begin in the womb and recur throughout life.  One of the pathological (abnormal) consequences of stress is a learned helplessness that leads to the hopelessness and helplessness of clinical depression, but in addition, many illnesses, such as chronic anxiety states, high blood pressure, heart disease, and addictive disorders, to name a few, also seem to be influenced by chronic or overwhelming stress.

For those who may need help dealing with stress, stress-management counseling has proven to reduce stress symptoms and improve overall health and attitude.

If you are struggling with your ability to cope with stress, please contact us today for a free consultation and ask to speak with Kimberley Harris, Ray Robinson, Jennifer Reed, or Chris Berger.