Self-administered Mental Checklist
You may think “I am the one who knows best about me.” Often to our great surprise, it is actually quite difficult to see what or who we really are. Use this opportunity to take a fresh look at yourself.
If you find any of the following things apply to you for two weeks or longer, it is a warning sign that you may need to seek advice. If you find that many are applicable or if you have any specific concern, come and ask for advice today.
- I cannot sleep well. I cannot fall asleep. I wake up too soon. I sleep too much.
- I have no appetite. I have an eating disorder such as eating too much or too little.
- I catch cold too easily. I have diarrhea and constipation. I have general physical disorders.
- I have lost the ability to concentrate.
- I can no longer enjoy what I used to enjoy.
- I feel depressed. I have become pessimistic/desperate.
- I get irritable with no reason.
- I constantly feel tired. I do not feel like doing anything.
- I feel as if my sense of self is disappearing. I have been feeling emotional pain.
- It hurts too much to live. I often wish to die.
- Things I know are not important just pop up into my mind, and I just cannot get rid of them.
- I am afraid to be with people, and try to avoid them.
- I forget and lose things more often lately.
How to Cope with Stress
“Stress” and “stress reaction” (the reaction to counter the stress). What do you think about these words? In general, they are not perceived positively, and may be seen as abnormal. In reality, though, they are a quite normal reaction of the body and mind, and essential for us humans to keep going with our daily lives.
When you are moderately stressed, you are actually better motivated to work on things. Therefore, stress, to some extent, is not necessarily bad. Yet, excess stress needs to be treated carefully. Commuting on crowded trains, homework/jobs you need to complete by the deadline and payments you must make before the due date – if multiple stressors in your daily life occur at the same time, you might end up with too much to handle all by yourself.
Know the Triggers and Signs of Stress
In order to determine your stress level, you may want to start with learning what your triggers are. What makes you angry, tense, anxious, or irritated? Personal relationships, pressure from work/study and financial problems are among the stressors easy to identify. On top of those, tiny but cumbersome daily mishaps (e.g. waiting in a long queue or being late for a meeting) can affect your stress level.
Additionally, positive things for you, such as the enrollment to the university of your dreams and moving to a new location for school, can act as hidden stressors. All changes in your life can turn into stressors.
It is also important to know the signs (stress reaction) suggesting you are under excessive stress. If you start to have difficulty in falling asleep, feel easily irritated or often have headaches or stomachaches with no underlying medical cause, you may be under stress. Different people present different symptoms, yet it is the universal truth that the sooner you notice, the better you can cope.
How to Manage Your Stress
Now that you know your triggers and signs of stress, you can investigate how to cope with them. Knowing the best stress control strategies for yourself is always a good place to start. Generally recommended countermeasures are listed below. Hopefully they are helpful.
(a) Work out
Working out, including deep breathing, stretching/yoga, meditation, and going outside to enjoy nature, can refresh your mind and reduce your stress level.
(b) Relax
In order to manage stress and keep your spirit healthy, it is important to deliberately take time for relaxing activities, including massages, taking long hot baths, dancing, listening to music, and watching comedy shows on TV.
(c) Eat well
A diet with a good balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins/minerals is an essential stress management measure.
(d) Sleep well
It is also helpful to deliberately stay away from TV/computers/devices at least one hour prior to going to bed so that you can feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. The strong light from displays prevents quality sleep.
(e) Talk to Others
Talking to friends and family members when you are suffering from stress is one of the important strategies to manage stress. Certain things may be hard to reveal to others. If that applies to you, do not forget that the consulting psychological counselors is one viable option for you.
Last but not Least
We all have to live with stress throughout our lives. That is why we need to constantly manage stress in order to keep healthy. Paying close attention to your stressors and trying out the relaxing countermeasures can help you fight the negative influence of stress, which, in turn, enable you to overcome various hardships.