resource explains what stress is

© Mind 2017
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Stress
This resource explains what stress is, what might cause it and how it can affect you.
Includes information about ways you can help yourself and how to get support.
If you require this information in Word document format for compatibility with screen
readers, please email: publications@mind.org.uk
Contents
What is stress?………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
What are the signs of stress? ………………………………………………………………………………….3
What causes stress?………………………………………………………………………………………………4
How can I deal with pressure? ………………………………………………………………………………..6
How can I be more resilient? …………………………………………………………………………………..8
What treatments are there? …………………………………………………………………………………… 11
How can other people help? …………………………………………………………………………………..12
Useful contacts……………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
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What is stress?
We all know what it’s like to feel stressed, but it’s not easy to pin down exactly what
stress means. When we say things like “this is stressful” or “I’m stressed”, we might be
talking about:
• Situations or events that put pressure on us – for example, times where we have
lots to do and think about, or don’t have much control over what happens.
• Our reaction to being placed under pressure – the feelings we get when we have
demands placed on us that we find difficult to cope with.
“It’s overwhelming. Sometimes you can’t see beyond the thick fog of stress.”
There’s no medical definition of stress, and health care professionals often disagree over
whether stress is the cause of problems or the result of them. This can make it difficult
for you to work out what causes your feelings of stress, or how to deal with them. But
whatever your personal definition of stress is, it’s likely that you can learn to manage
your stress better by:
• managing external pressures, so stressful situations don’t seem to happen to you
quite so often
• developing your emotional resilience, so you’re better at coping with tough
situations when they do happen and don’t feel quite so stressed
Is stress a mental health problem?
Being under pressure is a normal part of life. It can help you take action, feel more
energised and get results. But if you often become overwhelmed by stress, these feelings
could start to be a problem for you.
Stress isn’t a psychiatric diagnosis, but 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-today symptoms of your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to
manage medication, heath care 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.
“[When I’m stressed] I feel like I’m on the verge of a breakdown.”
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Why does stress affect me physically?
You might find that your first clues about being stressed are physical signs, such as
tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach.
There could be many reasons for this, as when we feel stressed we often find it hard to
sleep or eat well, and poor diet and lack of sleep can both affect our physical health. This
in turn can make us feel more stressed emotionally.
Also, when we feel anxious, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline.
(This is the body’s automatic way of preparing to respond to a threat, sometimes called
the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response). If you’re often stressed then you’re probably
producing high levels of these hormones, which can make you feel physically unwell and
could affect your health in the longer term.
What are the signs of stress?
We all experience stress differently in different situations. Sometimes you might be able
to tell right away when you’re feeling under stress, but other times you might keep going
without recognising the signs. Stress can affect you both emotionally and physically, and
it can affect the way you behave.
“My head is tight and all my thoughts are whizzing round in different directions and I can’t
catch them.”
How you might feel
• irritable, aggressive, impatient or wound up
• over-burdened
• anxious, nervous or afraid
• like your thoughts are racing and you can’t switch off
• unable to enjoy yourself
• depressed
• uninterested in life
• like you’ve lost your sense of humour
• a sense of dread
• worried about your health
• neglected or lonely.
Some people who experience severe stress can sometimes have suicidal feelings. (See
our pages on how to cope with suicidal feelings for more information.)
How you might behave
• finding it hard to make decisions
• constantly worrying
• avoiding situations that are troubling you
• snapping at people
• biting your nails
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• picking at your skin
• unable to concentrate
• eating too much or too little
• smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual
• restless, like you can’t sit still
• being tearful or crying.
How you might be physically affected
• shallow breathing or hyperventilating
• you might have a panic attack
• muscle tension
• blurred eyesight or sore eyes
• problems getting to sleep, staying asleep or having nightmares
• sexual problems, such as losing interest in sex or being unable to enjoy sex
• tired all the time
• grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw
• headaches
• chest pains
• high blood pressure
• indigestion or heartburn
• constipation or diarrhoea
• feeling sick, dizzy or fainting.
“[It feels like] the world is closing in on me, I can’t breathe and I’m running out of time.”
What causes stress?
Feelings of stress are normally triggered by things happening in your life which involve:
• being under lots of pressure
• facing big changes
• worrying about something
• not having much or any control over the outcome of a situation
• having responsibilities that you’re finding overwhelming
• not having enough work, activities or change in your life
• times of uncertainty.
There might be one big thing causing you stress, but stress can also be caused by a
build-up of small pressures. This might make it harder for you to identify what’s making
you feel stressed, or to explain it to other people.
“Lots of things stress me at the moment, mainly worries about my memory, as I’m a
pensioner with nothing to do all day. Trying to fill my day is hard as I have arthritis so
can’t walk too far.”
Why do certain things make me feel stressed?
The amount of stress you feel in different situations may depend on many factors such
as:
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• your perception of the situation – this might be connected to your past experiences,
your self-esteem, and how your thought processes work (for example, if you tend
to interpret things positively or negatively)
• how experienced you are at dealing with that particular type of pressure
• your emotional resilience to stressful situations
• the amount of other pressures on you at the time
• the amount of support you are receiving.
We’re all different, so a situation that doesn’t bother you at all might cause someone else
a lot of stress. For example, if you’re feeling confident or usually enjoy public speaking,
you might find that giving a speech in front of people feels comfortable and fun. But if
you’re feeling low or usually prefer not to be the centre of attention, this situation might
cause you to experience signs of stress.
“I get stressed when things get out of perspective – too much work, thinking too far
ahead.”
What kind of situations can cause stress?
Stress can be caused by a variety of different common life events, many of which are
difficult to avoid. For example:

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“My breakdown […] was due to having a stressful job as a project manager and dealing
with a marriage break up and subsequent divorce.”
Can happy events cause stress?
Some of the situations listed above are often thought of as happy events – for example,
you might feel expected to be happy or excited about getting married or having a baby.
But because they can bring big changes or make unusual demands on you, they can still
be very stressful. This can be particularly difficult to deal with, because you might feel
there’s additional pressure on you to be positive.
“I’ve never been more stressed in my life than the 6 months leading up to my wedding…
everyone kept asking me if I was happy and expecting me to be excited all the time, but I
just couldn’t feel it. I ended up getting really ill.”
How can I deal with pressure?
There are various steps you can take to cope with being under pressure. This page gives
some tips that people have told us they find useful, but it’s important to remember that
different things work for different people. Only try what you feel comfortable with.
For example:
• identify your triggers
• organise your time
• address some of the causes
• accept the things you can’t change
Identify your triggers
Working out what triggers stress for you can help you anticipate problems and think of
ways to solve them. Even if you can’t avoid these situations, being prepared can help.
Take some time to reflect on events and feelings that could be contributing to your stress
(you could do this on your own or with someone you trust). You could consider:
• Issues that come up regularly, and that you worry about, for example paying a bill
or attending an appointment.
• One-off events that are on your mind a lot, such as moving house or taking an
exam.
• Ongoing stressful events, like being a carer or having problems at work.
You might be surprised to find out just how much you’re coping with at once. Remember
that not having enough work, activities or change in your life can be just as stressful a
situation as having too much to deal with.
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Organise your time
Making some adjustments to the way you organise your time could help you feel more in
control of any tasks you’re facing, and more able to handle pressure.
• Identify your best time of day, and do the important tasks that need the most
energy and concentration at that time. For example, you might be a morning
person or an evening person.
• Make a list of things you have to do. Arrange them in order of importance, and try
to focus on the most urgent first. Some people find creating a timetable useful so
they can plan when they can spend time on each task. If your tasks are work
related, ask a manager or colleague to help you prioritise. You may be able to
push back some tasks until you’re feeling less stressed.
• Set smaller and more achievable targets. When you’re under a lot of pressure it’s
easy to set yourself large targets that are often unachievable. This can make you
feel more stressed and if you don’t reach them, it can make you feel disappointed
and frustrated. Setting smaller more achievable goals can make you feel in more
control and you can see your achievements more easily.
• Vary your activities. Balance interesting tasks with more mundane ones, and
stressful tasks with those you find easier or can do more calmly.
• Try not to do too much at once. If you take on too much, you might find it harder to
do any individual task well. This can make you feel like you have even more
pressure on you.
• Take breaks and take things slowly. It might be difficult to do this when you’re
stressed, but it can make you more productive.
• Ask someone if they can help. For example, you could ask a friend or family
member to help with some of your daily tasks so that you have more time to
spend completing your tasks that are causing you to feel stressed.
Address some of the causes
Although there will probably lots of things in your life that you can’t do anything about,
there might still be some practical ways you could to resolve or improve some of the
issues that are putting pressure on you. You might find it helpful to read our information
on:
Housing and finances
• housing and mental health
• money and mental health
• benefits
• insurance cover
Work and student life
• wellbeing at work
• discrimination at work (these pages explain your legal rights under the Equality
Act)
• coping with student life
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Family and personal life
• coping when supporting someone else
• coping as a parent with a mental health problem
• abuse
• addiction and dependency
Accept the things you can’t change
It’s not easy, but accepting that there are some things happening to you that you probably
can’t do anything about will help you focus your time and energy more productively.
“Sometimes I take a minute to ‘reply’ to my stressy thoughts… it’s hard to be stressed
when you’ve got things in perspective! Most of the things I worry about are either things I
can’t change or things which aren’t earth-shatteringly important.”
How can I be more resilient?
Taking steps to look after your wellbeing can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the
impact that stress has on your life. This is sometimes called developing emotional
resilience. Resilience is not just your ability to bounce back, but also your capacity to
adapt in the face of challenging circumstances, whilst maintaining a stable mental
wellbeing. Resilience isn’t a personality trait – it’s something that we can all take steps to
achieve.
For example, you can:
• make some lifestyle changes
• look after your physical health
• give yourself a break
• build your support network
(For more tips on building your emotional resilience, see our pages on improving your
wellbeing, and increasing your self-esteem.)
Make some lifestyle changes
There are some general changes that you can make to your lifestyle that could help you
feel more able to cope with pressure and stressful situations.
• Practise being straightforward and assertive in communicating with others. If
people are making unreasonable or unrealistic demands on you, be prepared to
tell them how you feel and say no. (The organisation Mind Tools provides tips on
assertiveness on their website.)
• Use relaxation techniques. You may already know what helps you relax, like
having a bath, listening to music or taking your dog for a walk. If you know that a
certain activity helps you feel more relaxed, make sure you set aside time to do it.
(See our pages on relaxation for lots more ideas.)
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• Develop your interests and hobbies. Finding an activity that’s completely different
from the things causing you stress is a great way to get away from everyday
pressures. If stress is making you feel lonely or isolated, shared hobbies can also
be a good way to meet new people.
• Make time for your friends. When you’ve got a lot on this might seem hard, but it
can help you feel more positive and less isolated. Chatting to friends about the
things you find difficult can help you keep things in perspective – and you can do
the same for them. Laughing and smiling with them will also produce hormones
that help you to relax.
• Find balance in your life. You may find that one part of your life, such as your job
or taking care of young children, is taking up almost all of your time and energy.
Try making a decision to focus some of your energy on other parts of your life,
like family, friends or hobbies. It’s not easy, but this can help spread the weight of
pressures in your life, and make everything feel lighter.
“When I’m stressed, I take myself away from everyone, into another room or somewhere
quiet – even just for five minutes – and sing to myself. Not full on belting out a tune, but
just quietly or even humming to myself, really calms me down.”
Look after your physical health
Taking steps to look after your physical health can help you to look after your mental
health and reduce feelings of stress.
• Get enough sleep. Stress can often make it difficult to sleep, and can cause sleep
problems. Getting enough sleep can help you feel more able to deal with difficult
situations.
• Be active. Being physically active is important for both our physical and mental
health. Even making small changes such as going for a regular walk outside may
help you to feel less stressed.
• Eat healthily. When you’re stressed, it can be tempting to skip meals or eat too
much of the wrong kinds of food. But what you eat, and when you eat, can make
a big difference to how well you feel. (See our pages on food and mood for more
tips.)
Give yourself a break
Learning to be kinder to yourself in general can help you control the amount of pressure
you feel in different situations, which can help you feel less stressed.
• Reward yourself for achievements – even small things like finishing a piece of work
or making a decision. You could take a walk, read a book, treat yourself to food
you enjoy, or simply tell yourself “well done”.
• Get a change of scenery. You might want to go outside, go to a friend’s house or
go to a café for a break – even if it’s just for a short time.
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• Take a break or holiday. Time away from your normal routine can help you relax
and feel refreshed. Even spending a day in a different place can help you feel
more able to face stress.
• Resolve conflicts, if you can. Although this can sometimes be hard, speaking to a
manager, colleague or family member about problems in your relationship with
them can help you find ways to move forward.
• Forgive yourself when you feel you have make a mistake, or don’t achieve
something you hoped for. Try to remember that nobody’s perfect, and putting
extra pressure on yourself doesn’t help.
“I distract myself from my […] worry by doing a puzzle or playing a game.”
Build your support network
Remember that whatever you’re going through that’s causing you stress, you don’t have
to cope with it alone.
• Friends and family. Sometimes just telling the people close to you how you’re
feeling can make a big difference – and they might be able to help you out in other
ways too.
• Support at work, such as your line manager, human resources (HR) department,
union representatives, or employee assistance schemes. Try not to worry that
talking to your manager or colleagues about stress will be seen as a sign of
weakness – your wellbeing is important and responsible employers will take it
seriously. If you’re worried that the culture in your workplace might not be very
supportive, you might find it helpful to take a look at:
o Time to Change’s resources on stress, depression and mental health
support at work
o the Health and Safety Executive’s information on work-related stress
• Support at university or college, such as your tutors, student union or student
services. (See our pages on how to cope with student life for more tips on
accessing support as a student.)
• Peer support. Sometimes sharing your experiences with people who’ve been
through something similar can help you feel less alone. Elefriends and Big White
Wall both offer supportive online communities where you can talk openly about
stress and your mental health. (For guidance on using these services safely, see
our pages on staying safe online.)
• Specialist websites and organisations. For example:
o The Stressbusting website and the Stress Management Society both offer
information about stress and provide techniques for coping.
o The Mind Tools website can help you with stress management and
assertiveness techniques.
o The Be Mindful website provides guidance on mindfulness, including how to
find a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course.
o The International Stress Management Association can help you find a
specialist stress practitioner in your local area.
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o Mind’s Infoline can let you about support groups and mental health services
in your local area.
• Your GP. If you feel like you need some professional support, you can speak to
your doctor. They can check your overall health, and help you access support and
treatments. They could also recommend that you take some time off work,
university or college, and sign a medical note for you.
• Your local Mind. You might find your local Mind branch runs a course to help you
look after your wellbeing, build resilience or manage stress. Or they may offer
another service that could help you. Find your local Mind here.
“[It helps me to] hug, fuss and play with my kittens!”
What treatments are there?
Stress isn’t a medical diagnosis, so there’s no specific treatment for it. However, if you’re
finding it very hard to cope with things going on in your life and are experiencing lots
of signs of stress, there are treatments available that could help. These include:
• talking treatments
• medication
• ecotherapy
• complementary and alternative therapies
To access most treatments, the first step is usually to talk to your GP. (See our pages on
seeking help for a mental health problem for tips on how to talk to your doctor about your
mental health.)
Talking treatments
Talking with a trained professional can help you learn to deal with stress and become
more aware of your own thoughts and feelings. Common types of talking treatments
which can help with stress are:
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which helps you understand your thought
patterns, recognise your trigger points and identify positive actions you can take.
• Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), which combines mindfulness,
meditation and yoga with a particular focus on reducing stress. You can find out
more from Be Mindful’s website.
“Using mindfulness [helps me] to just allow some space to breathe and focus on the
present moment.”
Medication
Feelings of stress are a reaction to things happening in your life, not a mental health
problem, so there’s no specific medication for stress. However, there are various
medications available which can help to reduce or manage some of the signs of stress.
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For example, your doctor might offer to prescribe:
• sleeping pills or minor tranquillisers if you’re having trouble sleeping
• antidepressants if you’re experiencing depression or anxiety
• medication to treat any physical symptoms of stress, such as irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS), or high blood pressure.

Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy is a way of improving your wellbeing and self-esteem by spending time in
nature. This can include physical exercise in green spaces or taking part in a gardening
or conservation project.
(You can find out more about ecotherapy, including details of local programmes, in our
pages on ecotherapy.)
“[It helps me to] spend time outdoors or doing crafts.”
Complementary therapies
You may find certain complementary therapies help you manage feelings of stress. These
might include:
• yoga and meditation
• acupuncture
• aromatherapy
• massage.
(See our pages on complementary and alternative therapies for more information.)
How can other people help?
This section is for friends and family of someone who is experiencing stress, who want to
support them.
If someone you’re close to is feeling stressed there are lots of practical things you can do
to support them – even though you probably can’t change the situation they’re in.
• Help them reflect on whether they are stressed. Often, people don’t notice that
some physical symptoms and behaviour (such as not being able to get to sleep, or
drinking more than usual) are actually signs of stress. Sometimes you may be able
to see it before they recognise it themselves. If you’ve noticed that someone
seems particularly busy, anxious or unwell, you could gently let them know, and
ask how you can help.
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• Listen to how they are feeling. Having a chance to talk openly could help someone
to feel calmer and more able to move forward. Just being there for them will
probably help lots.
“[My friends can help by] making me a cup of tea, holding me while I cry, making me
laugh…”
• Reassure them that stressful situations can pass. For someone who is in the middle
of a stressful time, it can be hard to see an end point. Let them know that
situations change and can get better.
• Help them identify their triggers. You can be specific about things you’ve observed,
but try to stay open-minded and non-judgemental. Your perspective might be
valuable, but your friend or family member could find this conversation stressful,
and being patient will help.
“Not putting extra pressure on me… letting me know they’re there but that I don’t have to
do anything.”
• Help them address some causes of stress, if you can. You might be able to help
your friend or family member look for support around issues like debt, housing
problems or difficulties at work.
• Help them learn and practise relaxation techniques. You could help them research
good relaxation techniques and find ways to practise them, such as a weekly yoga
class, or setting aside time for breathing exercises at home. This might become
something that you could do together.
“[When I’m stressed I need friends to] hug me. It’s amazing how good a single hug can
feel.”
• Support them to seek professional help. For example, you could help them contact
their GP, go with them to an appointment or do some research on mental health
and wellbeing (see our page on helping someone else seek help for lots more
ideas).
• Look after yourself. If someone around you is very stressed, you might become
stressed too. If this happens, try to take a step back and look after your own
wellbeing. Being calm and relaxed will make you more able to help someone else.
“[I want them to] understand that I may be irritable but I don’t mean to hurt them in any
way.”
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Useful contacts

Who else could help?
Anxiety UK
08444 775 774 (Monday–Friday 9.30am–5.30pm)
anxietyuk.org.uk
Advice and support for people living with anxiety.
Be Mindful
bemindful.co.uk
Information about mindfulness and mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR). Guidance
on how to learn mindfulness, including course listings.
Big White Wall
bigwhitewall.com
An online community of people who are finding it hard to cope. It’s completely anonymous
so you can express yourself openly.
Health and Safety Executive
hse.gov.uk/stress
Information about health and safety law in the workplace. Specialist information on stress
for employers and employees.
International Stress Management Association
isma.org.uk
Lists stress practitioners by specialist area.
Mind Tools
mindtools.com
Information on topics including stress management and assertiveness.
NHS Choices
nhs.co.uk
Information and tips on managing stress in the workplace.
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Samaritans
116 123 (24 hours a day)
jo@samaritans.org
Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK
Chris PO Box 90 90
Stirling FK8 2SA
samaritans.org
24-hour emotional support for anyone who needs to talk. Calls are free from all providers
and do not appear on bills.
Stress Management Society
stress.org.uk
Information about stress and tips on how to cope.
Stressbusting
stressbusting.co.uk
Information about stress and techniques for coping. Lists several talking treatments and
alternative therapies that can be used to treat stress.
Time to Change
time-to-change.org.uk (England)
timetochangewales.org.uk (Wales)
An organisation which challenges mental health stigma and discrimination. Provides
information on stress and workplace wellbeing for employers and employees.
© Mind November 2017
To be revised in 2020.
References are available on request.