This article is part of an ongoing agency focus on preventing assaults in Charlotte County, highlighted in a community letter from Sheriff Prummell in August. The article is authored by Jean Tucker, LMHC, Assistant Vice President of Outpatient Services at Charlotte Behavioral Health Care.
Stress is something that everyone deals with in life. Some stress can be helpful – like the stress of having a deadline that motivates you to get a project done. However, other times stress can overwhelm you and make it difficult to make decisions or take care of normal day to day tasks.
Some signs of stress are racing thoughts, a racing heartbeat, sweating palms, or worrying that you can’t or won’t get things done.
When stress starts to become over whelming there are a few things you can do:
- Go for a walk outside and get some fresh air.
- Take 3 – 5 deep breaths and just focus on breathing in and out.
- Listen to music.
- Call a friend and talk about how you’re feeling.
Some things you can do to work on longer term:
- Find a hobby that you enjoy so that when you start feeling the signs of stress, you can take some time to clear you mind.
- Begin meditation each day to train your mind to slow down while becoming aware of the here and now.
- Some people find having a pet can help them with stress because they can focus on watching, petting, or playing with the pet.
- If stress continues to be an issue, find a professional to help you learn your triggers and support you in developing coping skills.
More information on the services offered by Charlotte Behavioral Health Care is available on their website – https://www.cbhcfl.org, or by calling (941) 347-6477.