ABSTRACT
If, however, you experience many of the things listed below regularly or for a long time, it may be that you need to think about learning some new ways of coping with stress and using your support networks. Stress can affect the way we think. Are you: • thinking in a confused, muddled way? • finding it hard to concentrate? • finding it hard to remember things? • finding it hard to make decisions? • feeling low in confidence? • getting really annoyed at very little things? • always putting things off? • finding it hard to plan ahead? • always thinking the worst? • seeing the down side of everything? • worrying all the time? Stress can affect our physical well-being. Are you: • feeling very tired all the time? • finding it hard to sleep? • getting a lot of headaches? • getting stomach knots or ‘butterflies’? • getting a lot of back and neck aches? • feeling sick? • finding that your voice or hands are shaky? • feeling your heart beating very quickly? • finding that your mouth is dry a lot? • needing to urinate all the time? • feeling dizzy? • finding problems like asthma, or skin rashes getting worse? • finding your palms sweating a lot?
