Recognising impact of stress

NHS Tayside is encouraging Perthshire people to tune into their mental health and take steps to reduce stress.

Stress Awareness Month is held annually by the Stress Management Society.

Imran Arain, senior health promotion officer at NHS Tayside, said that the annual awareness month provides a useful opportunity to encourage people to talk about their feelings and discuss how stress can impact our lives.

He said:“stress and poor mental health are two of the biggest public health challenges that we are facing today and their impact can be far reaching.

“Our mental and physical health co-exist and feelings of stress can lead to a range of health problems that can impact all areas of life.

Stress can cause many different symptoms. It might affect how you feel physically, mentally, and also how you behave.

“If you are stressed, you may experience physical symptoms including headaches, nausea, indigestion, shallow breathing, sweating, heart palpitations and aches and pains.

“Symptoms can also manifest in more serious but common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.”

Director of Public Health, Dr Emma Fletcher, said it is“vital”to remove stigma when talking about stress and how it impacts on your mental health.

She added:“talking about stress and its effects, and opening up about our mental and emotional state with friends, families, colleagues, and professionals will help in tackling stress and exposure to many illnesses.”

To mark Stress Awareness Month, NHS Tayside is providing training sessions for staff and a stress awareness forum discussion. These activities aim to raise awareness and develop a common understanding.