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How Gratitude Can Help You Find Your Ikigai – We all have moments in our lives when we feel lost and uncertain of our purpose. But what if there was a way to find guidance and direction? According to Japanese philosophy, there is a way. It’s called ikigai, and it can be found at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. And gratitude may be the key to finding it.

What Is Ikigai?

Ikigai (pronounced ee-kee-guy) is a Japanese philosophy that centers around the idea that everyone has a reason to wake up in the morning. In order to find your ikigai, you must first answer four questions: What do you love? What are you good at? What does the world need? And what can you get paid for? Once you’ve answered these questions, your ikigai is waiting for you at the intersection. For example, my ikigai is writing. I love writing, I’m good at writing, the world needs stories, and I can get paid for writing them.

How Gratitude Can Help You Find Your Ikigai

Gratitude helps us focus on the positive.

When we’re feeling grateful, we’re automatically thinking about the good things in our lives. This positive focus can help shift our mindset from scarcity to abundance, which is essential for finding our ikigai. When we believe there is enough good to go around, we open ourselves up to new opportunities and possibilities. We start to see the world—and ourselves—in a different light. And that’s when the magic happens.

Gratitude helps us connect with others | How Gratitude Can Help You Find Your Ikigai

Gratitude also helps us connect with other people. When we’re grateful for what we have, we’re more likely to want to share our good fortune with others. We become more generous and compassionate, two qualities that are essential for finding our ikigai. Why? Because our ikigai often has everything to do with making a difference in the lives of others. When we cultivate gratitude, we set the stage for making a positive impact on the world around us.

Gratitude helps us stay present.

Last but not least, gratitude helps us stay present in the moment. When we’re caught up in worry or stress, it’s difficult to see all the good that’s right in front of us. But when we’re grateful, we naturally become more mindful of our surroundings. We start to notice the little things—the things that make life worth living. And that’s when we begin to get clues about what our ikigai might be.

Your ikigai is out there waiting for you. It’s the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. And gratitude may be the key to finding it. When you’re feeling lost and uncertain of your purpose, take a step back and look at all the things you’re grateful for. This could be your family, your friends, your health, your job, or anything else that brings joy to your life. Once you start looking for the good, it’s easier to see all possibilities in front of you—including your ikigai.

If you find that you’re feeling stuck more than often, or you’re noticing that your anxiety is especially high during the fall season, know that you’re not alone, we encourage you to reach out. Our counsellor here at Bliss Counselling & Wellness Centre have experience working with anxiety, stress, grief, trauma, depression, and so much more. We offer both in-person and online services. To learn more, reach out to us at 431-302-8803, or go here and fill out an online form!

About the Author
Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who is an EMDR trained and helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Why Anxiety and Depression Can Get Worse in the Fall – While fall is the favorite season among many people, others struggle with it because of how it affects their mental health. You might be one of the unlucky people who have a hard time with your emotional state in the fall, dealing with worsened anxiety and depression. Here is more information about why this might be happening and what you can do about it.

What is Autumn Anxiety?

The first mental health change you might notice in the fall season is with your anxiety. Many people have noticed that their anxiety seems to peak around the time fall begins – but why? This is sometimes referred to as autumn anxiety, a type of anxiety that is triggered by the fall season. This is because the change between summer and fall can often feel like a drastic one. Your days get shorter, the weather changes, your routine is different, holidays are coming up, and it just feels like everything is different and more stressful.

Dealing with Seasonal Depression | Why Anxiety and Depression Can Get Worse in the Fall

You might also be someone who has worsened depression in the fall, which can happen for a number of different reasons. However, the most common reason is from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. SAD is often the result of the seasons changing, particularly with the gloomier, darker weather you get in the fall and winter. If you live somewhere with a lot of rain and cold days in the fall, then you are likely to get it this time of year.

It can give you all the same symptoms as other forms of depression, including mood changes, low energy, lack of motivation, lethargy, and simply feeling blue.

What You Can Do About it

While it can be difficult getting through the fall season with anxiety and/or depression, you are not alone, and there IS help available to you. Here are some ways to get relief from your anxiety and depression this season:

• Light therapy for SAD – If you suffer from SAD, one of the best options for you is light therapy. SAD typically occurs in the fall and winter because of the longer nights, darker days, and gloomy weather. Naturally, light therapy, called phototherapy, is the way to go. There are light boxes you can use indoors that give you bright light to reduce those depression symptoms.
• Writing in a journal – Journaling is a simple daily practice that can help with both anxiety and depression.
• Practicing your breathing exercises – Breathing exercises help with anxiety the most, allowing you to be mindful for a few minutes, and focus on relaxing your mind and body. They are also fantastic for getting through a panic attack.
• Seeking professional help – Please do not hesitate to reach out to a doctor or therapist if you need medication or talk therapy. There is so much they can help you with when your anxiety or depression is too much to handle.

If you’re noticing that your anxiety is worse in the fall, know that you’re not alone. This is a common experience for many people. However, it’s important to understand why this happens and how to manage your autumn anxiety. If you want more information about autumn anxiety or any other type of mental health concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you get the support and resources that you need.

Therapy in Brandon

If you find that you’re feeling stuck more than often, or you’re noticing that your anxiety is especially high during the fall season, know that you’re not alone, we encourage you to reach out. Our counsellor here at Bliss Counselling & Wellness Centre have experience working with anxiety, stress, grief, trauma, depression, and so much more. We offer both in-person and online services. To learn more, reach out to us at 431-302-8803, or go here and fill out an online form!

About the Author

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who is an EMDR trained and helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

EMDR and Anxiety – If you suffer from anxiety, you’re not alone. In fact, anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, affecting 40 million adults each year. While there are many treatment options available, one that has shown promising results is eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR). But what is EMDR, and how does it work? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is EMDR – EMDR and Anxiety

EMDR is a type of therapy that was developed in the 1980s to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since then, it has been found to be effective for treating a variety of other conditions, including anxiety.

EMDR therapy consists of eight phases:

1. History taking: The therapist will ask you about your medical history, symptoms, and any traumas you have experienced.
2. Preparation: The therapist will explain the EMDR process and help you develop coping skills to deal with any distress that may arise during the session.
3. Assessment: The therapist will identify specific events that trigger your anxiety and help you develop positive beliefs about yourself.
4. Desensitization: The therapist will use bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements) to help you process the negative emotions associated with your trigger events.
5. Installation: The therapist will help you reinforce the positive beliefs you developed in phase three.
6. Body scan: The therapist will help you become aware of any physical sensations you experience in your body when thinking about your trigger events.
7. Closure: The therapist will help you develop coping skills to deal with any residual distress from the session.
8. Reevaluation: The therapist will assess your progress and determine if additional sessions are necessary.

How Does EMDR Work?

It’s believed that EMDR works by helping you process and integrate traumatic memories into your existing schema (i.e., the way you understand and make sense of the world). When we experience trauma, our brain doesn’t process the event like a normal memory; instead, it gets “stuck” in our limbic system—the emotional center of our brain—and becomes unprocessed sensory data. This can lead to difficulties down the road, such as sleep problems, flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. EMDR appears to help “unstick” these memories so that they can be processed normally and integrated into our schema .

This theory is supported by research showing that bilateral stimulation helps reduce activity in the amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for fear response—and increases activity in the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for memory formation . In other words, EMDR may work by helping to reduce fear response and improve memory formation . However, more research is needed to confirm this theory .                                                                                                                                                           

If you’re struggling with anxiety, know that you’re not alone—anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions in America today. Thankfully, there are many treatment options available, one of which is EMDR. EMDR therapy has shown promising results for treating anxiety and other mental health conditions. If you think EMDR might be right for you call or send an email about getting started with therapy .

The power of gratitude – We’ve all heard that old saying, “Count your blessings.” It turns out there may be some truth to that. A growing body of research suggests that gratitude may have a powerful impact on our mental health, can reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase overall well-being. Let’s take a closer look at what the science says about gratitude and mental health and how gratitude can improve your mental health.

The Science of Gratitude

A number of studies have found that gratitude is associated with greater levels of well-being. In one study, participants were asked to keep a weekly journal in which they recorded their thoughts and feelings about various life events. The findings showed that participants who wrote about things they were grateful for were more likely to report higher levels of well-being than those who did not focus on gratitude.

Other studies have found that gratitude may also help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and boost self-esteem. One study even found that gratitude may help protect against depression. Given all these potential benefits, it’s no wonder why so many people are interested in incorporating gratitude into their lives.

The Benefits of Gratitude | The Power of Gratitude

Giving thanks has been shown to have a number of benefits for mental health. For example, gratitude can:

• Reduce stress: In one study, participants who wrote about things they were grateful for had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
• Improve sleep: Another study found that people who kept a gratitude journal slept better and felt more rested in the morning.
• Increase overall well-being: Research shows that gratitude is linked with increased feelings of happiness and satisfaction with life.

How to Incorporate Gratitude Into Your Life

If you’re looking to add more gratitude into your life, here are a few suggestions:

• Keep a gratitude journal: Every night before bed, write down three things you’re grateful for. This can be something as simple as “I’m grateful for my bed” or “I’m grateful for my family.”
• Write thank-you notes: Whenever someone does something nice for you, take the time to write them a thank-you note. This can be an email, text, or even a handwritten letter.
• Express gratitude to others: When you see someone doing something kind or helpful, tell them how much you appreciate their act of kindness. A simple “thank you” can go a long way.

Gratitude is more than just saying “thank you.” It’s an emotion that can have a powerful impact on your mental health. If you’re looking to reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase overall well-being, try incorporating some of these suggestions into your life. You may be surprised at how much difference it makes! For more info on how to incorporate gratitude to your routine call now

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed now that summer is over? If you are, you are definitely not alone. This is when you head back to work, kids go back to school, and productivity increases. You might be stressed about changing your schedule, focusing on your routine, or even the holidays which are coming up fast. Luckily, there are some easy ways to reduce stress in the fall season.

Declutter Everything | Reduce Stress and Enjoy Your Autumn

Think of the fall season as the second spring of the year, and use this as an opportunity to declutter your home. Take a little time to clean your home and really declutter your workspace, bedrooms, and living areas. Clutter can create a chaotic and stress-induced mindset, which is the last thing you want.

Switch Up Your Daily Routine

If you want less stress during this season, it helps to refocus your daily routine and make some changes appropriate for the time of year. You already have daily routines, whether you realize it or not. This includes the same things you tend to do at certain times of the day. You can make small adjustments that really reduce your stress, such as waking up 20 minutes early to write in your journal before getting ready for the day, or adding in a little extra reading time with your kids before their bedtime.

Exercise with the Family

You probably know all the great benefits of exercising, from helping to manage your weight and give you more energy, to boosting your mood and helping you become more fit. But there is no reason to exercise along; in fact, getting the family involved can help reduce everyone’s stress in the fall.

This can be riding your bikes at a nearby park, spending a Saturday going on a hike, or staying in to have a dance party on a rainy day.

Plan Some Fun Activities | Reduce Stress and Enjoy Your Autumn

This fall season, you can lower your stress by planning some fun activities for the family or friends, but make sure they focus more on relaxation. Instead of trying to fill your schedule with as much as possible that requires a lot of effort, think about fun and relaxing activities like going apple picking, enjoying a local fall festival with your family, or having a girl’s night with friends.

Start Using a Daily Planner

Now is a great time to look at your goals and tasks, and make a schedule that shows exactly what to do and when. How does this help with your stress? It can keep you from getting too overwhelmed, and actually see that you can get all your tasks completed in a reasonable amount of time, without feeling like you are going non-stop.

Get a daily planner you love, that hopefully includes different layouts, like daily, weekly, and monthly calendar pages. This allows you to fill out your schedule, create to-do lists, and see what you have going on each day and week.

Need more info on how to reduce stress this autumn, call us today.

Affirmations are an amazing tool when you want to be happier and more optimistic, get the right focus, and improve your mental attitude. You get to choose what affirmations to use, whether writing them down or saying them out loud. Here is some more information about using affirmations in the fall season.

Benefits of Daily Use

Why should you incorporate daily affirmations into your routine? There are actually a few great reasons to use them, and several ways to add them to your routine. Here is a rundown of the main benefits of positive affirmations:

It promotes a positive attitude and change in your mindset. This is definitely one of the best reasons to use daily affirmations. They are always positive statements meant to put you in a right mindset. It helps you throughout the day when you start your day with more positivity and kindness.

You start to appreciate more, and get disappointed in less. Affirmations not only show you what you want or how to feel, but they help you appreciate what you already have. They are written in present tense, such as “I am healthy today”, where not only are they positive and great for your mindset, but they help you appreciate the small things.

You are more aware of the power of your own thoughts. Affirmations teach you that just your thoughts or how you talk to yourself can make a large impact in your entire life. It improves your quality of life, makes you feel more positive, and actually helps you reach your goals.

It helps provide motivation where you need it the most. Sometimes you need to manifest motivation into your life with positive affirmations. They work wonders for this.

How to Choose Your Affirmations

What should your affirmations be? You can definitely choose from the ones other people enjoy using, but you might also want to create your own for specific situations in your life.

To write your own affirmations, here are a few tips:

Keep them positive. Affirmations should always be positive from beginning to end. If you have a negative thought or attitude, write an affirmation that switches it to something positive. For example, if you are dealing with stress about a big change in your life, try “I am capable of adapting to any situation”.

Write in present tense. You also want to write affirmations in present tense, as if what you want has already happened. If you want to achieve a goal, you write it like “I am working hard towards my goals” or something similar that is relevant to you.

Be grateful in your affirmations. Instead of talking about what you want, write your affirmations as if you are grateful for something you have (or want) in your life. For example “I am grateful to work on my goals today”.

Remember also to keep your affirmations brief so that they are easy to remember and repeat as often as needed.

Affirmations are a powerful way to change your mental attitude and focus in a positive direction. When used correctly, affirmations can help you achieve happiness and success. If you want to learn more about how to use affirmations for your personal growth, please call or email us for more information. We would be happy to assist you in using this valuable tool!

Holiday and stress – it’s that time of the year again. The holidays are a time of joy, celebration, and family togetherness. But for many people, they can also be a time of stress and anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the holiday season, here are some tips to help you manage. First, take some time for yourself. Make sure you get plenty of sleep and exercise, and take some time to relax and de-stress. Second, set realistic expectations. It’s okay to say no to invitations or events that are too overwhelming. And finally, lean on your support system. Talk to your friends and family about how you’re feeling, and ask them for help in coping with the stress of the holiday season. With these tips, you can enjoy the holidays while still managing your stress

1) Nurturing Yourself

Nurturing yourself is a way to cope with holiday stress. As the holidays approach, it’s common for people to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. What can you do? Take care of yourself by eating healthy foods that will give you energy, getting enough sleep each night, exercising regularly and reducing your alcohol consumption. Practising healthier habits will help keep the holiday season fun!

2) Setting Realistic Expectation

Setting realistic expectation is important because the holidays can be a stressful time for many people. Whether it’s the stress of trying to please everyone on your list, or the pressure of having to make everything perfect, there are plenty of ways that holiday stress can get out of control. One way to cope is by setting realistic expectations and not getting too hung up on what you think has to happen in order for things to be perfect.

It’s important not to let unrealistic expectations take over and make you feel like a failure when they don’t happen. If we all set more realistic expectations and focused on enjoying ourselves with those around us instead, we would be less likely to put so much pressure on ourselves during this time period.

3) Leaning on Your Support System

Leaning on your support system is important because the holidays can be a stressful time for everyone. More so, especially for teenagers and young adults who are trying to figure out how to navigate through this new stage of their lives. It can be tough to deal with all the expectations that come with the holiday season, both from others and from yourself. One of the best ways to cope with holiday stress is to lean on your support system. This might mean relying on your parents for help or leaning on your friends for emotional support. Whatever form your support system takes, it’s important to remember that they are there for you during this time. So don’t hesitate to reach out if you need some extra help coping with holiday stress.

It’s no secret that the holidays can be stressful. The anticipation of seeing family members you haven’t seen in a while, combined with trying to find time for all your obligations and activities, is enough to make anyone anxious! But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are plenty of ways you can cope during these busy weeks. Some ideas include nurturing yourself by practising self-care or setting realistic expectations so things don’t get overwhelming. And most importantly, lean on your support system – whether they’re friends or family – when times get tough! If any of these sounds like something you need help with, we’re here for you as part of our commitment to you.

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Unhelpful thinking styles are those that we use to think about things in a way that can cause problems. Unhelpful thinking styles are sometimes called cognitive distortions or common thinking traps. These unhelpful ways of thinking often lead to negative feelings and emotions such as anxiety, sadness, anger, helplessness or frustration. This is an important concept for parents and educators to understand because it will help them teach their children how to think in a more positive way leading to improved behaviour. Everyone has some unhelpful thoughts from time-to-time but some people have more than others. It’s important for us all to recognize these unhelpful thoughts so we can avoid set-backs and feel better about ourselves and our lives.

This blog post provides several examples of unhelpful thinking styles such as all or nothing, minimizing, mind-reading, jumping to conclusion and so on.

Catastrophizing

It is very easy to get caught up in unhelpful thinking styles, and it can be hard to realize you are doing so. Catastrophizing is a common unhelpful thinking style where people “blow things out of proportion” and see the worst possible scenario. It may also appear that they have a very negative or untrue perspective on reality.

All or Nothing

All or nothing thinking is a type of unhelpful thinking style that can lead to problems in daily life. It occurs when you see things as either good or bad, with no middle ground. For example, if you make one mistake on an exam, you might think “I’m stupid” and feel like it’s pointless to study for the remaining exams. This may cause you not to do well on other exams because your thoughts are so negative about yourself. All or nothing thinking is often associated with depression and anxiety disorders but can also affect people without mental illness. All-or-nothing thinking makes it difficult to cope with everyday stressors by creating feelings of failure and self-criticism rather than motivating us toward positive change.

Mind-Reading

Mind reading is when you assume that other people are thinking negatively about you or your actions. It could be as vague as assuming that someone doesn’t like you, or it could be as specific as assuming that a certain person thinks something negative about something specific.

Jumping-to-Conclusions

Jumping to conclusions is a form of unhelpful thinking style. It’s when we make negative assumptions about something without much evidence. We often end up feeling frustrated or angry because our expectations weren’t met. We’re all guilty of jumping to conclusions sometimes, but it does us no good and can cause significant problems in relationships with others and ourselves.

Over-Generalization

Over-Generalization is one of the unhelpful thinking styles that people with anxiety deal with. It’s when someone views a single negative event as part of an overall pattern of defeat. They see it as a reflection on their abilities in general, rather than just a momentary setback.

More so, over-generalization is a common unhelpful thinking style, and one that many people struggle with on a daily basis. Although it may seem like the simplest of all unhelpful thinking styles, over-generalization can be quite harmful. It prevents us from focusing on aspects of life (positive or negative) that need our attention.

Minimizing Unhelpful

Minimizing is one of the unhelpful thinking styles where people tend to disqualify the positive or minimize their accomplishments. They would rather push focus onto someone else.

The unhelpful thinking styles we’ve covered in this blog post can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Fortunately, it is possible for us all to change these thought patterns with mindful awareness and some targeted strategies. If any of these examples resonate with you, and you would like to learn more, please contact us to discuss how we may be able to help!

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Ways to reduce or manage stress will be discussed in this blog. Stress can be a major factor in an individual’s health and well-being. Stress can come from everyday things like work, family or school, but sometimes the cause is more serious like a mental illness or addiction. This blog post will explore various ways to reduce or manage stress.  Some of the topics include how to identify your stress, what causes it, coping mechanisms, healthy sleep habits, exercise routines and more. It will also discuss ways to help with stressful life events such as divorce or death of a loved one. The goal is for you to find strategies that work best for you personally so that you are able to live your best life!

Practice Deep Breathing Exercises to Relax the Body and Mind

Deep breathing is a great way to start the day. It has been proven that deep breathing exercises can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure, increase immune function, and strengthen the nervous system. Try some deep breathing exercises with these three simple steps: take a long breath in through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth; put one hand on top of your chest and another hand on top of your stomach; breathe deeply for at least five minutes. With this exercise, you’ll notice an instant calming effect which can help reduce anxiety levels so that worries are easier to manage. This simple exercise will also help promote better sleep patterns

Get plenty of Sleep to Manage Stress

But did you know that getting enough sleep is one of the best ways to manage stress? Sleep is the time when our body repairs itself and restores energy levels. Yet, many of us are not getting enough sleep these days. Sleep deprivation can lead to physical problems, such as obesity and diabetes; mental issues like depression; and social troubles like family conflicts or difficulties at school. So how much sleep do we really need? Well it depends on age: infants 4-12 hours per day, preschoolers 10-13 hours per day, teens 9-10 hours per day, adults 7-8 hours per day. Think about what you could accomplish if you were to get more than an adequate amount of rest each night!

Eat Healthy Foods to Manage Stress

Habits determine our lives. They can also be changed to help us have a better quality of life. The food we eat every day will either give us energy or take it away. Eating healthy foods often will enable you to have more energy throughout the day and avoid stress, so you can do what needs to be done without feeling exhausted afterwards.  If these habits are difficult for you, don’t worry! There are ways that everyone can change their diet into a healthier one that they’ll enjoy just as much as their current diet – if not more! Here are some ideas for you.

• Make sure breakfast is ready-to-go in the morning
• Have fruit & vegetable snacks
• Prepare lunches ahead of time
• Create a weekly meal plan

Exercise regularly – it’s good for your health and can help you feel better about yourself.

Exercise is a great way to cope with stress and anxiety. It releases endorphins that help your body feel better while also reducing the risk of depression and other health problems. Exercise, in any form, is an effective way to manage the physical and emotional effects of stress. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, it can make a big difference! Check out these ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine: Take 10 minutes each morning before work for some light stretching or yoga poses. Walk home from work instead of driving. Find time after dinner each night for family game night which means playing games like Monopoly, Uno or Jenga together while sitting on the floor.

Take up a new hobby or try something new like cooking, painting, or playing an instrument

Having a hobby is a great way to manage stress. Even though there are many ways to de-stress, it’s always best to take up an activity that will make you happy or give you some kind of satisfaction. You can learn something new and expand your mind while having fun at the same time! There are lots and lots of things you can get into that will relax your body, mind and soul! Here’s just four – painting or drawing; cooking; knitting; and colouring.

This blog post has explored various ways to reduce and manage stress. If you’re looking for more information on how we can help, please call or schedule a session today.

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, it is not uncommon to feel stressed. Sometimes we don’t always recognize it creeping up on us. This blog post will give you some signs that stress may be taking over your life. We hope this article helps you see these stressors before you begin to feel overwhelmed.

Stress can take many forms: being overwhelmed by everyday tasks or worries about work, school or family issues. It could also mean worrying about things like money problems, health concerns or relationship troubles. If any of these are happening in your life right now, don’t panic! We can help you!

The first step to managing stress is to see the signs before you are completely overwhelmed. We are all different and what triggers one person may not in another and that is OK! Once you know what the triggers are, you can work to avoid them or better deal with them. How do you know if someone is stressed? Here are some signs to watch out for.

1) Change in Sleep Patterns

Sleep has many different functions, such as restoring energy and improving moods. However when we are under pressure it becomes difficult for our brains to “turn off”. This leads us into staying up later than usual, waking throughout the night or getting up earlier than we ought.

2) Difficulty Concentrating

It’s important to be aware of signs your child or teen may be getting stressed, but these can apply to anyone. One way you can recognize this is by looking at their ability to concentrate. Inability to focus could indicate they have too much on their minds. This may flow over in other ways such as mood swings or poor school performance.

“It can be hard to concentrate when you’re feeling stressed. All your thoughts are racing and it feels impossible to focus on anything in particular. Your mind may wander from one thought to another, or you may find yourself unable to remember things that should be easy.”

“Stress doesn’t just affect how we feel, but also has an impact on our cognitive abilities. When we’re feeling stressed, our cognitive functions such as attention span and memory suffer because the brain’s prefrontal cortex is too overwhelmed by stress hormones like cortisol.”

3) Change in Mood

The stress that we experience can negatively influence our mood. Changes in mood are a reaction to the pressures faced daily. You often see this manifest in outbursts of frustration or anger. They could also be an indicator of an underlying problem that needs attention. Mood changes often overlap with unhealthy eating habits, manifesting in things like headaches and stomach issues.

4) Changes in Appetite – Either Increased or Decreased

It is normal for people to experience changes in appetite when they are stressed or experiencing other mental health issues. Some may have an increased appetite while others could see a decrease in their appetite. Triggers may include feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities at work, home, school and more; feeling disconnected from friends, family members or loved ones; struggling with body image issues; having unmet needs such as lack of sleep; feelings of not being heard or respected enough among other things. These changes can happen unexpectedly so it is important to take notice of any sudden change in your own eating habits.

5) Loss of Interest in Hobbies or Activities you used to Enjoy

Loss of interest in hobbies or activities you used to enjoy can be a difficult and confusing time for both the person experiencing the loss and those who care about them. Understanding what might cause this sudden change in behaviour is key to getting help and moving on. This is a common indicator of depression and should not be taken too lightly. It may be that one has simply taken on too much and may need to re-evaluate their daily schedule.

It’s important to know if you or your loved one has had any recent life changes affecting their ability to participate in hobbies they once enjoyed. Has there been a change in responsibilities at work or school, relationship problems, financial difficulties or health issues? If there are no life changes it may be worth checking out other reasons for the change like depression.

6) Feeling Restless and Agitated

Feeling restless, including a sense of dread about the future as sign of stress is not uncommon in today’s society. Stress is a major issue for many people, and it can lead to feelings of unrest that may be difficult to shake. These feelings can include a sense of dread about the future or an unwillingness to participate in everyday activities. It’s important not only to identify these symptoms, but also take steps toward reducing stress so it doesn’t get out of control and affect your life.

The signs of stress are different for everyone, but there are some commonalities. If you recognize any of these 6 signs of stress in yourself or someone you know, its likely your body needs to be relieved of excess pressure. If making these changes on your own seems too much, we are here to help. Call today or schedule an appointment!

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.