Posted By: Stella Pike | June 24, 2020
In modern life, there are so many things that can make us stressed whether it’s our jobs, the pace of how we move through the world, pressure to keep up with family and friends, and especially uncertainty about the future. Stress is so pervasive that the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it the 21st century’s global health epidemic. This warrants the consideration therefore that with current events and so many of us affected by economic, political and social issues in our entire lives, there’s a chance you may be starting to stress about stress itself and the subsequent toll it’s taking on your overall health.
WHO has defined health as a holistic state of wellbeing saying, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In 2020, knowing this is essential as we consider events as well as recent data that shows the significant qualitative and quantitative experiences of individuals as well as communities. A survey for January to June 2020 from the United States Centers for Disease Control indicated surges in mental health symptoms for adults when compared to the data for January to June 2020. In fact, there was an increase of 20.8% for anxiety symptoms and 17.4% for depression symptoms.
Building upon this, Mental Health America also emphasised in its information and resources for the global pandemic:“For the general public, the mental health effects of COVID-19 are as essential to address as are the physical health effects. And for the one in five who already have mental health conditions – or the one in two who are at risk of developing them – we need to take personal, professional, and policy measures now to address them.”
To help you learn more about stress specifically, Study Medicine Europe shared this infographic so you’re in a position to care for yourself even in challenging situations. This exploration of ‘The Negative Health Impact of Stress’ looks at:
● Physiological effects
● Mental effects
● Socio-emotional effects
● Ways forward to reduce stress
Stay safe, care for yourself and read on for more information.
