April is National Stress Awareness Month. Anne Shirley, Licensed Mental Health Counselor at The Brave Ones Therapy Center in College Park Orlando shares her thoughts on stress and what you can do about it:

What happens when you are stressed?

Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. This is called the fight-or-flight stress response.

Some stress is normal and even useful. Stress can help if you need to work hard or react quickly. But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. It can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school.

What can you do about stress?

The good news is that you can learn ways to manage stress through counseling. Counseling can help you figure out what causes stress for you. You can then take steps to either reduce the stress or handle it more effectively. If you would like to learn ways to better manage stress and improve the quality of your life, contact Anne Shirley, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, at The Brave Ones Therapy Center in Orlando, Florida for a free consultation