Know how to handle stress

THE mind matters in our choices and actions.
Get the right knowledge, think properly and choose your actions.
When we are united, we will make a difference in the change of the attitude as a nation to fight many things such as the repercussion of alcohol abuse, life style diseases, law and order, job scarcity and today Coronavirus (Covid-19).
That is the message from the Directorate of Social Change and Mental Health director Dr Uma Ambi.
The rise in Covid-19 cases has seen productivity affected, impacting the economy and everyday life and that is why it is crucial to prevent and mitigate the risks of infection as well as providing the best advice and treatment for those recovering.
And a change in attitude and behaviour is needed and following the New Normal in terms of mask wearing, hand washing or sanitising and maintain physical distance as well as avoiding crowded areas.
Good mental health is vital for a healthy life.
A healthy person should have a healthy mind.
We all live in difficult times, as readers of this newspaper know well.
Worries about the state of our safety, our finances, health and many others can take a physical and emotional toll.
And we do not realise that the pressure we all face in our everyday life is stress.
Stress is becoming a common mental health problem among people.
Stressful and anxious feelings are common responses to a situation.
Anxiety is more than just feeling stress or worried. Anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behaviour such as extreme worrying, being fearful and unsure about things like health, money, or family problems.
We go to the doctors to try and figure out what is wrong to find a solution.
Just as the physical body can fall ill without notice, so too can the state of mind.
This is called mental illness; it affects the person’s emotions, thought or behaviour, which is not shared by their cultural beliefs, personalities and produce negative effects on other person’s life and their families and community.
Mental health has become a global issue especially during this global pandemic – Covid-19.
The only major difference is how one person deals with stress compared to another.
Stress is a normal component of life and all of us should know how to deal with it and manage it properly for a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Dr Ambi, The National’s columnist in the Health Watch section, has always stressed the importance of allowing our mind to be free and not to get caught up in a situation that bears little importance to your life; keep life simple and do enjoy the simple things of life.
If we do not know how to handle stress that confronts us every day, then we will be out of control, and stress will overtake and conquer us and our being.
If we allow stress to dominate our life, and not fight it and deal with it properly, we will live a very unhappy and unhealthy life.
We come from a community that cares.
Our society is built on a structure that encourages one and other, when one member goes through a rough patch.
One thing for sure, our people need to know how to handle stress individually, otherwise, it will become a chronic issue for a society and the country.
Help should be made readily available otherwise these problems will remain undetected or untreated.