The latest EIC article on stress outlines the importance of asking for help when it’s needed.
For many people, stress will naturally subside as circumstances settle without any clear intervention. If stress does persist though, it’s important to identify what’s causing you stress and take steps to try to combat it. Anxiety is less likely to go away without help, and there are some risks associated with not getting the help as early as possible. Anxiety could worsen and in severe cases this could start to have a significant impact on someone’s ability to work. In these situations, the consequences of undetected and untreated anxiety can impact a person and their family.
Seeking help
There are several reasons why men in particular may not seek help if they are struggling to deal with stress or anxiety. They could be worried that letting people know that they are struggling with anxiety could have an impact on their work or career progression. Other men may feel ashamed and concerned that they are letting down their family. In these cases, some people might turn to substances to help them cope with symptoms of anxiety. This can include using alcohol or drugs as a way of numbing or masking some of the symptoms of anxiety. Although this might provide some relief in the short term, neither of these solutions are helpful over the long-term, and could pose a risk to a person’s physical and mental health.
Anxiety is a 24-hour condition and if left untreated for long enough it could interfere with a person sleep to the extent where they develop insomnia. Consequently, they may struggle to get enough sleep and the sleep they do get is poor quality and unrefreshing. This could result in exhaustion during the day which makes dealing with stress and anxiety even more challenging. Poor sleep combined with anxiety puts people at significant risk of developing depression and this can trigger a vicious downwards cycle in terms of a person’s mental health.
What is the outlook?
Thankfully stress is something that can be managed, and anxiety is a condition that can be successfully treated. This is something that an experienced mental health professional can support you with. A thorough assessment can pinpoint the problem, and a comprehensive, personalised treatment plan can help you overcome anxiety.
If you are experiencing stress or anxiety, don’t worry because there’s lots of help available. The first step is by reaching out and talking to someone. The Electrical Industries Charity are available to help from Monday – Friday 08:00am – 8:00pm and Saturdays 9:00am – 1:00pm.
Email: support@electricalcharity.org or call the helpline on 0800 652 1618.
To visit EIC website, click here
