This coming Friday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day and the World Health Organisation (WHO) calls on all of us to participate in some way or another. However, you needn’t go to great lengths to observe the day, as Natalie Rabson of Boston City Campus & Business College points out.?“As stress is one of the big threats to good mental health, you can use the day to learn more about stress and assess your stress levels,” she says.
“When you understand stress, you can learn techniques how to manage it and you can help others too - be it at home, at work or at a place of learning. Often just listening to someone helps alleviate their stress”?Stress is part of our daily lives, and something that we cannot avoid altogether. Negative stress makes you feel as though you have lost control over your life. You feel that you’re under too much pressure and that you can no longer cope with life’s problems.?
Things that cause stress include living far away from loved ones; studying or working excessively long hours; writing exams; losing a loved one; and not getting enough rest. Living in a disorganised environment – teenagers with untidy rooms take note – also causes stress. ?“Therefore, we at Boston encourage learners to establish a routine for their studies, and training sessions,” says Rabson. “ Having neatly organised files and notes alleviates stress when studying for assessments – we hand out a study guide for every module and to each student to help them become structured and organised.”?
Even the anticipation of stressful events can cause unnecessary stress: You worry that something bad might happen, like failing an exam or not getting a bursary.?“Some people stress so badly about getting good results that they consider harming themselves, they may even consider suicide if an exam doesn’t go as well as they expected,” says Rabson. “Stress can truly have a devastating effect on our lives and is something to be taken seriously.”?She refers to the report “Preventing Suicide, A Global Imperative”, which was released by WHO last month.
According to this report, suicide is the second leading cause of death globally for youth ages 15 to 29. Suicide is preventable and mental health disorders are treatable - and yet because we don’t significantly address mental health issues, we lose over 800,000 lives annually.?To keep your stress levels manageable and maintain good mental health, you can try the tips from Boston City Campus & Business College’s Life Skills course given in the side bar. ?Don’t think that life without stress is a better life.
Rabson reminds that we need a certain amount of positive stress in life as positive stress motivates us and pushes us into action.
To create positive stress in your life: ?
· Identify goals and vision. Picture yourself as you will be when your vision has been realised (with a graduation gown and cap in hand if you’re a student). Your vision will motivate you into taking action.?
· Challenge yourself - tackle a task or goal that is more difficult that what you are used to. Towards the end of the year many opportunities arise such as organising an event or farewell, take on something that is challenging!?
· Do something that you fear – to succeed you have to take risks and with risk comes fear. When you do something unusual, you learn to control fear If you are offered to address an audience, maybe the school, or a presentation at work -don’t refuse – push your boundaries, and you will surprise yourself at how motivated you will be when it’s done. Reach for greater heights.?
For more information on Boston City Campus & Business College life skills course and other courses, phone on 011 551-2000, e-mail info@boston.co.za, visit www.boston.co.za or Facebook.??
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