Managing stress appropriately may strengthen your mental health

For Release

(EFFINGHAM, IL) – The stress level among adults in the United States is at an all-time high according to a recent poll conducted for the American Psychological Association (APA).

Researchers found that 46% of parents say their average stress level related to COVID-19 is high (between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale where 1 means “little to no stress” and 10 means “a great deal of stress”). Education and basic needs are pandemic-related stressors most of those parents report, according to the APA poll. Another 28% of adults without children reported similar stress levels.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Andrea Cutler, APRN, from HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic says people who’ve never had any type of mental health concerns pre-pandemic are now seeking advice and being admitted to HSHS hospitals for stress and mental health-related challenges.

Physical symptoms of stress may also be present: fatigue, changes in appetite, lack of interest in activities you used to enjoy, headache, muscle tension, unexplained anger or sadness and more.

How you respond to stress can depend on many life factors; background, social support, finances, health, emotions, your community and more. Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, your loved ones and your community stronger. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following tips:

Take care of your body. Stress can cause physical pain, so try to regularly stretch, take deep breaths, get plenty of sleep, eat well and get a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise every day.
Know what to do if you are sick and concerned about COVID-19. Contact your health care provider before starting any type of self-treatment.
Know where to get treatment. Whether it’s COVID-19-related or stress in general, know what resources are available in your community.
Connect with your community or faith-based organizations. Social distancing may prevent some in-person activities, but consider holding book club via Zoom, share recipes and photos via text or call a local nonprofit to see if there are any home-based tasks you can do to help their cause.
Stick to the facts. Don’t believe rumors or follow stigmas when it comes to understanding COVID-19 risks. Seek out credible sources for accurate information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/coronavirus) or your local public health department.

Cutler says reaching out to fellow community members suffering through stressors that you may not even know about, can help lift them up and also enhance your own mental health.

“You may find that thoughtful and kind gestures such as sitting with others, listening to them, or simply being present can resonate within you and them and can have a large impact,” she explains.

For more information about healthy ways to manage stress, visit cdc.gov.

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital offers outpatient behavioral health care in partnership with Heartland Human Service in Effingham, Illinois. The clinic is located inside Heartland Human Services at 1200 North 4^th Street. Please call 217-347-7179, extension 1255 for more information or learn how to get a referral to St. Anthony’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Services.

For more information about HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, visit the hospital’s website at stanthonyshospital.org.