Coping with Stress

Coping with Stress

Stress is your body's reaction to situations that are difficult, challenging or uncertain. It's your body's way of preparing us to deal with these situations.

Stress isn't necessarily bad all the time. In fact good stress can keep you motivated and focused to get things done. For example, exams can be stressful, but that stress can also motivate you to study and prepare so you can do your best.

Bad stress is what you feel when you can't stop worrying about an uncertain or difficult situation and you may feel overwhelmed, maybe even experiencing physical symptoms like stomach aches or headaches. You may withdraw from friends and family, or you might act out negatively. Bad stress can make you question your abilities, and if it's not managed, it can make you feel depressed, anxious, angry or afraid.

Negative ways to cope with Stress	Positive ways to cope with Stress
Avoiding your friends and family Blaming Damaging property Running away Using drugs or alcohol Hurting others physically or emotionally Hurting yourself Shutting down, withdrawing Running away Using negative self-talk	Talk to someone you trust Express anger and frustration calmly Make an action plan Write a lists of your strengths Exercise Practice deep breathing Listen to music Create music, art or stories Work on a project Communicate assertively Eat healthy foods Take a nap and getting enough sleep Use positive self-talk Make a Self-Care Plan and review it often.

At some point, we will all experience bad stress. Sometimes we will handle it well, other times we won't. It helps to know yourself and the ways that you cope best, so that you can identify when bad stress is getting the best of you, take care of yourself and reach out for help when you need it.

If you feel like you're losing control, you can't manage or you're using negative coping strategies you can:

Talk to a trusted adult, like a parent or a teacher
See the school counsellor or make an appointment with a community counsellor
Call the or text the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or Hope for Wellness Line at 1-855-242-3310.