National Stress Awareness Month: What is it & How to Observe it
April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month to bring attention to the negative impact of stress. It has been held every April since 1992 to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic. It is the time when we have an opportunity for an open conversation on the impact of stress. Managing stress is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle.
According to ‘Mates in Mind’, in 2022/23:
- There were 875,000 cases of work-related stress, depression, or anxiety.
- Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 49% of all work-related ill-health cases and 54% of all working days lost due to work-related ill-health.
- The main work factors cited as causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety include the demands of the job, lack of control, lack of information and support, work relationships, and roles and responsibilities.
Learning about this month can certainly help anyone who struggles to cope with their stress and those may find themselves in need of guidance and advice.
History of Stress Awareness Month
There have been many investigations and studies into the cause of stress and how humans tend to react to it in different ways. Back in 1936, Hans Selye began his pioneering studies into stress and developed the content of general adaptation syndrome. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that personality types were defined, which led to many other breakthroughs in the psycho-social sciences and a better understanding of the potentially devastating effects of stress on individuals as well as society.
Stress is a widespread feeling that almost everyone will experience at one time or another in their lives. As such, millions of individuals around the world are likely to struggle with it and have their lives impacted negatively by it.
Stress can have an impact on a person’s health, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally and often is a combination of them all. These health issues, when allowed to build up over time, could manifest themselves in issues such as anxiety and depression, hormonal problems, difficulty sleeping, high blood pressure, heart disease and much more.
Simply becoming more aware of stress and learning to apply the various coping mechanisms can certainly help an individual who is feeling overwhelmed by this emotion. In addition, it is well understood that if people become more aware and there is less shame involved, then they are more likely to reach out for help when they need it.
Stress Awareness Month is held every spring, in the month of April and its observance has been in existence since 1992. The original organization dedicated to helping with workplace stress was founded back in 1974 and then rebranded to the International Stress Management Association in 1989.
How To Observe Stress Awareness Month
There are plenty of resources and helpful organizations available to help with struggle regarding stress, whether it is related to home life, work-life, or various relationships. Stress Awareness Month is a time that encourages everyone to stop overlooking stress and pay more attention to its causes and effects. And then to try to do something about it!
Here is a list of additional resources from the National Institute of Health that can help you effectively cope with stress:
- Stress Less for a Healthier Heart
- Wellness@NIH
- Helpful Practices to Manage Stress and Anxiety (NIMH)
- So Stressed Out Fact Sheet (NIMH)
- Stress (NCCIH)
- 7 Steps to Manage Stress and Build Resilience (ORWH)
- Your Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Toolkit (HHS)
The most important thing with this month is that people are focusing on their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing. For some, this might mean putting themselves first for a change and focusing on bringing those stress levels down in whatever ways are possible.
Simply, endeavoring to pay more attention personally to where stress comes from, and its adverse effects is the perfect start to observing Stress Awareness Month.
https://hr.nih.gov/working-nih/civil/national-stress-awareness-month
https://www.matesinmind.org/training-and-resources/stress-awareness-month-april-2024