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It's never ending isn't it? Every day the responsibilities, tasks, problems and work mounts up. Everyone needs it now! And all the high tech gadgets and tools don't seem to help either. If anything, they seem to speed up your life.

Did you know that 1 in 2 people have experienced stress by the time they are 40? So, are you suffering from stress and can you cope?

Admitting you cannot cope

Okay, so you admit it. You are stressed. It takes courage to recognise you cannot cope and you're suffering, but it's the first step to beating stress. And the solution to every problem starts with taking that first step. Trouble is, most people cannot see it.

You are often the last person to see you have a problem. If you were to ask your friends and family, they would tell you. But they won't tell you unless you ask(they don't want to be rude!).

But now that you have taken the first step, what part of your life do you not enjoy anymore? When do feel on edge? Do you have time for your own indulgence? To relax? To do something for yourself?

Does that feel selfish? Are you starting to resent all the responsibilities, jobs, tasks or people who fill your life night and day? Or maybe, it's been like that for as long as you can remember.

It's time to stand back, take stock and take action.

Recognising the signs of your distress

How do you know if it's stress you're suffering from? What are the symptoms to look for? There are 3 different types of symptom, physical, emotional and mental.

Physical symptoms can include,

' Heart pounding
' Headaches
' Sweaty palms
' Indigestion
' Skin breakouts
' Shortness of breath
' Cold hands
' Sleeplessness or sleeping too much
' Fatigue
' Nausea
' Diarrhoea
' Tight stomach
' Tight muscles or pain

Emotional symptoms can include,

' Moodiness
' Irritability
' Depression
' Anxiety
' Lack of sense of humour
' Abrasiveness
' Hostility
' Nervousness
' You can be easily upset

Mental symptoms can include,

' Forgetfulness
' Loss of concentration
' Poor judgement
' Disorganisation
' Confusion
' Lack of interest in anything
' Simple maths errors
' Inability to think when required
' Negative self-talk

You may experience any combination of these symptoms. As everyone is different you may react in different ways.

Recognising and admitting your problems, if only to yourself, is an important start. The next stage is discover what you can do about it. And it doesn't necessarily mean medication or pills.

You may not realise it, but there are many natural ways of relieving and managing stress that are much kinder to you and your health.

You owe it to yourself to discover what's best for you.