Stress Awareness Month 2022
Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 to raise awareness of the stress endemic that has been taking place worldwide. The last two years, in particular, has caused significant stress for us all and this year’s campaign is more important than ever.
Stress Awareness Month is run by the Stress Management Society and there are lots of great resources on their website. The theme they have set this year is Community. This puts GRCC in the perfect place to promote the campaign as most of our work takes place within Gloucestershire’s communities.
As written on the Stress Management Society website, ‘A community is much more than just a group of people. It’s about having a sense of belonging and connection to others and feel supported and accepted by them. Relationships are one of the most important aspects of our lives. People who are more socially connected to family, friends, or their community are happier, physically healthier and live longer, with fewer mental health problems than people who are less well connected. People in neighbourhoods with higher levels of social cohesion experience lower rates of mental health problems than those in neighbourhoods with lower cohesion, regardless of how deprived or affluent a neighbourhood is.
Conversely, a lack of community support can result in feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Feeling lonely has a negative impact on mental health, particularly when these feelings are longstanding, and research suggests that it is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep problems and increased stress.’
With that in mind, we will be promoting the campaign throughout the month, so look out for our daily posts on our social media feeds which will include tips on coping with and reducing stress as well as tips for you to help someone who may be struggling with stress.
If you are struggling with stress, you can also contact our Cotswold Community Wellbeing Service who use a holistic approach to help alleviate stress and other areas of wellbeing. You can find out more information by clicking here.