NATIONAL Stress Awareness Day is on Wednesday 6 November and, with this year’s theme being ‘Going the Extra Mile’, Edinburgh-based resolve is urging individuals and employers to use the day as a barometer for checking personal stress levels and those of their staff.
Resolve was set up by Scottish charity, Health in Mind, with funding from the Scottish Government Enterprise Growth Fund. Its purpose is to support individuals to deal with their stress and either prevent them from being off work sick, or help them to return to work. Claire Edwards is resolve’s Manager.
Claire commented: “The national day is a great focal point for raising awareness about stress, how to prevent it and how to manage it once it occurs; either as an individual or employer.
“Stress is largely preventable and by attempting to measure how it affects us means there is an opportunity to learn how to deal with it rather than waiting until we fall ill.”
Claire explained that 40 per cent of all sick days are attributed to stress, depression or anxiety with nearly one in six employees affected. She highlighted the common signs of stress to look out for, such as mood swings, poor performance, more days off sick, out of character behaviour and changes in personal appearance.
“We use a guided self-help approach where an individual works with a psychologist qualified to use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, for four, one-hour sessions over a six-to-eight week period,” said Claire.
Guided Self Help is recommended by NHS Scotland and NICE (the National Institute of Clinical Excellence) as an effective treatment for anxiety and mild to moderate depression.
Claire continued: “Each Wellbeing Package is tailored to an individual’s needs and at the end of the period the person will leave with their own coping strategies and bespoke materials to help them deal with stress.”
Resolve also offers counselling and coaching.
“Counselling can help to explore your emotions and address how you respond to life’s pressures with coaching helping to identify goals and strategies,” said Claire.
“We also deliver stress awareness sessions for teams and this includes identifying the signs and strategies for preventing, managing and responding to stress in the workplace.”
“The service is totally confidential, so individuals can come to us privately or employers, recognising the signs of stress in their own staff, can make arrangements for their employees to be helped.
“On this National Stress Awareness Day we would urge everyone to ‘Go the Extra Mile’ and consciously check their own stress levels and those of the people around them.
“Raising awareness of stress, how to prevent it and how to manage it will help us all to feel happier, energetic and more positive.”
National Stress Awareness Day is sponsored by The International Stress Management Association UK.
ISMA volunteers around the UK will be helping businesses and services raise awareness about the prevention and management of stress at work.
ENDS
For further information contact Doreen Graham, Health in Mind Communications Manager on 0131 243 0137 or Doreen@health-in-mind.org.uk or Claire Edwards on 0131 718 6003 or: claire@resolvescotland.org.uk
resolve is based at the MWB Business Exchange, 9-10 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AF
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
- the annual cost to Scottish business is in the region of £2 billion
- 40 per cent of all sick days are attributed to mental ill health
- at any one time, nearly one in six employees will be affected by a mental health condition such as stress, depression or anxiety
- the cost per employee is approximately £970.
The Enterprise Growth Fund is a £6m Scottish Government Fund. The Fund is making strategic investments in ambitious and enterprising third sector organisations enabling them to develop, grow and become more sustainable. It supports third sector organisations to realise their full potential and to make a key contribution to the National Outcomes of the Scottish Government. The Enterprise Growth Fund is managed by the Wise Group with consortium partners CEiS, DSL and Social Value Lab.
Health in Mind is a registered Scottish charity providing a range of mental health and wellbeing services including information, support, training and talking therapies.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Health in Mind. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Doreen Graham
Phone: 01312430137
Email: doreen@health-in-mind.org.uk
Website: http://www.resolvescotland.org.uk/
