April 2026 - Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time to talk about stress and how it shows up in our lives.

The first thing I want to say might surprise you: not all stress is bad.

In fact, some stress can be good for us. It can energise us, sharpen our focus, and motivate us to take action. This type of stress is known as eustress or “positive stress.”

Eustress is usually short-term, feels manageable, and can even feel exciting. It tends to occur when a situation stretches us, but still feels within our ability to cope.

Examples of eustress might include:

• Moving home

• Starting a new job

• Attending an interview

In these moments, your body and mind are responding to a challenge but one that helps you grow.

Understanding the difference between helpful stress and overwhelming stress is an important first step in taking care of your wellbeing.

In contrast, not all stress feels helpful.

When stress becomes overwhelming, long-lasting, and difficult to manage, it is known as distress.

Unlike eustress, distress can feel heavy and exhausting. It often sits outside our ability to cope and, over time, can begin to impact both our wellbeing and our performance.

Distress is typically longer-term and can leave us feeling stuck, drained, or unable to switch off.

Some common sources of distress might include:

• A heavy or unmanageable workload

• Burnout

• Relationship difficulties

• Financial worries

When stress reaches this point, it’s no longer supporting us, it’s taking from us.

Recognising when stress has shifted from something motivating to something overwhelming is an important step in looking after yourself and knowing when to seek support.

You don’t have to carry it alone.

So, what can we do when stress starts to feel overwhelming?

There are small, meaningful steps you can take to support yourself:

• Set boundaries – protect your time and energy where you can

• Ask for help – you don’t have to manage everything on your own

• Focus on what you can control – even small actions can create a sense of stability

• Learn relaxation and grounding techniques – these can help calm both your mind and body in moments of stress.

Above all, remember this: you don’t have to cope alone.

Reaching out can make a real difference. Whether it’s speaking to family, friends, a manager, colleagues, or a professional support is available.

Taking that first step to talk can feel difficult, but it’s often the beginning of feeling more like yourself again.

This Stress Awareness Month, let’s remind ourselves that support, understanding, and change are all possible.

Lorain Flannery - Client Care Counselling - lorainflannery@gmail.com