Talking Things Over

Stress affects millions of us everyday all around the world, through all walks of life.And one of the most common reasons for suffering from stress is an inability to talk things through with a loved one, an employer or a friend.

Many of us see not being able to do a particular thing as a weakness but nothing could be further from the truth. We are, after all, very different in our aspirations, our levels of creativity and how we are as a person.It is important to remember this in times of stress because without considering these differences we leave ourselves wide open to it.

Effect of Stress On a Relationship

Many relationships crumble because stress has taken hold on one or other of the partners and this stress comes more often than not because they have not taken the time to sit down and talk through their problems.

Many relationships will have a dominant partner who is forthright, assertive and strong of resolve, while the other might be more submissive and will be happy to go with the flow; this leads to stress, because the dominant partner thinks all is well, while the more submissive partner is unwilling – or frightened – to say otherwise. This is where relationships begin to crumble.

The Importance of Communication

Sitting down at the end of the day, after being at work or looking after the children, and talking to one another is one of the best ways in which stress levels can be eased.

A quiet night in, a nice meal and a chat over a bottle of wine can make all the difference. To many this might sound like a romantic notion – and for those of us with children, a near impossibility – but making the time for each other and listening to each other is as therapeutic as any alternative therapy.

Pressure at work is something else people refuse to talk about because it is seen as a sign of weakness. This is simply not the case. Many people in the workplace find their workloads reaching dangerous proportions because they feel they cannot approach their employer. Likewise many people feel that their employer is unapproachable. This – for the most part – is also not the case. Many employers thrive on input from their staff and make a point of spending time with them. Sitting down with your employer over a cup of coffee is an informal way of airing your views and many companies now hold weekly, fortnightly or monthly meetings for just this purpose.

Another huge contributor to our stress levels is finance. For the majority of us money has, is and always will be, a bone of contention in our lives. We find ourselves stressed because we work five days a week – and some people seven days a week – just to make ends meet. Indeed there are those of us who are unable to work due to ill health and this is frustrating and stressful.

Many sufferers of ill health find they develop high levels of stress because they cannot work or cannot function in the same manner as before. But in all of these cases the best medicine is the ability to sit down with someone and talk.

If you feel you cannot talk to a loved one, work colleague or friend about certain issues, there are many different counselling groups that deal with a variety of problems who will be happy to listen and offer impartial, friendly advice should you need it.