The holiday season is a great time to relax and have fun, but it can also be a time of tension – a time when family conflicts, money issues and never-ending Christmas can effect your emotional wellness.

Here’s a list of stress myths and facts to help you recognize the causes and hopefully allow you to manage them in the end.

Myths and facts about stress

Myth: People who feel stress are nervous to start with.
Fact: Everyone can feel stress, not just those who are nervous.

Myth: Prolonged physical exercise will weaken your resistance to stress.
Fact: Physical exercise will actually increase your resistance to stress.

Myth: Stress can be controlled with medication.
Fact: There is no medication that can control stress, only medication that can temporarily relieve some of the symptoms caused by stress.

Myth: Stress can be eliminated.
Fact: You can improve your response to stress but you can never eliminate stress.

Myth: Stress can cause unpleasant problems, but at least it can’t kill you.
Fact: Stress can weaken your system and lead to medical problems that can kill you.

Myth: Stress is always bad.
Fact: Stress can be exciting (think about the anticipation waiting for something fun like a trip or roller coaster ride).  It is not always bad.

Myth: Stress is only in the mind; it’s not physical.
Fact: Stress is both mental and physical.

Myth: There’s nothing you can do about stress without making drastic changes in your life style.
Fact: You can make small changes that make a big difference.

Myth: Work-related stress can be left at the office and not brought home by most people.
Fact: Work-related stress almost always seeps back into your home. And the health effects of feeling stressed at work do not go away when you leave the office.

Myth: You always know when you’re under stress.
Fact: People can be very good at ignoring daily stresses. Often we do not know we are under stress until we get headaches, stomach problems, or blow up with anger.

Get help

If you or someone else at work is struggling with the effects of stress, free and confidential help is available through the VCH Employee & Family Assistance Program. Call toll free 1.800.505.4929 or visit www.efap.ca.