How to Relieve Stress from Your Life?

Everyone faces stress. Yet it is difficult to be defined.  Things that we see as threatening or harmful are called stressors and stress is stimulus, leading to a psychological  response, chronic circumstance can all be seen as stressors.

Another definition is, that stress is a person’s state in response to a stressor; for example, we can become stressed when having to give a performance in public, the response can involve both physiological and psychological factors and this response is called strain.

There are so many coping strategies such as,

1. Accept the realities of life
2. Avoid too many changes in our life at one time
3. Learn to relax
4. Give attention to others
5. Let go of prejudices and grudges
6. Be organized, yet flexible
7. Don’t try to change others
8. Communicate – it means talk out your stress
9. Learn to recognize job burnout
10. Find ways to release
11. Live one day at a time
12. Keep well
13. Keep exercising
14. Dieting
15. Laughing
16. Smoking reduction
17. Sleep well
18. Get help of support groups
19. Self-Employment
20. Drink a lot of water
21. Time management
22. Determine why the change is necessary
23. Get religious support
24. Plan your day
25. Involve in entertainment such as walking, cycling
26. Don’t take  too many responsibilities
27. Change your daily activities
28. Look at everything positively
29. Get involved in social work
30. Get used to live a normal life
31. Attend a counseling session
32. Use of imagination techniques and relaxation techniques

By Counseling unit, WDC

Women who Overcome Challenges

The WDC aims to improve the status of women by identifying the problems faced by them and assisting them in finding solutions. We also help to build the abilities of women by raising their awareness on various issues and assist them in improving their economic situations. 

WDC works with the STD/AIDS clinic in Kandy and conduct regular meetings with commercial sex workers who attend the clinic. We have identified that these women face diverse problems and need assistance to find solutions. In order to accomplish this we reach out to selected low income rural communities and visit women who are referred to us by the STD clinics. We specially concentrate on women who are already involved in the commercial sex trade and those who are vulnerable to it through abject poverty. We also incorporate women who work on the streets and motivate them to find alternate income.

The program also included awareness activities to men with whom these women associate. The awareness programs are conducted on preventive methods and medication provided at the HIV/AIDS clinic. We also encourage the women to share the knowledge they have gained with their partners and others.  These women are provided revolving funds to start up income generation projects. We are happy that those who have received these loans are successfully involved in IGPs and some have already quit the sex trade. We monitor their progress and encourage them in their enterprises by providing them additional loans if necessary. A revolving loan fund has been established from which they can obtain loans.

The training programs include gender awareness, leadership, ethics/values, counseling on prevention and leading a happy family life. We promote their involvement in religious activities and assist the children of these women to continue schooling so as to prevent them getting into the same trade. These women are encouraged to get involved in other community activities.

We have helped to form a ‘self help group’ where they meet to discuss their problems. They are also encouraged to bring others who are in this trade and educate them of safety precautions. The members subscribe to the group and request the WDC for special skills training programs.