April marks Stress Awareness Month, an annual event championed by the Stress Management Society to raise awareness of the negative impact of stress on mental and physical health and encourage people to take steps to reduce it.
According to research by the Mental Health Foundation, 76% of survey respondents said that they had felt so stressed at some point over the previous year that they had been overwhelmed and unable to cope. In the workplace, 1 in 5 workers felt unable to manage stress and pressure (MHFA England). And stress isn’t just confined to adulthood; 66% of 8 to 17-year-olds felt stressed about exams, with a further 39% worrying about what other people thought of them and 25% experiencing stress as a result of bullying (Children’s Commissioner, 2020).
Stress is completely natural and is something that we all experience from time to time. However, when stress starts to impact your everyday life, for example, by causing sleep problems, loss of appetite, irritability, difficulty concentrating or even physical systems, such as headaches or stomach problems, these are signs that it’s time to act.
The theme for Stress Awareness Month 2025 is #LeadwithLove – encouraging us to approach ourselves and others with kindness, compassion and acceptance no matter the challenges we face.
Good Thinking has a wide range of free resources available to Londoners to help combat stress, including:
- advice on identifying the symptoms and types of stress;
- NHS-approved apps on topics such as mindfulness and meditation;
- articles and podcasts on stress management from people with lived experience;
- helpful guides on dealing with stress and supporting good mental wellbeing.
Visit Good Thinking’s dedicated Stress web pages for more information. Alternatively, you can use Good Thinking’s simple search function to find the right help for you.
Thrive London also has a range of free resources available to help combat stress, including:
- a short training video from NHS GP, broadcaster and campaigner for wellbeing Dr Radha Modgil on building emotional resilience;
- a series of #ThroughTogether Expert Advice Videos presented by Professor Kevin Fenton, Dr Pamela Nkyi and Ysabella Hawkings on a range of topics, including focusing on what you can control, how to master feeling overwhelmed, and how to nurture a supportive workplace.
Visit the ThriveLDN website for more information.
To help build resilience and maintain good mental wellbeing, Every Mind Matters has a range of resources for everyone, including an interactive quiz, the Your Mind Plan, to get top tips and advice relevant for you.