FORT RUCKER, Ala. (September 1, 2011) -- Army Community Service's Family Advocacy Program staff wants to help the people of Fort Rucker identify, treat and prevent stress at its quarterly stress management workshop September 6 from 9-11 a.m. at the Early Childhood Activity Center.
Whether it's caused by work, financial concerns or other triggers, uncontrolled stress can produce many physical and emotional effects that FAP's workshop will aim to prevent, said Twanna Johnson, who conducts the quarterly workshop.
She added that having the workshop over the course of several hours allows her to get to know the class and help develop personal stress management plans for each person. "By planning for the situations that can happen, you can reduce the stress," she said.
If stress is not handled properly, people can suffer side effects ranging from high blood pressure to cold and flu symptoms. Stress can even turn into depression or exacerbate seemingly unrelated health problems, said Johnson.
The workshop will outline the many causes of stress, paying close attention to the unique stressors that exist in the military lifestyle. She explained that many things can cause stress on every member of a military Family, especially money troubles and multiple deployments.
"With the economy, financial stress is way high," said Johnson, who acknowledged that deployments can often add to the financial burden.
For those who cannot attend or want to begin relieving their stress today, Johnson offers a few tips.
First, identify the cause of stress. Then, develop a plan of action for managing it.
"Set a goal, get a plan of action for it and have a target date -- take control of your life," she said
Johnson also emphasized the importance of exercise and meditation, explaining that everyone has to find what fits their lifestyle. When prevention techniques are not enough, Johnson can offer referrals to other Fort Rucker services.
"We have so many programs that can help Families dealing with stress. This is a friendly environment, where we want you to seek services," said Johnson.
Johnson encourages anyone who is interested to find out how they can attend this workshop or host their own stress management class.
For more information or to register for the stress management workshop, call 255-3898.
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