Brookhaven Retreat Observes Stress Awareness Month
Knoxville, TN (PRWEB) April 09, 2014 -- Since 1992 The Health Resource Network has sponsored Stress Awareness Month in April. With nearly half of Americans reporting that stress negatively impacts their lives, it has become a major health concern. This campaign aims to better inform people on the dangers of stress and propose healthy ways to manage it.
Stress does serve a purpose. It is the body’s natural reaction to a threatening situation, often referred to as “fight or flight,” but chronic and severe stress can cause excessive harm to one’s physical and mental well being.
A variety of poor lifestyle habits such as poor sleep hygiene, inadequate exercise and an unhealthy diet are common sources of stress. Excess stress can cause high blood pressure, cardiac disease and mental health issues including depression and anxiety. A recent study from the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that chronic stress actually changes the brain’s structure by interfering with the balance and timing of communication within the brain, resulting in higher susceptibility to mental health problems.
Stressful situations are inevitable, and women who have never established healthy coping skills may look for temporary relief through alcohol or drugs. Stress can contribute to increased impulsive behaviors and worsen depression in women already struggling with mood disorders.
Brookhaven Retreat works with women through a variety of therapies to manage and reduce stress. A comprehensive treatment plan that includes morning contemplation, regular exercise, self-care, mindfulness, and psychotherapy has a positive effect on reducing stress and anxiety.
During the month of April, Brookhaven Retreat will continue to educate women on the effect prolonged stress has on the body and mind, as well as encourage healthy, stress-reducing activities. Extensive therapies enable women to develop coping skills that are transferrable to daily life, promoting a healthy lifestyle and long-term wellness.
About Brookhaven Retreat
Brookhaven Retreat is a women's treatment center nestled on a naturally beautiful 48-acre site secluded in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It has helped hundreds of women across the United States overcome depression, trauma, anxiety, substance use and a range of other behavioral health challenges. Brookhaven’s Founder, Jacqueline Dawes, has predicated its gender-specific treatment on “healing emotional breakage” for women. In this way, she has established a sanctuary and a place where women can feel safe, secure and cared for by a staff of highly trained professionals.
Jessica Wirth, Brookhaven Retreat, http://www.brookhavenretreat.com, +1 865-357-3600, [email protected]
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