Alone In Canada - Coping with stress

"I prefer to stay in a small city like St. Catharines, because when I tried to live in Toronto I found it to be too stressful. If I stayed there I knew I would get depressed or sick. There were too many people and too many immigrants with problems. You need to be strong to live in the big city. St. Catharines is better for me. It is easier to make friends here than in Toronto." - Vlad, from Romania

Stress is the physical, emotional and mental strain that you feel when life uses a lot of your energy. Everyone experiences stress as part of daily living. Adapting to a new country and creating a new life for yourself can be very stressful. The stress can come from difficult tasks, like looking for work or learning English, and also from things that should be fun, like going out to meet people to make new friends.

You cannot avoid stress, but you can learn to manage it so that you are able to enjoy life and reduce the chance of becoming physically or mentally ill. Perhaps you can continue the activities that helped you to feel calm and well when you were back in your homeland. Or may need to try new ways to reduce stress.

Here is another account of dealing with stress. "My life now has lots of stress, especially when I think about my two children. I feel sick when I think about them, as they are still back home. I can't contact them by phone, since there is no phone. I try hard with immigration to bring my children here but the process is so long. Now you understand why I am stressed. I make myself feel better by looking at their photographs and the things that they draw. To take my mind off the problem I play my guitar and I sing.

The music helps me feel better. Now that people know that I play well, they ask me to play for them. They appreciate that I can do something. I like it too. I am contributing to the community."

Tips on dealing with stress

Here are some ways that you can deal with stress.

1. Be flexible - know what you can change and what you cannot. Focus on the things you can control.
2. Laugh as much as you can - it releases tension. Tell some jokes, watch television or a funny film, or read the comics.
3. Breathe slowly - take a few minutes of your day to slow down and take in some deep breaths. This relaxes your mind and body.
4. Allow yourself to make mistakes - be gentle with yourself when you do so. No one is perfect. Learn from your mistakes.
5. Face your problems - one at a time. It is easier to solve your problems if you divide them up, rather than try to deal with everything all at once.
6. Talk to someone - sharing a problem can make it seem more manageable. Your friend, advisor or co-worker may be going through the same thing. They may even be able to offer some advice.
7. Allow yourself to feel sad - change can bring a sense of loss for the way things used to be. This is true even when the change has improved your quality of life. Take the time to grieve the loss and to adjust to it slowly. Grieving also releases tension.
8. Learn to say "no" to doing too much. This may be hard at first, but be realistic - you can't do everything.
9. Get some fresh air - exercise and being outdoors can make your body and mind feel better.
10. Play more - having fun is a natural way to loosen stiff muscles. Try to have some fun with a friend, a child or a pet.
11. Read a book or magazine that you enjoy. It may take your mind off your problems for a few hours.
12. Mediation and yoga can help you to relax by quieting your mind. Also, yoga gently stretches your muscles.

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