From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.

NATIONAL STRESS AWARENESS DAY

Yesterday marked National Stress Awareness Day, organised by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA): a registered charity whose aim is to advance the education of the public in the field of biological stress.

On their website, the ISMA say: “Stress can be an insidious build up of many pressures and challenges. Most people are now aware that the big issues in life can be exciting for some and too demanding for others, resulting in stress.”

Every job comes with responsibilities and no matter where you work and for whom, work can be stressful.

However, teaching is frequently named as one of the most stressful jobs in polls and surveys, and as the wellbeing charity for the profession, we know that common mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression can have a very real impact on the personal and professional lives of teachers.

If you would like help and support with dealing with stress you can call our free, confidential Support Line which is available 24 hours a day on 08000 562 561 in England, 0800 564 2270 in Scotland or 08000 855 088 in Wales.

You can also try our online Stress Test an online interactive tool which was created to help teachers find solutions to emotional problems. You can find the Stress Test here.

For further help and advice visit our online InfoCentre where you will factsheets on a wide range of personal and work-related issues such as:

• Dealing with stress
• Managing stress in the workplace
• Understanding stress
• How do you cope with stress