Are you a BIG baby?

Or

Risking a healthy sex life?

Do you know the warning signs of stress? Do you have a plan to take care of yourself ? Do you know when to seek help?
First Responders plan for everything …so what is YOUR plan to stay healthy and functioning!!!!!
Emergency workers must respond quickly to natural disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, and to man made disasters, such as technological failures or terrorist attacks. These workers are at risk of experiencing stress from what psychologists refer to as a traumatic incident. A traumatic incident is one that may involve exposure to catastrophic events, severely injured children or adults, dead bodies or body parts, or a loss of colleagues. National Institute for Occupational Safety Health recommends that all workers involved in response activities help themselves and their coworkers and reduce the risk of experiencing stress associated with a traumatic incident by utilizing simple methods to recognize, monitor, and maintain health on-site and following such experiences.
Workers may experience physical, cognitive, emotional, or behavioral symptoms of stress. Some people experience these reactions immediately at the scene, while for others symptoms may occur weeks or months later.

Scientists know that stress boosts levels of stress hormones — glucocorticoids such as cortisol — that inhibit the body’s main sex hormone, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), and subsequently suppresses sperm count, ovulation and sexual activity.

BE PREPARED…. ACT to keep yourself healthy…Know the signs of stress

Physical symptoms
Fatigue
Nausea/vomiting
Dizziness
Profuse sweating
Thirst
Headaches
Visual difficulties
Clenching of jaw
Nonspecific aches and pains
Cognitive symptoms
Confusion
Disorientation
Heightened or lowered alertness
Poor concentration
Poor problem solving
Difficulty identifying familiar objects or people
Memory problems
Nightmares
Emotional symptoms lasting over several weeks
Anxiety
Guilt
Denial
Grief
Fear
Irritability
Loss of emotional control
Depression
Sense of failure
Feeling overwhelmed
Blaming others or self
Severe panic (rare)
Behavioral changes in themselves or coworkers:
Intense anger
Withdrawal
Emotional outburst
Temporary loss or increase of appetite
Excessive alcohol consumption
Inability to rest, pacing
Change in sexual functioning