Stressed? BarCARES Can Help
Answer the following questions honestly to determine whether stress is affecting your life in a negative manner:
- I have trouble falling asleep.
- I can’t seem to stop thinking when it’s time to sleep.
- I wake up after 1-3 hours and can’t get back to sleep.
- I overeat when I am upset or nervous.
- I have frequent digestive problems (diarrhea, irritable
bowel, ulcers, indigestion). - I explode when angry–aggressive displacement such as slamming doors, “kicking the cat,” driving fast.
- I am frequently angry and irritable.
- I frequently have tension or migraine headaches, frequent back pain.
- I frequently feel down or discouraged, have low energy level and frequent fatigue, a sense of hopelessness.
- I have occasional suicidal thoughts–suicide is an option
when I face adversity. - I feel isolated, lack personal support.
- I have difficulty in personal relationships but am
unwilling to admit the problem or seek help. - I engage in little or no regular exercise.
- I’m too busy to stop and relax.
- I’m too busy for anything unrelated to work.
- I have some sense of anxious most of the time.
- I take medication or alcohol or other substances to relax.
If you answered yes to more than 3 or 4 of these questions, stress is likely having a negative impact on your life. If you are experiencing significant stress-related difficulty–especially if you are feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts, please talk about your feelings with someone.
BarCARES is a confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of the 24th Judicial District Bar and other participating judicial district bars, voluntary bar associations and law schools. If you would like additional information about the program, please contact the BarCARES coordinator at 919.929.1227 or 1.800.640.0735 or visit https://www.ncbar.org/members/resources/barcares/.
