Treatment of StressStress is an example of how the mind and body works together. The World Health Organization has stated that stress has become a “World Wide Epidemic”. The 20th century American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr said "Grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept the things I can't change, and the wisdom to know the difference." The best medicine for stress is not having stress. Not possible, so lets continue. See a Physician First and most important, if you are stressed and need help, see your physician. Take him a list of things you’re thinking of doing and why you are so stresses. Going to a doctor can be very stressful in itself, but stress can cause a number of serious physical and mental conditions – you’ll only feel a little pressure. Mild stress “symptoms” can be managed by over the counter drugs (like: aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen for tension headache and antacids and anti-diarrhea medications or laxatives for mild stomach distress). Managing symptoms is not managing stress, so if the symptoms persist or are out of the ordinary, particularly those which progress in severity or awaken (or keeps awake) you at night or cardiac symptoms, significant pain, anxiety, or depression see your physician. Good and Bad Stress can be positive as well as negative. Appropriate and controllable stress provides interest and excitement and motivates the individual to greater achievement, while a lack of stress may lead to boredom and depression. How to Treat No single method is uniformly successful: a combination of approaches is generally most effective. What works for one person does not necessarily work for someone else. A major obstacle to reducing stress is the strong biologic urge for fight or flight itself. The very idea of relaxation can feel threatening, because it is perceived as letting down one's guard. Reducing or eliminating the things that cause stress, when possible, and changing how you react to it are the safest and most effective ways to treat stress. Treating any medical symptoms caused by stress is important. Identifying sources of stress. You may want to keep a stress diary in which you record the occasions that were stressful to you, triggered anger or anxiety or caused a physical response like sour stomach or headache. Jot down the time of day and the circumstances that led to it, and then try to identify the types of events or activities that cause stress. See if you can alter or avoid these circumstances. Restructuring priorities. Examine your priorities and goals to determine which stressful activities or situations can be eliminated. Learn to replace time-consuming chores that aren't really necessary with activities that are pleasurable or interesting, for example. Find ways to balance the stress inducers you can't eliminate - like unpleasant working conditions, an unhappy family situation or a significant loss - by including stress-reducing activities in your day. Keeping your perspective and looking for the positive. Focus on positive outcomes in stressful situations. It helps by thinking of the worst possible outcomes and assessing the likelihood of those coming to bear (usually small). Then, envision a positive outcome and develop a plan to achieve that outcome. Also helpful: remembering past situations that initially seemed negative but ended well. Use humor. Keeping a sense of humor during difficult situations is a common recommendation from stress management experts. Laughing releases the tension of pent-up feelings and helps keep perspective. Research has shown that humor is a very effective mechanism for coping with acute stress. Deep breathing. During stress, breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Taking a deep breath is an effective technique for winding down. Inhale through your nose slowly and deeply to the count of ten, making sure your stomach and abdomen expand but your chest does not rise. Exhale through your nose also to the count of ten. Concentrate fully on the breathing and counting. Repeat five to ten times. The goal is to take six deep breaths per minute. Relaxing your muscles. Sitting anywhere, even at your desk, relax your shoulders, let your arms drop to your side, rest your hands on top of your thighs, relax your legs, and don't forget your jaw muscles, which often tense with stress. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. You can also do this lying in bed: beginning with the top of the head and progressing downward, focus on tensing then relaxing all the muscles in the body one by one while maintaining a slow, deep breathing pattern. Passive stretches. Allow gravity to help you relax and stretch your muscles. Relax your neck and let your head fall forward to the right. Then let it drop even more as you breathe slowly. Do the same with your shoulders, arms and back. Active Stretches. Yoga or Pilates can greatly reduce your stress. Buy a DVD or tale a local class. Visualisation. Remember a relaxing time or place like a lakeside picnic or a beautiful beach scene. Close your eyes for a few minutes and picture it in your mind. Meditation. The goal of meditation is to quiet the mind and to relax thought. Meditation can reduce your heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline levels and skin temperature. It involves concentrating on a simple image or sound while in a comfortable place away from distractions. See our article on how to meditate or there are a number of organizations that teach meditation. Massage. Appears to slow down the heart and relax the body. Rather than causing drowsiness, however, massage actually increases alertness. Maintaining healthy habits. People who are trying to deal with stress often resort to unhealthy habits including high-fat and high-salt diets, tobacco use, alcohol abuse and a sedentary lifestyle. Getting regular aerobic exercise. A brisk walk - can reduce the level of stress hormones in your blood. At least 30 minutes a day (or two 15-minute sessions) is best, but even three times a week offers benefits. In addition, as your body gets fit, its ability to withstand stress is enhanced and your mind is often better able to cope with stress and stay on an even, happier keel. Start slowly. Strenuous exercise in people who are not used to it can be very dangerous and any exercise program should be discussed with your doctor. Dance Baby Dance. Great aerobic exercise, helps you build a social network, and it does not seem like exercise. Do Yoga. Some do yoga for the stretching benefits, some for the stretching & cardiovascular benefits, and others because it relaxes them. There are many forms of yoga. If the area you live in have several yoga studios, try them all, to find the best type of yoga for you. Yoga can help you expand your social network and improve your physical and mental health (reduces stress). Strengthening or establishing a support network. Even having a pet, reduces medical problems aggravated by stress. Reducing stress at work. By establishing a network of friends, seeking out a sympathetic manager or scheduling daily pleasant activities and physical exercise during free time, or new job. Call friends. Talking to your friends about your problems, helps you relieve anxiety (stress). Read Food Labels Look at the food labels at the market, do not buy foods with the following: Saturated fats, Trans fats, Sugars, Partially hydrogenated oils, Corn syrup. Your body will be healthier and able to handle stress easier. Aromatherapy Aromatherapy is over-hyped these days, making many exordinary claims. But it can help people relax (avoid and reduce stress). Manage your Finances Live below your means. Spend less than you make. Don't buy those thing you think will make you happy, but you can not afford. If you have to put the purchase on your credit card do Not buy it. Do Charity Work. Helping other people can give you an inner feeling of peace (the opposite of stress). It can also expand your social network. Your social network can never be too large. Get Married Married people live longer (not because it seems that way). You have at home, a friend that can help you identify and relieve stress. Get a Dog. Man's best friend is a way to a healthier life. They are always happy to see you come home and ready to play at any time. Studies have found that just petting a dog, lowers your blood pressure. A pet can be an excellent means of reducing stress in your life. Medication. Medication administrator by your physician, is usually your last resort, but if you need it, YOU NEED IT. Let your physician be your guide. Don’t Use Credit Cards. Financial problems are a leading means to stress in our society. Live within your means. If you have to put it on a credit card, you don’t need it. Sleep. Get seven to eight hours of deep sleep per night. To get a good deep sleep, take a hot shower or bath just before you go to bed. Go to bed at the same time each night, you will fall asleep faster and get better rest. Do what you hate first. Try to tackle your most difficult or stressful tasks early in the day. We are most resilient to stress after a good night's sleep. Hitting these tasks early puts the source of our stress behind us. Stress build up if a task is put off. Learn how to break big projects up into manageable bits and get started. Do something that you love. Find something you love doing and do it. At least once a week spend some uninterrupted time doing something that makes you happy. Write a book, see a show, take a walk - something you want. Time spent doing something you love will refuel your sense of enjoyment and refresh your peace of mind. Listening to music. Listening to music will decreases anxiety levels, lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, changes plasma stress hormone levels, affects your respiration, reduces muscle tension, increases endorphin levels, and boosts your immune system. Drink Tea. Studies have shown that tea: lowers the risk of heart attack, reduces "bad" cholesterol, fights cancer, reduces inflammation in arthritis patients, and reduces stress. Tea contains the amino acid L-theanine, which has been shown to promote relaxation. |