WeCareWeListenWeHelp - Managing Stress

MANAGING STRESS

Stress your mind’s response to a threat. This threat may be physical or emotional, real or imagined. If imagined, there may not be an actual threat to your wellbeing, but your mind does not know or notice the difference and gets stressed regardless.

A little bit of stress can be beneficial preparing the body to excel in an emotional or physical way. However in modern life the ongoing presence of stress causes many adverse reactions in the body. The body is always ready for danger, not having the opportunity to recover, or relax on a regular basis. Most of what causes the stress is non-physical:

competition at work

the desire to excel

the need to provide

the responsibilities of family life

the need to “live up to expectations”

having too much to do not having enough resources (knowledge, time or money)

financial pressures

the need to perform 24 x 7

rapid changing environments

tight deadlines

Stress prepares your body for fighting the danger you are faced with. Your defence against the danger comes from prehistoric times where you had to deal with beasts many times your size. When stressed, your body:

increases your heart and breathing rate,

constricts your blood vessels escalating your blood pressure,

reduces your digestion,

tenses your muscles

so you can fight the beast or run like crazy.

You can see that stress upsets the balance and harmony of your body. Here are some physical conditions that may be related to stress:

Acne, Dandruff, Dermatitis, Eczema, Herpes, Psoriasis and Warts

Stomach pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, belching, flatulence, grinding teeth and stomach ulcers.

Migraine headaches

High Blood pressure

Incontinence

Emphysema and asthma

Here are some behavioural symptoms of stress:

Irritability

Shutting down, closing up

Indecisiveness

Avoidance

Irrational decision making

Being influenced by others

Being distracted

Substance abuse (drugs, alcohol)

Addictions like gambling

Abusive behaviour (self or others)

And some emotional symptoms of stress:

Low self worth

Excessive anger

Road rage

Blaming

Anxiety

Depression

In order to have peace, joy, relief, comfort and success in your life, in order to live longer and happier, you need to reduce stress. It is easier than you think. Answer these four questions first:

How do you know when you are stressed?

What do you do to get stressed?

How do you know when you are relaxed?

What do you do to get relaxed?

Do less of what you listed in question 2 and do more of what you listed in question 4! It is that easy.

Here are some ideas for reducing stress, or increasing relaxation in your life:

Drink water when thirsty

Eat when hungry, stop when you are full

Rest or sleep when tired

Stretch when sitting for a while

Balance your life. Spend some time taking care of your health, finances, emotions, career, social life, spiritual life and play

Exercise