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Stress Management
Stress can originate anywhere and the causes are numerous.
What is stressful for one person may be perfectly acceptable to another. Indeed, some people seem to thrive on stress while others seem to go to pieces over the slightest little thing. Stress, it seems, is not triggered by an actual event, but how we as an individual react to that event. A situation which makes us feel stressed one day could have no impact the next. More usually, there is a gradual build up of stress, which may or may not, eventually exceed personal tolerance levels.
Not all stress is bad; we need a certain amount of it to motivate us, to get the best out of us. Without stress we can become apathetic, lethargic, lazy. Stress is activating. But as with everything, it's all a case of balance.
There are two main types of stress, 'Eustress' is the positive, and 'Distress', the negative. There is also Post Traumatic Stress, which, as its name suggests, can occur as a consequence of a past traumatic experience.
Primitive man was governed by the need to hunt for food, and the animal body is designed to act or react - as in the 'fight or flight' response. When faced with danger the blood flows away from the stomach and to the limbs (hence that sinking feeling), to enable man to run or fight; the digestion shuts down, which is why it is never a good idea to eat when under stress, otherwise you could suffer from indigestion. The muscles become tense and ready for action, the glands secrete adrenalin, a powerful chemical eventually, when the threat of an attack is over the body returns to a state of near normal, but it is still on the alert - remaining vigilant.
Technology has advanced at a far greater speed than human beings have. And the stressors of yesteryear are very different from the ones of today. We rarely need to fight or flee these days (even though we may feel like doing so), but our body is still prepared to do so.
In consequence all that negative energy accumulates in the muscles. It may cause ulcers, migraine, tension headache, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety or panic attacks, perhaps just feelings of general unease. There could be dizziness, irritability, a feeling of being constantly 'on edge'.
Too much stress results in failure of the immune system to produce those important T cells that help to fight off infection. The immune system then attacks itself, resulting in arthritis, ME, MS, HIV, allergies, asthma, to name but a few.
It is known that bereaved people are more at risk of illness than partners who are together. The mental state is lowered leaving them wide open to negative influences.
So what can we do to discharge the stress?
For a start, take a look at the cause of your stress and see if you can do something about it. At first glance this may sound obvious, but if you analyze the cause you may find that the reason is not always so easy to pinpoint. For example, you may be stressed because of the amount of work that you have to do, perhaps you are dealing with complaints or difficult customers, or trying to achieve impossible targets etc.
If you can do something to alleviate the situation then do it. But if not, accept that you have to change your reaction to it.
You cannot change other people. People can change, and often do, but that is their decision. Therefore if you are the one who is suffering from stress then you are the one who must change. It is that simple.
Hypnotherapy can be extremely effective in helping you make changes where they are needed, with dealing with your response to stress, and with teaching you to remain calm and relaxed.
One of these ways entails using simple mind techniques to re-programme the subconscious mind to accept a healthier and more beneficial outlook.
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