Manage Panic Attacks

stress is the label we apply when we place too much pressure on ourselves

It is such a far reaching condition that its effects are thought to be felt in practically every kind of illness, every kind of disease.

Yet so few of us really have an effective stress management strategy in place in order to bring about the essential stress relief that we need.

A certain amount of stress, of course, can be beneficial. In small to moderate amounts, it really doesn’t hurt and, indeed, may be necessary in order to motivate us into getting things done and prodding us into performing at our very best.

But when stress takes on too much of a driving, overpowering role, it can exact a real toll and have truly damaging effects on both our mental and physical health.

Such, unfortunately, is the case in many industrialised countries such as the UK, the US, Canada and Australia today, where the most common mental health issues are anxiety and depression and in which stress plays a major underlying role.

At work, stress can turn us into jittery, anxious and resentful workers, unable to function as we really should; while at home, stress can provoke marital conflict and problems with children.

Often, we are able to notice the signs of stress in others much easier than we can in ourselves.

Yet few of us truly know how to manage stress — even if we are fully aware we suffer from it. We simply lack the stress management and stress relief strategies for dealing with and releasing it.

And so alcohol, drugs, tranquillizers and anti-depressants are regularly turned to in an attempt to escape from and cope with the often devastating and frequently incapacitating effects of stress. But such attempted remedies are far from being effective stress treatment; they are temporary at best and short sighted at worst.

Usually however, they merely serve to worsen and aggravate an already inflamed situation.

Yet there are other ways to deal with and manage stress that are really effective and far from harmful. Meditation, yoga, good nutrition and exercise are all classical and effective methods of stress busting. (In fact, we recommend that everyone engages in some form of regular exercise.)

But for sheer effectiveness and rapidity of results, few things can match the power of self-hypnosis for stress management and stress treatment.

This is because in hypnosis you can experience a state of being that is so far removed from stress that it has sometimes been referred to as ‘a state of grace’.

Indeed, self-hypnosis offers a method of completely releasing stress, providing a valuable way – through post-hypnotic suggestion – to manage stress and anxiety. When done correctly, it can provide potent and ongoing stress relief and stress treatment that lasts far beyond the actual sessions of self-hypnosis.

And the amazing thing is that practising self-hypnosis needn’t take forever.

Here in the UK, we teach people how to enter a deep trance state in a matter of seconds. Remaining in this wonderful, calm state of hypnosis for a few short minutes, they are able to let go of and free themselves from the harmful and potentially devastating effects of stress.

But learning self-hypnosis from a hypnotherapist is certainly not the only way. True, this is the easiest, most rapid and effective method of mastering the art of self-hypnosis since, correctly done, it is taught while actually in the trance state, but it is not the only way. A visit to your local book shop will produce a selection of good books that will take you through the process step by step.

One thing is sure: time invested in learning and practising self-hypnosis pays very real dividends in the area of real stress management and stress relief. It is an extremely potent method that enables you to manage stress and is perhaps the most effective stress treatment there is.

If stress is something you find yourself struggling with on a regular basis, self- hypnosis – together with good nutrition and moderate exercise – is the very best stress management and stress relief tool you could use.

Imagine you’re on your way to meet friends at a bar. You’re late and stuck behind a slow-moving van when the entire street lurches into darkness. Suddenly that man crossing the street in front of you looks like a potential robber. The cars around you seem to be hemming you in. Everyone and everything appears dangerous. You’ve gone from slightly stressed to completely strung-out in an instant.

When you finally get to the bar, your friends are deep in conversation about blackouts, crime and their plans to leave the country. What should have been a light-hearted, fun-filled evening has turned into one riddled with anxiety.

It’s as though a cloud of dark heaviness is hanging above us right now. Most of us are unaware of the extent to which worrying issues are affecting us. But if a high level of stress continues over a long period, paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed can set in.
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Many of us could be in the heart of what is termed as a ‘stress storm’. Have you ever been in the situation where, because of stress, you couldn’t remember the name of one of your own family members? Perhaps you’re stuck in a depression, or maybe you’ve accomplished something great but the next morning you don’t want to get out of bed because you’re so down.

These are indications that you are caught in a stress storm – a place filled with fear and confusion, where you’re no longer thinking rationally. If this sounds familiar, read on to understand better what’s happening to you – and how to get to grips with it.

Why are we so Stressed?

In the USA we have a set of stressors to contend with – high crime rates, rising costs of food and gas, and an economic situation in which retrenchments are increasingly common. These compound everyday stressors such as work, family conflicts and financial pressures. We don’t let our bodies or minds relax, and develop distorted perceptions about ourselves – for example, we may think we’re accepted only if we’re performing well.

When people are taxed on so many levels, their resilience rapidly erodes. Most people can deal with one stressful area in their lives – even two – but few people can function optimally when every area of their life is affected by instability and stress.

Stress Poisoning

Our bodies are built to handle stress in short, sharp bursts, but when there is no let-up, stress can in fact be toxic for our bodies. When we’re stressed, our adrenal glands pump out cortisol. This ‘stress hormone’ is preparing our muscles for the fight-or-flight response triggered when our lives are in danger. All energy is diverted from other functions, such as digestion, giving our bodies a burst of energy to ensure we can fight or flee if necessary. Modern stressors, however, such as traffic jams, don’t come and go quite as fast as, say, an attacking buffalo. Consequently, the cortisol and adrenaline that our stressors produce never leave our bodies – our lives are constantly turned to a high-alert setting.

On a physical level – which is where symptoms are easiest to detect and treat – stress may show up as migraines, headaches, muscle aches and pains, skin breakouts (acne, psoriasis, eczema) and stomach problems (including irritable bowel syndrome and constipation). Emotionally, we become more prone to outbursts of temper, mood swings and negativity. Mentally, we feel less able to cope. Our outlook becomes distorted and it becomes very difficult to keep our perspective. Highly stressed people become ‘reactive’. This means they react more to everything in their lives, from the lack of milk in the fridge to the geyser bursting. We become so overwhelmed that we literally get ?beside ourselves?.

Living on Autopilot

Jane, 27, a fashion planner, knows this feeling all too well. While working in a high-pressure corporate fashion job reporting to a demanding boss, she was being pushed to work longer hours and perform tasks she didn’t feel prepared for.

?As the pressure built up over about five months, I began feeling increasingly anxious. My short-term memory started to let me down and I would forget things I was meant to do. For example, I’d walk into a room and then go blank, forgetting why I was there. I felt confused all the time and began talking more slowly and slurred my words. I lost a lot of weight and at the height of my stress my right arm would get very tense and feel taut. It’s a scary place to be. It can feel as though you don’t know yourself – as though you’re having a mental meltdown.’

This feeling is not uncommon. Stressed people often describe themselves as being on autopilot – as though they’re participating in the show of their own life, but not starring. They’re overwhelmed and often feel clumsy, awkward and off-centre. They may forget names of people or even the names of simple, everyday objects. This is due to the prolonged periods of cortisol production, but also, because we’re trying to remember too many things.

High levels of stress can affect our relationships too. Some people, like Jane, are too tired to go out and socialize, and often feel they’re a burden on other people. ‘Friends tried to help,’ remembers Jane. ‘I’d lost a lot of weight so they could see I was in distress but they didn’t really know how to help other than telling me to chill out?.

Others may drink more to be more sociable or in an attempt to forget, so the glass of wine suddenly turns into a bottle of wine. According to research women could be more prone to developing stress-related addictions (such as cocaine addiction) than men. The good news, though, is that stress is our body’s way of telling us to do something. But what?

The suggestions below are a good start. Don’t knock them for sounding obvious – at least not till you’ve actually tried them.

Stress Busters

Gain Perspective

Understand that there are certain things in your life that you have control over and others that you don’t. If, for example, you are concerned about the political situation, vote. If you’re concerned about crime, join or start a neighborhood-watch program. Be proactive about things you can influence and let go of those you can’t.

Breathe

At work, if you find yourself getting stressed or anxious, go somewhere quiet and concentrate on your breathing. Imagine your breathing is like waves breaking on a beach. Maintain a regular rhythm. Imagine you are breathing all the way down to your toes when you breathe in, and all the way back up again as you breathe out.

Eat Well

Don’t hand your power over to food and drink. That fatty hamburger isn’t going to release your stress. Rather ask, ?What will this drink or food do to my body over the long term?? Cut down on sugar. Sugar gives you a temporary lift followed by a downer. If you’re craving something sweet, try eating fruit or a handful of nuts. Drink lots of water. Stress tends to dehydrate the body. Keeping your body hydrated will lessen stress symptoms such as fatigue and headaches.

Exercise More

One of the most effective ways of dealing with stress is to exercise. Try to do some form of exercise at least three times a week for 30 to 60 minutes.

Develop a Positive Internal Dialogue

This is a powerful way to help ourselves when we’re stressed. We tend to feel anxious about things we have no control over (the future, other people), and most of what we fear never happens. Remain in the moment. If you start to stress about tomorrow, remind yourself that you can only live today – tomorrow does not yet exist.

Talk to a Professional

Jane consulted a psychologist, who helped her see that getting through her stress storm meant removing herself from her stressful job. ‘I took three months off, stayed home and just slept, watched TV and did nothing.’ She saw her psychologist for a few months and gradually became her old self again, but this time with the tools to recognize and avoid another stress storm.

stress is your response to any physical, emotional or intellectual demands. stress is a major contributing factor either directly or indirectly, to coronary artery disease, cancer, respiratory disorders, accidental injuries, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide; the six leading causes of death in the United States. Although we can?t eliminate stress, we can all do a better job in managing it. Stress management includes following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and making time for uninterrupted relaxation.

Symptoms

Symptoms of stress can be either behavioral or physical. They are different for everyone, but some common signs that you’ve had too much excitement and need to slow down include:

Impatience or Edginess – Lack of Enjoyment – Sleep Problems – Exhaustion.

Common physical symptoms of stress include: muscle tension, headaches, low back pain,

insomnia and high blood pressure.

These symptoms may manifest themselves psychologically as irritability, anxiety, impaired concentration, mental confusion, poor judgment, frustration and anger. And some people who have a chronic illness may find that the symptoms of their illness flare up under an overload of stress.

Healthy Lifestyle

Stress management should be a major concern for a healthy lifestyle. Effective stress management is a lifestyle and we must learn to incorporate into our daily lives. A commitment to live a healthier lifestyle should never take a back seat, especially not to stress. Stress management is not only an urgent need in today?s fast-paced lifestyle, but an important factor in both physical and mental health. In the alternative, if stress is more the result of one?s lifestyle, eliminating the stress causing factors and/or gaining healthful insight on how to alleviate stress the right way might just be the best thing for an individual to do for themselves.

Stress Nutrition

Nutrition is one area where stress can be reduced most effectively, because we eat every day at least 3 times a day, so even the smallest of changes could bring about significant benefits. Stress can and does also result from unbalanced and inappropriate nutrition; excessive use of socially acceptable intoxicants; suppressive drugs and vaccinations; environmental toxins; negative emotions; lack of physical exercise; genetic factors; and improper body alignment. Stress nutrition is a program specifically designed to combat stress dysfunction and attempts to meet individual biochemical requirements by providing the right amount of each nutrient in proportion to every other nutrient.

Fitness

For decades, fitness professionals have had various degrees of success motivating clients and making them accountable for a healthy lifestyle. There is evidence that you can reduce stress, prevent chronic diseases including depression and improve happiness through ongoing mental fitness training. A complete nutritional approach, combined with proper fitness maintenance and stress management is most important. Exercise and physical fitness act as a buffer against stress, so that stressful events have a less negative impact on psychological and physical health.

Exercises And Sports

You can help trigger the relaxation response by learning simple breathing exercises and then using them when you’re caught up in stressful situations. Other people rely on exercise and participating in their favorite sports and games to spend pent up energy. Not all stress is bad and an example would be in sports. Joining a sports team, even with your co-workers can increase the work fun level, and reduce the tension. Exercises such as golf, tennis, handball, biking, and other sports have shown to help people relax.

Conclusion

Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress. The tricky part of managing stress is that, when dealing with stressful events that are enjoyable ??the good stress??, you may not always notice how stressed you feel until you experience the more serious stress symptoms, or until you feel overwhelmed. Positive stress is desirable for your own good, and also for the good of your family and also for the society as a whole.