Solutions for Your Stress
Author: Cynthia Lindner, MS
What is viewed as stressful is different for different
people.
When some of us think of stress, images of rush hour
traffic
come to mind but, someone else may think of the pressure
they
feel while working. Homemakers and children experience
their own
personal stress too. Certain types of stress are normal and
healthy. We need a certain amount of stress to become
motivated
and achieve our goals. However, to maintain our sense of
emotional and physical well-being normal stress must be
managed,
and the ultimate solution for the unhealthy types of stress
is
to reduce them.
What Is Stress?
Stress is your body's physical and psychological
response to anything
you perceive as overwhelming or threatening. We may view
stress as a
result of the demands of living whether pleasant or
unpleasant, and our difficulty in
meeting those demands.
Stress is a natural part of our life.
Without some stress we
would lose our energy for living. We thrive on certain
amounts;
but too much or too little stress will limit our
effectiveness.
Ideally, we find our optimal level of stress to be the
balance
at which we are most motivated. Participating in
psychotherapy
can help us to find that balance, and learn skills and
strategies
for handling stressful times.
Risks of Unhealthy Stress
You may feel physical stress which is the result of too
much to do,
not enough sleep, a poor diet or the effects of an illness.
Stress can also be
mental: when you worry about money, a loved ones illness,
retirement, or experience an emotionally devastating event,
such
as the death of a spouse or being fired from work.
However, much of our stress comes from less dramatic
everyday
responsibilities. Obligations and pressures which are both
physical and mental are not always obvious to us. In
response to
these daily strains your body automatically increases blood
pressure, heart rate, respiration, metabolism, and blood
flow to
you muscles. This response is intended to help your body
react
quickly and effectively to a high-pressure situation.
However,
when you are constantly reacting to stressful situations
without
making adjustments to counter the effects, you will feel
stress
which can threaten your health and well-being. Medical
experts
believe that stress causes or complicates about 90% of
health
problems and chronic diseases which are treated today. The
physical symptoms of stress include headaches, muscle pain,
constipation or diarrhea, stomach problems, heartburn and
skin
problems.
It is essential to understand that external events, no
matter
how you perceive those events may cause stress. Stress
often
accompanies the feeling of being out of control. A sudden
change
in social habits, increased alcohol and/or tobacco use, and
clenching or grinding of teeth during sleep or waking hours
are
behavioral symptoms of stress.
Anti-Stress Self-Care Strategies:
* Get a healthy
amount of sleep.
* Eat a nutrient
rich diet.
* Do exercise, or
take walks as directed by your physician.
* Learn and do
relaxation exercises regularly.
* Talk out
problems with caring friends, family or a trusted
therapist.
* Manage your
time.
Self-Hypnosis Can Help with Stress
Management
Utilizing hypnotherapy in your stress management plan will
make
it much easier to change your unhealthy patterns into
healthy
behaviors and thought patterns, and improve your health and
emotional well-being. Dramatic results can often be
achieved
with hypnotic techniques including visualization and guided
imagery. The key to guided imagery is to learn to deeply
relax.
Relaxation for stress management is not achieved by
watching TV,
leisure reading, sleeping or singing along to your favorite
pop
radio station. Visualization and guided imagery therapy can
teach you how to deeply relax, and give your subconscious
mind
suggestions that empower you to alleviate unhealthy stress.
Self-hypnosis is easy to learn with a qualified
professional to
guide you through the process of developing the needed
skills.
About the author:
Cynthia Lindner, MS is a certified hypnotherapist with
20 years
of experience working in the mental health professions.
She has
specific expertise in applying the complementary
modalities of
guided imagery, hypnosis, and biofeedback for the
purpose of
attaining wellness, self-improvement. Cynthia has
taught
hypnotherapy workshops at international conferences,
and has
authored several articles about hypnotherapy.
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