Stress Management

Stress is a normal part of everyday life, but it doesn’t have to get the best of you.  Stress isn't a result of life events, it is a personal response to certain situations that produce stress.  What may be stressful to you may not be for someone else

Stress can be short term (acute) or long term (chronic).  Acute stress is the stress you experience during an immediate or perceived threat.  In such cases, your body responds with an alarm reaction that prepares you for an emergency.  It generates a physical response to meet the demands of the situation.  Once the threat passes, your body relaxes again. Chronic stress stems from situations that aren’t short lived, such as relationship problems or financial concerns.  Your physical response may not be as extreme, but your body is in a stressful state for a longer period of time.

Your body can handle an occasional stressful event, but when your stress occurs on a regular basis, its effects can compound over time with the result being an impact on your health.

There are many physical reactions to stress - it may cause headaches, aggravate existing health problems or trigger an illness.  But there are many ways to deal with stress.  You may choose to talk about problems, listen to some music or sit in a warm bath at the end of the day.  Most of this you may already do without noticing it and it may help you to get through life’s challenges as they arise.

The following are strategies that may assist you in better managing your stress:

• Identify your stressors.  What is causing your stress?  Once you identify your stressors, you may not be able to void them, but you will be aware of what is causing your symptoms and that may assist you in controlling your response.
• Develop a plan.  Once identified, stressors then need to be addressed.  Some stressors are under your control, while others are not.  You may be able to simplify your life by prioritizing, planning and pacing yourself.  Planning can help you feel more in control and organizing your work and home schedules will help to avoid conflicts and last minute rushes.  Exercise is one of the best tools there is for managing stress in that people who exercise are less likely to become depressed and anxious.  While exercise may be physically demanding, it is mentally relaxing and soothing.
• Practice tolerance.  Try to become more tolerant of yourself and others.  Understanding and accepting that changes are constant and that certain changes such as losses, disappointments, and events over which you have little control over, will continue to occur.
• Learn to manage anger.  Anger management is an important technique for reducing stress in that anger can significantly increase and prolong stress if you remain angry for a prolonged period of time.  Learning to manage your anger is a lot like learning to manage stress.
  
  Here are some suggestions to get you started: identify your anger triggers and emerging symptoms - you may clench your fists, begin to notice your heart beating faster or your face may become flushed.  Respond to your symptoms by taking a timeout, taking a few deep breaths or counting to ten; strategies will be different for everyone.  Taking time to cool down before you confront someone is also vital- you need to find a way to release some of your emotional energy which may take the form of walking, running, or cleaning.
  
  In the event that your anger stems from what someone did, talk directly to that person by dealing with this episode and approach it from the perspective of how you feel instead of what the person did.  If you find yourself becoming angry often, confide in a family member or a trusted friend.  Further discussion with others may lead to possible coping solutions or find a medical professional who can help you to learn how to manage your anger.
• Take care of yourself.  A healthy body helps to promote good mental health.  Ensure you are getting adequate sleep, keep an active lifestyle and eat a well balanced diet to help you handle everyday stress.
• Enjoy a good laugh.  Laughter helps us to reduce and relieve tension.  Humor can help you cope with a stressful situation; laughter helps to relax muscle in your arms and legs, exercises the heart and makes breathing more comfortable.
• Learn to relax.  Relaxation is more than watching television, it is a feeling of having peace of mind.  Seek out activities that give you pleasure.  Give yourself time to manage stress and work on coping skills daily until they come naturally in order for you to get to the point where you can use them anywhere and at anytime.

Don’t expect immediate results as it takes time and practice for stress management skills to become automatic.  Keep working at it!