Stress Management

Index

S.No Contents Page No.

1 Introduction 2
2 About stress 3

3 Symptoms of stress 5
4 Models of stress management 7
5 Causes for Stress 8
6 Physical and Mental Signs of Stress 9
7 One person’s respond to Stress 12
8 Currently cope with stress of one person 13
9 Quick Stress Relief 19
10 Various Stress Management strategies 21
11 Childhood Stress 25
12 Diagnosis and Treatment of Stress 27
13 Questions and Answers for stress 28
14 Conclusion 30

Introduction

Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so
commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you

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perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in
emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.

If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your
nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and
symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects. Stress, or to be more accurate
pressure, is an unavoidable part of everyday life, meaning different things to each of us. You only
have to pick up a newspaper, read a magazine, watch television, listen to the radio or walk into any
High Street bookshop and see the many books written on the subject of stress, to realise that we
perceive it to be a big problem. Stress is much more recognized than it used to be, we have become
very aware of the potential negative impact of stress on our health. Yet despite all of this information
and wealth of knowledge, the subject of stress still remains vague and not very well understood. There
are also many myths about stress that are not accurate and this further confuses the subject.

Life in the 21st Century is infinitely far more complex than it has ever been. We were never designed
to live in this complex, modern world with its many demands on us. We live in a crowded, noisy
society that we often refer to as the rat race. Our lives are run by deadlines, the clock, modern
technology, mobile phones, pagers, faxes, computers, satellites and a hundred and one other demands
and pressures.

This article provides you with some basic information on stress and some simple recommendations for
dealing with stress. It is not intended to take the place of advice from a physician or counselor, but it
can be the first step in deciding how to manage your stress and increase your well being.

About stress
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in
some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high
gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.
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The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay
focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra
strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.

The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes
during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning
free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health,
your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad
experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by
releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can
be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their
stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.
This class will discuss different causes of stress, how stress affects you, the difference between 'good'
or 'positive' stress and 'bad' or 'negative' stress, and some common facts about how stress affects people
today.

Some stress may help your body to prepare for certain challenges, so it's probably impossible to live
without any stress. But too much stress, especially if it's day in, day out, can cause physical and
emotional problems.

So that your body can respond almost instantly to challenges, many of its control mechanisms happen
without you having to think about them. This involuntary control of things, such as how fast your heart
beats, is achieved by a network of nerves called your autonomic nervous system. This is an essential
part of the 'fight or flight' response.

As well as triggering responses in muscles, including your heart, your autonomic nervous system sends
signals to your hormonal system, triggering the release of chemical messengers such as adrenaline.
These are released into your bloodstream and travel all around your body contributing to the 'fight or
flight' response by, for example, making you more alert, boosting your blood pressure and releasing
sugars into your bloodstream. This results in a heightened - or stressed - state that prepares your body
for optimum performance in dealing with a situation.

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The stresses we face in our everyday lives - such as deadlines at work or money troubles - don't really
trigger a 'fight or flight' response. However, they do release the same stress hormones, and this natural
reaction can damage your health and reduce your ability to cope.

Overall, if you're under long-term stress you're at greater risk of developing disease or dying
prematurely.

Symptoms of stress

Everyone reacts to stress differently. However, there are some common symptoms to look out for.
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People who are chronically stressed may have:

• periods of irritability or anger

• apathy or depression
• constant anxiety
• irrational behaviour, mood swings and be oversensitive
• loss of appetite
• a tendency to comfort eat
• an inability to concentrate or make decisions
• loss of sex drive
• an increased likelihood of smoking, drinking, or taking recreational drugs

There can also be physical effects, which may include the following:

• excessive tiredness
• sleep problems
• tearfulness
• frequents colds and infections
• high blood pressure
• skin problems, such as eczema
• aches and pains from tense muscles, including neck ache, backache and tension headaches
• increased pain from arthritis and other conditions
• feeling sick and dizzy
• stomach problems including constipation, diarrhoea or ulcers
• for women, missed periods

In times of extreme stress, people may tremble, hyperventilate (breathe faster and deeper than normal)
or even vomit. For people with asthma, stress can trigger an asthma attack.

Stress and illnesses

The exact role of stress in causing illnesses isn't known. However, it's clear that stress can temporarily
weaken your immune system. If your body is put under too much stress, it can become exhausted.

Over time, the chemicals that are released during times of stress, and the changes they produce in your
body can seriously damage your health. In the long-term, this may increase your risk of having a heart
attack or stroke. Chronic (long-term) stress can also contribute to anxiety and depression.

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You may also be more exposed to risk factors for diseases when you feel stressed. For example,
smokers may smoke more if they're stressed, and people who drink alcohol to relieve stress may
become dependent on it.

The Body’s Stress Response

When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones,
including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.

Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses
become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time,
and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

Models of stress management

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Transactional model

Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman suggested in 1984 that stress can be thought of as resulting from
an “imbalance between demands and resources” or as occurring when “pressure exceeds one's
perceived ability to cope”. Stress management was developed and premised on the idea that stress is
not a direct response to a stressor but rather one's resources and ability to cope mediate the stress
response and are amenable to change, thus allowing stress to be controllable.

In order to develop an effective stress management programme it is first necessary to identify the
factors that are central to a person controlling his/her stress, and to identify the intervention methods
which effectively target these factors. Lazarus and Folkman's interpretation of stress focuses on the
transaction between people and their external environment (known as the Transactional Model). The
model conceptualizes stress as a result of how a stressor is appraised and how a person appraises
his/her resources to cope with the stressor. The model breaks the stressor-stress link by proposing that
if stressors are perceived as positive or challenging rather than a threat, and if the stressed person is
confident that he/she possesses adequate rather than deficient coping strategies, stress may not
necessarily follow the presence of a potential stressor. The model proposes that stress can be reduced
by helping stressed people change their perceptions of stressors, providing them with strategies to help
them cope and improving their confidence in their ability to do so.

Health realization/innate health model

The health realization/innate health model of stress is also founded on the idea that stress does not
necessarily follow the presence of a potential stressor. Instead of focusing on the individual's appraisal
of so-called stressors in relation to his or her own coping skills (as the transactional model does), the
health realization model focuses on the nature of thought, stating that it is ultimately a person's thought
processes that determine the response to potentially stressful external circumstances. In this model,
stress results from appraising oneself and one's circumstances through a mental filter of insecurity and
negativity, whereas a feeling of well-being results from approaching the world with a "quiet mind,"
"inner wisdom," and "common sense".

This model proposes that helping stressed individuals understand the nature of thought—especially
providing them with the ability to recognize when they are in the grip of insecure thinking, disengage
from it, and access natural positive feelings—will reduce their stress.

Causes for Stress

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Many different things can cause stress -- from physical (such as fear of something dangerous) to
emotional (such as worry over your family or job.) Identifying what may be causing you stress is often
the first step in learning how to better deal with your stress. Some of the most common sources of
stress are:

Survival Stress - You may have heard the phrase "fight or flight" before. This is a common response to
danger in all people and animals. When you are afraid that someone or something may physically hurt
you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy so that you will be better able to survive the
dangerous situatioon (fight) or escape it all together (flight). This is survival stress.

Internal Stress - Have you ever caught yourself worrying about things you can do nothing about or
worrying for no reason at all? This is internal stress and it is one of the most important kinds of stress
to understand and manage. Internal stress is when people make themselves stressed. This often
happens when we worry about things we can't control or put ourselves in situations we know will
cause us stress. Some people become addicted to the kind of hurried, tense, lifestyle that results from
being under stress. They even look for stressful situations and feel stress about things that aren't
stressful.

Environmental Stress - This is a response to things around you that cause stress, such as noise,
crowding, and pressure from work or family. Identifying these environmental stresses and learning to
avoid them or deal with them will help lower your stress level.

Fatigue and Overwork - This kind of stress builds up over a long time and can take a hard toll on your
body. It can be caused by working too much or too hard at your job(s), school, or home. It can also be
caused by not knowing how to manage your time well or how to take time out for rest and relaxation.
This can be one of the hardest kinds of stress to avoid because many people feel this is out of their
control. Later in this course we will show you that you DO have options and offer some useful tips for
dealing with fatigue.

Physical and Mental Signs of Stress

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It’s important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The most dangerous
thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar –
even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll. The signs
and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior
in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently. Here are some 'warning signs' that stress is
affecting your body and mind

Many people may simply not recognize how stressed they are. Acknowledging stress is the first step in
lessening its impact. Note your response. Are you losing it? Withdrawing? Freezing? How does your
body feel? Do you always feel a little anxious, tense, or depressed?

Hush the voice that’s telling you, ‘Oh, I’m fine.” Notice how you’re breathing has changed. Are your
muscles tense? Awareness of your physical response to stress will help regulate the tension when it
occurs.

When you're tired, your eyes feel heavy and you might rest your head on your hand. When you're
happy, you laugh easily. And when you are stressed, your body lets you know that too. Try to get in
the habit of paying attention to your body's clues.

Here are some tips for recognizing when you're stressed:

• Observe your muscles and insides. Are your muscles tight/sore? Is your stomach tight or sore?
Are your hands clenched?
• Observe your breath. Is your breath shallow? Place one hand on your belly, the other on your
chest. Watch your hands rise and fall with each breath. Notice when you breathe fully or when
you "forget" to breathe.

Physical and Mental Signs of Short-term Stress

Often occurring in quick 'bursts' in reaction to something in your environment, short-term stress can
affect your body in many ways. Some examples include:

• Making your heartbeat and breath faster

• Making you sweat more
• Leaving you with cold hands, feet, or skin
• Making you feel sick to your stomach or giving you 'butterflies'
• Tightening your muscles or making you feel tense
• Leaving your mouth dry
• Making you have to go to the bathroom frequently
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 • Increasing muscle spasms, headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath

While this burst of energy may help you in physical situations where your body needs to react quickly,
it can have bad effects on your mind and performance if there is no outlet or reason for your stress.
These effects may include:

• Interfering with your judgment and causing you to make bad decisions
• Making you see difficult situations as threatening
• Reducing your enjoyment and making you feel bad
• Making it difficult for you to concentrate or to deal with distraction
• Leaving you anxious, frustrated or mad
• Making you feel rejected, unable to laugh, afraid of free time, unable to work, and not willing
to discuss your problems with others

Physical and Mental Signs of Long-term Stress

Long-term stress or stress that is occurring over long periods of time can have an even greater effect on
your body and mind. Long-term stress can affect your body by:

• Changing your appetite (making you eat either less or more)

• Changing your sleep habits (either causing you to sleep too much or not letting you sleep
enough)
• Encouraging 'nervous' behavior such as twitching, fiddling, talking too much, nail biting, teeth
grinding, pacing, and other repetitive habits
• Causing you to catch colds or the flu more often and causing other illnesses such as asthma,
headaches, stomach problems, skin problems, and other aches and pains
• Affecting your sex life and performance
• Making you feel constantly tired and worn out

Long-term stress can also have serious effects on your mental health and behavior. If you are under
stress for long periods of time, you may find that you have difficulty thinking clearly, dealing with

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problems, or even handling day-to-day situations as simple as shaving, picking up clothes or arriving
somewhere on time. Some mental signs of long-term stress include:

• Worrying and feeling anxious (which can sometimes lead to anxiety disorder and panic attacks)
• Feeling out of control, overwhelmed, confused, and/or unable to make decisions
• Experiencing mood changes such as depression, frustration, anger, helplessness, irritability,
defensiveness, irrationality, overreaction, or impatience and restlessness
• Increasing dependence on food, cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs
• Neglecting important things in life such as work, school, and even personal appearance
• Developing irrational fears of things such as physical illnesses, natural disasters like
thunderstorms and earthquakes, and even being terrified of ordinary situations like heights or
small spaces

While occasionally experiencing one or two of the above symptoms may not be cause for concern
(everyone has a few nervous habits and difficulties in their lives!), having a number of these symptoms
may mean you are under more stress than you think.

One person’s respond to Stress

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Psychologist Conneui uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people
respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

• Foot on the gas – An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly
emotional, and unable to sit still.
• Foot on the brake – A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and
show very little energy or emotion.
• Foot on both – A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do
anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

The following table lists some of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress. The more signs
and symptoms you notice in yourself, the closer you may be to stress overload.

Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms

Cognitive Symptoms Emotional Symptoms
• Memory problems • Moodiness

• Inability to concentrate • Irritability or short temper

• Poor judgment • Agitation, inability to relax
• Seeing only the negative • Feeling overwhelmed
• Anxious or racing thoughts • Sense of loneliness and isolation

• Constant worrying • Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms Behavioural Symptoms
• Aches and pains • Eating more or less

• Diarrhea or constipation • Sleeping too much or too little

• Nausea, dizziness • Isolating yourself from others
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat • Procrastinating or neglecting
• Loss of sex drive responsibilities
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs
• Frequent colds
to relax

• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting,

pacing)

Currently cope with stress of one person

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Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can
help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive?
Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that compound the problem.

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run:

• Smoking • Using pills or drugs to relax

• Drinking too much • Sleeping too much
• Overeating or undereating • Procrastinating
• Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or • Filling up every minute of the day to avoid
computer facing problems

• Withdrawing from friends, family, and • Taking out your stress on others (lashing
activities out, angry outbursts, physical violence)

Learning healthier ways to manage stress

If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health,
it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they
all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which
option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it.
No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques
and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation: Change your reaction:

• Avoid the stressor. • Adapt to the stressor.

• Alter the stressor. • Accept the stressor.

Strategies recommended by Trinity Western University Counselling centre

1. Try this breathing and attention-focusing exercise devised to cope with stress
a. Take a deep breath and let it go suddenly
b. Tell oneself to relax

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 c. Redirect attention to problem situation
d. If anxiety recurs, repeat a-c again

2. Use positive self-statements to reduce the threat of anxiety-provoking situations, including, for
example:
a. "I'm going to do well at this..."
b. "I'm well prepared..."
c. "I can handle this!"
d. "My (ability, whatever) is as good as anyone else is here..."
e. and so on...
They suggest the person say these to him/herself ahead of time, i.e., before getting into the
performance situation itself. This technique helps by relaxing and countering irrational, self-
denigrating avoidance statements.

3. Lazarus (1971) methods for dealing with various stressful circumstances

a. Getting into a comfortable position and saying to oneself calming phrases such as "feeling warm
and relaxed," "totally at peace," "utterly calm," etc.
b. Use of contrary questioning to undo worrying about consequences of inadequacy. Whenever
tempted to ask oneself "what if ...," simply precede the statement with "so what if...," or "what is
the worst thing that could happen if..."
c. Countering anxious, even low mood moments by "projecting ahead in time." For example, when
you are feeling in the midst of worrisome times, imagine ahead to a time when one might be in a
"better place," engaging in more enjoyable behaviors, for instance, restfully enjoying music,
basking in a change of season, a new skill or activity, new acquaintances, more pleasant places,
and so on. One would do this gradually, projecting first to a week, then two weeks, a month, three
months, etc., to about six months hence. At this point, you can reflect on that future time to give
yourself the perspective that now is not forever.
d. Use of "thought control," a technique for vigorously "bossing” one's adverse or troublesome
thoughts around. It involves a vehement, assertive interruption of a negatively tinged thought
pattern by shouting, out loud or silently, to oneself words like "STOP!" or "NO!" in the middle of
an anxious series of worrying. This approach does work, but requires repetition over approximately
a month's time.

4. Break out of the Type A habits

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Type A behavior includes speaking fast, eating fast, constant competition, ignoring or denying
tiredness, setting quotas, doing two things at once, pretending to listen, over scheduling, and clenching
muscles in fists or jaws. You can systematically slow down your life and your drive.

5. Maintain adequate exercise, rest, and nutrition

Adequate exercise, rest, and nutrition are keys to developing your physical resistance to stress. Most
specialists encourage vigorous exercise, including running, brisk walking, jumping rope, swimming,
hiking, or active sports. Nutrition includes balanced dieting. Stress causes the body to use B and C
vitamins rapidly and these vitamins may be used as supplements in coping with continuous stress.

6. Reappraise your schedule and habits: avoid stress-producing situations

Instead of scheduling to do as much as possible, schedule to maximize your enjoyment of life. Allow
time to get places, time to enjoy the trip, time to reflect. Write down what you are trying to do now and
what price you are paying in terms of discomfort, stress, and lack of enjoyment of life. Decide what
you would find meaningful and try to plan a schedule that adds meaning. Practice saying, "No." Avoid
stress-producing people and activities by design. Where this is impossible, reduce the stressful
situation to a manageable level or consider a new environment altogether.

7. Problem solving instead of worrying

One decision-making approach involves the following steps:
a. Determine your options in the situation that worries you.
b. Look at the pros and cons of each option, separately, visualizing every aspect of choosing that
particular alternative; then check out your feeling about choosing that particular option; go through
this process for each alternative.
c. Weigh your feelings about choosing the various alternatives against each other; go with the
option about which you have the most positive feeling. Another approach: ask yourself: What do I
want to do? What should I do? If there is a conflict between the two, ask: What is in my best
interest to do? Make a decision and close the issue.

8. Talk out your worries

Discussing your concerns with an empathetic friend or with a competent professional helps get
emotions out and provides you with emotional support. Verbalizing a problem with a person often
helps you get a more objective view of your feelings and thoughts and helps you to see solutions more
easily.

9. Focus on the present, not the past

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If you made a mistake in the past, learn from it rather than blaming yourself for it. It is also important
to give up old resentments rather than dwelling on them and making yourself miserable with them.

10. Remember that growth involves risk

Living does involve risk taking. This statement does not mean or suggest that a person take
unnecessary or dangerous risks. However, to live means to be vulnerable. Consider your risk-taking
behavior in the context of your current stress-related situation. Productive gains are possible only by
commitment to a venture. Change is inevitable, but growth does not come automatically, without effort
or without some risk.

11. Expand, explore, and experience your environment

Many of us live in very small worlds when other worlds are only a few steps away. Visit a place on
campus or in the community where you have not been recently or at all. Get acquainted by using your
senses of vision, hearing and taste. Be aware of your thoughts and feelings as you experience the new
environment. Examples include visits to a laboratory, play rehearsal, courtroom, hospital emergency
room, chapel, or cattle auction.

12. Save and use some "alone" time

Having time by yourself and for yourself can be very helpful in the management of tension. Use the
time for reflection, for single person activity or for just "doing nothing." In other words, at various
times, get in touch with your "you." Experience who you are by thinking, feeling, and being "you" in
alone time.

13. Employ constructive time management procedures

Plan your day's activities. Construct a plan for the week. Although we only have and know the here
and now, scheduling in the present for what we plan to do in the future helps us to stay on top of work
and play. Be knowledgeable of the responsibilities and opportunities before you. Plan ahead with
flexibility, but do plan ahead.

14. Change your usual routine

On occasion, variation of our usual daily procedures stimulates and refreshes us. For example, in the
morning get out of bed on the other side. Shower first and brush hair and teeth later. When leaving
your residence, go to class or to your office by a different route. For lunch or dinner, try a "far-out" or
at least different place. Try something you have not done before. Vary your routine; stay out of the
habit rut.

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15. Maintain a steady pace
Energy is wasted when people make quick spurts. When we maintain a steady pace, the wearing
effects of stress are diminished. If you are under time pressures, if you are a late arriver, or if you
attack tasks impulsively and at a rapid speed, learning pacing skills will be useful. Plan your pace and
develop consistency in your daily activities.

16. Examine personal, social, career and educational priorities

Periodically, we need to examine our goal priorities. To set and reset goals stimulates us to make more
constructive efforts. A helpful procedure involves listing responsibilities, tasks and opportunities in
terms of the most important to the least important. From this list, attention should be given to doing
what is necessary and valued. Do not postpone or eliminate the high order needs, wants, and desires.

17. Become knowledgeable about your talents and skills

Each person as a unique being has limitations as to what can be accomplished as well as abilities and
characteristics to be developed and used for healthy and productive living. Use available resources to
become aware of your unique talents and potentials.

18. Use resources to develop needed skills

We develop, grow, and become proficient by hard work and practice. We are assisted in our work and
practice by the use of available resources specifically related to our needs but unlearned skills. For
example, if you are a student and have trouble in studying, consult with your college for assistance.
Most colleges offer tutoring & study skills workshops. Also, look for study skills handouts at the TWU
Counseling Center.

19. Use time for "other directed" involvement and assistance

Constant introspection and preoccupation with your own thoughts and feelings can be
counterproductive. Get in touch with other people and their life processes. Respond to others' needs.

20. Allow for break times

When you are involved in work, study, or any other type of activity, structure some break times in
your plan. A break from an activity can provide some refreshing results. Nourishing stop periods can
be for a few minutes or for a few hours. Some break times include body stretching, a brief glance at
your surroundings, a snack, or changing to another activity. Rather than doing what we call "resting,"
usually we are more relaxed, refreshed and prepared to return to a particular task after we have
engaged in vigorous and unrelated activity.
21. Make a fearless inventory

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List the busy work you do which is not really essential to or a real part of your schedule and throw the
list overboard.

22. Address your strengths

Attend to the positive inner resources in your life. Express thanksgiving for your strengths and give
them notice. Too many times people hide their positive resources more from themselves than they do
from others.

23. Develop a sound philosophy

Epicteus, a first century A.D. philosopher, said, "People are disturbed not by things but the view which
they take from them." Adherence to a particular system of principles for conducting one's life provides
a stabilizing, functional structure. Psychologists of the rational-emotional approach to therapy
emphasize that we are what we believe ourselves to be. Some helpful rational beliefs have been
presented in the strategies listed thus far. Hans Salye (1974) presents some similar suggestions which
include: "don't waste your time trying to befriend a mad dog; don't strive for perfection (it doesn't
exist); genuine simplicity in life earns much goodwill and love; keep your mind on the pleasant aspects
of life and on actions which can improve your situation; forget ugly events; when frustrated, take stock
of your past successes and rebuild your confidence; when faced with a very painful task, yet very
important, don't procrastinate -- cut right into the abscess to eliminate the pain instead of prolonging it
by gently rubbing the surface; love your neighbor and work hard to earn your neighbor's love."

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Quick stress relief

Bring your senses to the rescue

Remember exploring your senses in elementary school? Grownups can take a tip from grade school
lessons by revisiting the senses and learning how they can help us prevent system overload.

Start by slowing down. When you slow down, you learn better and feel better.

Sight:. Surround yourself with visual stimulation such as comforting mementos and uplifting photos.
Wear accessories and jewelry that make you feel powerful when you catch sight of them. Hang a prism
in the window for a rainbow display. Keep a fresh bouquet of flowers at a table or workstation.

Sound.:Experiment with music and other sounds that calm and soothe you. Keep birdfeeders outside
and tune into bird chatter. Hang wind chimes near an open window. Place a small fountain in your
home or office so you can enjoy the soothing sound of running water. Listen to different
interpretations of your favorite music.

Scent: If you tend to zone out or freeze when stressed, keep energizing scents nearby. If you tend to
become overly agitated under stress, look for scents that are comforting and calming. Inhale the smell
of freshly brewed coffee or tea if you start to feel yourself zoning out. Keep a bowl of fragrant fruit
nearby.

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Touch: Experiment with textures and with warm and cool temperatures to relax and renew. Play with
your dog, feel his warm, soft head against your face. Give yourself a hand or neck massage—lightly
tap your head and neck for a few seconds. Press a warm (or icy) beverage mug into your skin.

Taste: Mindless eating will only add to your stress—and your waistline. The key is to indulge your
sense of taste mindfully and in moderation. Eat slowly, focusing on the feel of the food in your mouth
and the taste on your tongue. Slowly drink a refreshing cold beverage. Chew a piece of sugarless gum.

Movement: Movement has a sensory effect on stress and acts like one of our senses. If you tend to shut
down when stress strikes, try pacing while you talk on the phone. Stand up—instead of sitting down—
at a desk to write and work. Keep a rubbery stress ball at your desk and squeeze it to relax. Use a
rocking chair to focus and relax. Got more energy to burn? Try pushups!

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Various Stress Management Strategies

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You
may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or
professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them.
Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you
can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end
the relationship entirely.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If
traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an
unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your
conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop
bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve
got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that
aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so
the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you
communicate and operate in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you,
communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings,
resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do
the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a
happy middle ground.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing
your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty
roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.
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 • Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re
stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead
and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your
sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather
than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your
favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important
it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset
over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
• Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting
yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and
others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the
things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple
strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a
loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to
accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing
against a situation you can’t change.

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control—
particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the
things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When
facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own
poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist.
Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do
to alter the stressful situation.

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 • Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make
mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving
and moving on.

Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing
yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s
stressors when they inevitably come.

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

• Go for a walk. • Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
• Spend time in nature. • Play with a pet.
• Call a good friend. • Work in your garden.
• Sweat out tension with a good workout. • Get a massage.
• Write in your journal. • Curl up with a good book.
• Take a long bath. • Listen to music.

• Light scented candles • Watch a comedy

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs.
Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

• Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other
obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge
your batteries.
• Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support
system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether
it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
• Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing
helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

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• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of
stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats
aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful
of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind
clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end in with
a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and
sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an
easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand;
deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will
increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

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Childhood Stress

Stress can affect anyone who feels overwhelmed — even kids. In preschoolers, separation from
parents can cause anxiety. As kids get older, academic and social pressures (especially the quest to fit
in) create stress.

Many kids are too busy to have time to play creatively or relax after school. Kids who complain about
the number of activities they're involved in or refuse to go to them may be signaling that they're
overscheduled.

Talk with your kids about how they feel about extracurricular activities. If they complain, discuss the
pros and cons of quitting one activity. If quitting isn't an option, explore ways to help manage your
child's time and responsibilities so that they don't create so much anxiety.

Kids' stress may be intensified by more than just what's happening in their own lives. Do your kids
hear you talking about troubles at work, worrying about a relative's illness, or fighting with your
spouse about financial matters? Parents should watch how they discuss such issues when their kids are
near because children will pick up on their parents' anxieties and start to worry themselves.

World news can cause stress. Kids who see disturbing images on TV or hear talk of natural disasters,
war, and terrorism may worry about their own safety and that of the people they love. Talk to your
kids about what they see and hear, and monitor what they watch on TV so that you can help them
understand what's going on.

Also, be aware of complicating factors, such as an illness, death of a loved one, or a divorce. When
these are added to the everyday pressures kids face, the stress is magnified. Even the most amicable
divorce can be a difficult experience for kids because their basic security system — their family — is
undergoing a tough change. Separated or divorced parents should never put kids in a position of
having to choose sides or expose them to negative comments about the other spouse

Signs and Symptoms

While it's not always easy to recognize when kids are stressed out, short-term behavioral changes —
such as mood swings, acting out, changes in sleep patterns, or bedwetting — can be indications. Some
kids experience physical effects, including stomachaches and headaches. Others have trouble
concentrating or completing schoolwork. Still others become withdrawn or spend a lot of time alone.

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Younger children may show signs of reacting to stress by picking up new habits like thumb sucking,
hair twirling, or nose picking; older kids may begin to lie, bully, or defy authority. A child who is
stressed may also have nightmares, difficulty leaving you, overreactions to minor problems, and
drastic changes in academic performance

Reducing Stress to child

How can you help kids cope with stress? Proper rest and good nutrition can boost coping skills, as can
good parenting. Make time for your kids each day. Whether they need to talk or just be in the same
room with you, make yourself available.

Even as kids get older, quality time is important. It's really hard for some people to come home after
work, get down on the floor, and play with their kids or just talk to them about their day — especially
if they've had a stressful day themselves. But expressing interest in your kids' days shows that they're
important to you.

Help your child cope with stress by talking about what may be causing it. Together, you can come up
with a few solutions like cutting back on after-school activities, spending more time talking with
parents or teachers, developing an exercise regimen, or keeping a journal.

You can also help by anticipating potentially stressful situations and preparing kids for them. For
example, let a child know ahead of time (but not too far ahead of time) that a doctor's appointment is
coming up and talk about what will happen there. Keep in mind, though, that younger kids probably
won't need too much advance preparation. Too much information can cause more stress - reassurance
is the key.

Remember that some level of stress is normal; let kids know that it's OK to feel angry, scared, lonely,
or anxious and that other people share those feelings.

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Diagnosis and Treatment of Stress

Diagnosis of stress

Don't be afraid to ask your GP for help. He or she will usually be able to spot the symptoms of stress,
but may also do some tests to exclude other conditions. Your GP may be able to help you identify the
causes of your stress, give advice on techniques to help you relax or refer you to a counsellor.

Treatment of stress

There are a number of ways of tackling stress and preventing it from returning or affecting you as
much. You will need to identify its cause and then review your lifestyle to make changes.

Self-help

It's important to make time for exercise. Exercise helps to use up the stress hormones that cause your
symptoms, giving you a sense of wellbeing and helping your muscles to relax. Even a brisk walk for
30 minutes every a day can help.

Another good way to tackle stress is to talk to your friends or family - sharing your worries can help
you to look at how you react to stress in a new light. It's important to talk directly to your manager if
you're suffering from work-related stress. Your manager has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to
resolve the problem.

Other ways to help yourself deal better with stress include the following:

• delegate or share your work responsibilities

• learn to be more assertive - say no to things you know you can't do well or aren't your
responsibility
• don't drink too much alcohol or caffeine or take illegal drugs - these will not help you to cope
better and may make you ill
• eat a healthy, balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables - avoid giving into 'bad' food cravings
and try not to skip meals as it may make you feel worse
• set aside time to organise yourself and prioritise tasks, going through them one at a time
• take up a new hobby or interest to take your mind off things
• have some fun - do something you love, even if it's just listening to music

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Questions and Answers for Stress

1) How can I relax after a tough day?

There are several different techniques you can learn to help you wind down and reduce your stress
levels.

Explanation

If you're feeling stressed, make time at home to try out the following exercises.

• Sit or lie down, shut your eyes and breathe in and out slowly and gently.
• Visualise any tense areas of your body. Imagine your muscles relaxing and the tension draining
away.
• Visualise every part of your body, imagine them warming up, feeling heavier and more relaxed
all the time. Start at your feet and move up slowly to your head. When you have done this for
about 20 minutes, inhale deeply a few times and stretch.
• Visualise a peaceful and beautiful scene such as a sandy beach, feeling the warm sun on your
face and the waves gently lapping on the shore.

2) Can stress affect my sleep patterns?

Yes, too much stress in your life can cause sleeping problems. There are steps you can take to try and
sleep better when you're feeling stressed.

Explanation

An estimated one in five people have problems sleeping. Some simple tips to help you sleep better are
listed below.

• Get your sleep environment right. If it's too bright, use thicker curtains or an eye mask. If it's
too loud, use ear plugs. Adjust your heating so it isn't too hot or cold.
• Try to get up and go to bed at the same time every day. If you get into a routine, you may start
to feel sleepy at the same time each day.
• Develop a routine that helps you relax before going to bed. Some ideas include going for a
short walk, reading, taking a hot bath or having a warm drink (but not with caffeine in it). You
could also try some relaxation exercises.
• Exercising during the day may help you get to sleep, and also helps reduce stress.

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3) What type of exercise is best for relieving stress?

The type of exercise you do probably doesn't matter, so long as you enjoy it and can do it regularly.

Explanation

Any type of moderate exercise can help you manage stress. Moderate exercise means you get slightly
out of breath doing it, and on a warm day it might make you sweat.

People who are active feel less anxious and happier than inactive people. Exercising can make you feel
less anxious in general. Single bouts of exercise can also have a more immediate effect in helping to
relieve anxiety.

Exercising can also help you get to sleep more easily, and will help improve your mood.

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Conclusion

You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you.
Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation
response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. When practiced regularly,
these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and
serenity. They also increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure. Most people ignore
their emotional health until there’s a problem. But just as it requires time and energy to build or
maintain your physical health, so it is with your emotional well-being. The more you put in to it, the
stronger it will be. People with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back from stress and
adversity. This ability is called resilience. They remain focused, flexible, and positive in bad times as
well as good. The good news is that there are many steps you can take to build your resilience and
your overall emotional health

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