| Stress can be
defined as the way you feel when you’re under too much
pressure. Pressure can be caused from
work, home or our personal lives, and each individual will
cope differently with these levels of stress.
What one person may regard as highly stressful,
another person may only regard as mildly stressful or not
stressful at all. Problems occur when individuals perceive
themselves as unable to cope with the level of stress they
face, and feel they are not capable to combat their stress.
Contrary to popular belief, stress can be
both positive and negative. As a positive influence it can
motivate individuals to perform at their optimum level and
boost energy, however as a negative influence stress can lead
to adverse physical affects and be detrimental to health.
Stress is caused by the body's natural reaction
to defend itself, so in an emergency stress will force us
to exert maximum effort to protect ourselves.
However when our body is prepared to face
an emergency and no emergency happens, all the extra energy
has nowhere to go, and negative stress is caused. Feelings
of anger, depression, distrust and rejection, ultimately leading
to headaches, insomnia and high blood pressure can all be
caused by negative stress.
Different occupations will have higher stress
levels than others, and stress is recognised to be one of
the main causes of sick absence from work. Research suggests
that about half a million people in the UK experience work-related
stress that they believe is making them ill.
Changes in personal lives, such as the death
of a loved one, a new relationship, a job promotion or the
birth of a child can also cause stress as adjustments in our
lives are needed to be able to cope.
The aim should never be to eliminate stress
completely, but find effective ways of managing it and using
it to our advantage.
Tips for managing stress:
* Prepare to the best of your ability for
stressful events
* Try to look at change as a positive thing, not as a threat
* Try not to worry about things you have no control over
* Exercise
* Eat a well-balanced diet
* Try to get about 8 hours sleep per night
* Set realistic goals
* Ask for help from family, friends and professionals
Signs of stress:
Physical Symptoms:
* Fatigue
* Headaches
* Upset stomach
* Indigestion
* Weight loss or gain
* Pounding heart
* Chest pains
* Dizziness
Emotional symptoms:
* Anxious
* Nervous
* Depressed
* Mood changes
* Irritable
Mental Symptoms:
* Negative thinking
* Lack of interest
* Loss of concentration
* Confusion
* Forgetfulness
Cause:
As each individual deals with stress differently
it is hard to identify its exact cause. However, common causes
include loss, change, an uncertain future, conflicts with
your belief system or life cycle transitions. The brain does
not distinguish between real or imagined stress and stress
is often created by what we think rather than what has actually
happened.
Treatment:
Counselling and psychotherapy can be effective
treatments for stress, and cognitive behavioural therapy can
help individuals to understand why they think the way they
do and how these thoughts can be positively changed to manage
stress.
As it is not the situation itself that causes
stress (or everyone would be stressed by the same situation),
but our reaction to the situation, hypnotherapy can be effective
for managing stress.
By altering our reaction to a particular situation
during hypnosis to a more positive one, the feelings about
that situation can also become more positive. When an individual
then experiences that situation in real life, their reaction
will often be much different.
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