Stress Management
Posted on February 17, 2010
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It almost goes without sayingthat the state of our mental health has a direct corresponding relationship to the state of our physical health and well-being. Stressful emotions can sometimes seem to just ‘take over’. The result of this is that our bodies start to manifest unwanted symptoms. Symptoms of stress show up as all kinds of aches and pains. Being emotionally stressed in turn leads to physical stress symptoms. The physical challenges may develop into chronic conditions over time and manifest as cancer, heart disease, migraines and more.
It happens at times when things are coming at you thick and fast, too fast to cope or when we are faced with something we feel we can’t handle. We can feel overwhelmed by anxieties, fears and worries. This is when learning stress management techniques could be very useful. When we constantly keep thinking, fearing and worrying, what happens is that our bodies identify this state as a “threat”. It reacts to it the way it does when we are subjected to an actual physical attack. The body cannot tell the difference between something that is imagined and something that is real. The body is ‘wired’ to respond automatically by supplying vital energy and nutrients to the systems which are most needed to face a situation of threat and this can mean diverting essential nutrients away from other ‘less vital’ areas. For that reason, this reaction could not sustain running for long periods of time. It is when the body is in overload, needing energy to be diverted to meet the stress response and away from regular functioning that we become afflicted by stress.
How can we prevent the effects of mental stress reaching and damaging the body?
When we dwell on something for a long time our consciousness starts to switch off from the thoughts. Our bodies, on the other hand, do not. This can explain why we might occasionally feel rather irritated or suddenly very tired when nothing has apparently happened in our day to cause it.
Keep aware of what is going on in your head, without getting sucked into it.
When going through a time of stress, don’t push it away, rather acknowledge what is happening and how you are feeling, but without getting bogged down or stuck. Just let it flow through easily. Acknowledging unhealthy thought processes empowers you to make more positive healthy choices for yourself.If you do something to distract yourself from the issue at hand it can help put things in perspective and allow the body to relax.
Another important aspect is to not give in to your stress-induced desires. One of the consequences of being stressed is a fall in concentration levels and feeling low in energy. You could find yourself wanting to eat, drink or smoke more in resonse to the stressful events facing you. Giving in to the cravings will eventually set up an addiction or dependency on the things you crave and further stress the body.
Stress management is necessary to protect your mental well being as well. Emotional stres that continues over long periods of time can lead to chronic depression and even the inability to cope with feelings of anger. On the physical level, these conditions can result in fatal illness and this can have corresponding dramatic consequences for your near and dear ones.
If your emotions take a hold in your mind, do not let them get to your body. Take some quality time for yourself and spend it meditating or listening to relaxing music or going out for a walk in the fresh air.Taking some time for yourself can be quite healing as long as it is for the right reasons and not to feed into depressive actions and patterns. Look after yourself by gathering around you supportive and loving friends and family members. Allow yourself to express the emotion, even if it means running into a corner to scream out loud. Just allow the negative energy to flow out of the body without resistance, to release the stress in its own time, which is usually quite short when no resistance is in place. Then take a dep breath and relax, let a feeling of confidence, self assuredness, light heartedness and love take its place. Visualize light coursing through your body dissolving the dark feelings as it goes. Find a reason to laugh and leave stress behind.
To find out more about how stress affects health and what you can do to have a healthier, happier life, check out How Does Stress Affect Health
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