Combat Stress Center.com

You need stress in your life! Does that surprise you? Perhaps so, but it is quite true. Without stress, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress adds flavor, challenge, and opportunity to life. Too much stress, however, can seriously affect your physical and mental well-being. While it is impossible to live completely free of stress, it is possible to prevent some of the distress as well as to minimize its impact when it can't be avoided.

 

Helping Yourself

Here are some suggestions for ways to handle stress. As you begin to understand more about how stress affects you as an individual, you will come up with your own ideas of helping to ease the tensions. Try physical activity. When you are nervous, angry, or upset, release the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running, walking, and gardening are just some of the activities you might try. Physical exercise will relieve that "up tight" feeling and help you relax.

 

Share your stress. It helps to talk to someone about your concerns and worries. Perhaps a friend, family member, teacher, or counselor can help you see your problem in a different light. If you feel your problem is serious, you might seek professional help from a mental health provider or a member of the clergy.

Know your limits. If a problem is beyond your control and cannot be changed at the moment, don't fight the situation. Learn to accept what is-for now--until such time when you can change it.

 

Take care of yourself. You are special. Get enough rest and eat well. If you are irritable and tense from lack of sleep or if you are not eating correctly, you will have less ability to deal with stressful situations. If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should ask a doctor or mental health provider for advise. 

 

Make time for fun and or recreation. You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun. Be a participant. Stay engage with people you enjoy being with. While personal space is important, isolating yourself is not helpful.  Help yourself by helping other people.

 

Check off your tasks. Trying to take care of everything at once can seem overwhelming, and, as a result, you may not accomplish anything. Instead, make a list of what tasks you have to do, then do one at a time, checking them off as they're completed. Give priority to the most important ones and do those first.

 

Must you always be right? Do other people upset you-- particularly when they don't do things your way? Try cooperation instead of confrontation; it's better than fighting and always being "right." A little give and take on both sides will reduce the strain and make you both feel more comfortable.

 

It's OK to cry. A good cry can be a healthy way let loose of a variety of intense emotions. Take some deep breaths; also release tension.

 

Create a quiet scene. You can't always run away, but you can "dream the impossible dream." A quiet country scene painted mentally, or on canvas, can take you out of the turmoil of a stressful situation.

Avoid self-medication. Although you can use prescription or over-the counter medications to relieve stress temporarily, they do not remove the conditions that caused the stress in the first place. They should be taken only on the advice of your doctor.

The Art of Relaxation

The best strategy for avoiding stress is to learn how to relax.  For a while, tune out your worries about time, productivity, and "doing right." You will find satisfaction in just being, without striving. Find activities that give you pleasure and that are good for your mental and physical well-being. Forget about always winning. Focus on relaxation, enjoyment, and health. If the stress in your life seems insurmountable, you may find it beneficial to see a mental health counselor. Be good to yourself.

Adapted from article written by Lous E. Kopolow, M.D. for the NIMH.