stress
Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are. . . Ancient Chinese Proverb
Even moderate stress impairs well-being and performance. These simple steps to de-stress unlock the doors to happiness, health and success.
burnout
Stress is essential to survive. The fight-flight reaction mobilises metabolic and muscular systems to deal with threat and challenge. But after prolonged or extreme stress we lose clarity of sight, hearing, touch, emotions and thoughts without fully realising and it is difficult to think, be sociable, or find a way back to relaxed normality.
If stress in a difficult job or relationship is managed by regular relaxation it only takes an extra stressor or a loss of relaxation time to begin the gradual count-down towards burnout. An episode of despair, rage, anxiety or inability to carry out a routine task might be the first hint that something is not quite right.
When our emotional systems are disrupted by prolonged stress it is harder to evaluate ourselves and our environment. We are more likely to walk into danger or miss opportunities.
Prolonged arousal of negative emotions can lead to anything that could possibly fail when the growth, repair, immune, digestive and metabolic systems shut down. Deteriorating health and relationships adds to the stress.
Stress, pain and loss can be disintegrating so it may be best to defer important life decisions. Physical, mental or emotional breakdown is a chance to stop, rest and reorganise.
dealing with stress
Stress is reversible however far it has progressed – no matter how depressed, anxious, angry or tense, but by middle age some of the long term physical effects and entrenched habits are not as easy to reverse so it's worth sorting them out as soon as possible.
Except for major incidents and catastrophes, few events are stressful in themselves. Stress arises when they are felt to be threatening. What is stressful for one person may be amusing for another. An invigorating stimulus one day may be a stressor the next.
Fears get built into the body and everyday habits and become the foundations of stress. Automatic fear reflexes from the past may still be triggered long after they are no longer useful. When we notice these we can center ourselves in the present and relax. When we become aware and don’t fight against them it is more difficult to stay stressed.
The therapy pages show how to find the things from our past that imprison us restrict us
The exercises on the side-menu and the body and mind pages help relax and find ways to side-step unnecessary stress and allow the body to gradually learn new habits.
To start with they are easier to get the hang of when feeling OK. With practice they can quickly bring physical and mental calm in the midst of chaos.
When the body and mind learn these habits of responding to events they are less easily overwhelmed and can react efficiently and creatively instead of stressing. Perception and thinking become clear and accurate and movement is easy.
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The American Institute of Stress |
copyright (C) John Brasted 2008
updated 11/06/11
