Are your thoughts suddenly more chaotic in your mind?
Do you feel as if you are labouring, mentally and physically, under more pressure than usual?
Does it feel as if you could tip over the edge at any minute?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it could be that you are suffering from ‘STRESS’. Don’t fret, here at BHT we understand the severity of stress and the importance of being able to acknowledge when you need a little help in dealing with it. During the summer it can seem easy to forget your stress by replacing it with BBQ’s and beach trips, however, it is important that you don’t ignore it. The good thing about stress is that there are many things you can do to help minimise its effect and reduce the hold it can have over you.
What is Stress?
Stress is a build-up of unhelpful thought patterns and actions that form a negative cycle. This limits the ability to think clearly and productively. It can lead a person towards rash and unhelpful decisions which impact on so many different areas of their life. Stress can manifest itself in a physical and psychological way, and, if left unresolved can cause physical ailments.
Common Physical symptoms:
- Speeding heart rate
- Shortness of breath
- Hyperventilation
- Chest tightness
- Dry mouth
- Butterflies in stomach
- Nausea
- Heat, usually in the upper body
- Urge to pass urine/empty bowels
- Tremor
- Sweating
- Pins and needles
- Muscular weakness
- Headaches
- Aches and pains
- Stomach Cramps
Psychological symptoms:
- Feeling tense
- Agitation
- Fear of losing control
- Dread that something catastrophic is going to happen
- Irritability
- Feelings of detachment
- Lack clear thinking
- Lethargy
- Negative thought patterns
The symptoms of stress are natural. It is a problem only when these symptoms are present in an inappropriate situation. Stress is an experience of feelings and thoughts and bodily functioning. If we can control the symptoms of fight/flight e.g. increased heartbeat, fast/shallow breathing, muscle tightening, churning in the abdomen etc. we can begin to take control of this unpleasant state. We can apply conscious control to unconscious processes and retrain those processes.
At BHT we have a variety of therapists who offer a wide selection of talking and hands on therapies to help alleviate the physical and psychological effects which stress can have on us. If you are suffering in silence, don’t. Please pick up the phone and give us a call on 01273 692628. We will be happy to talk you through the different therapies on offer and guide you towards a solution that is right for you. In the meantime read below to find out how four simple steps can put you on the road to solving your problem.
All you need to do is: Accept… Identify… Develop and Act!
1. Accept your stress
By understanding the function of stress and why we have it – we accept the friend and identify the enemy. It may seem strange to befriend your stress, but, accepting your stressor means that you’re aware of what is causing it and more importantly how you ‘do’ stress. By not trying to run away from your stress, but rather understanding the origin, you begin to develop a healthier attitude towards it and moreover, realise that it can be dealt with in an equally healthy fashion.
2. Identify your triggers
Keep a stress diary and start to pay attention to areas of your life where you find that stress is most present. Note down key factors such as events, people, conversations etc, that increase your levels of stress. Once you know your triggers, it will be easier to control your reactions.
3. Develop strategies
Once you have identified what your triggers are, it’s now time to put strategies in place that will help you control and counteract your stress. Think about things that you already do which lower your stress levels and use these to build the basis of your tool kit. Changing you physical actions by consciously slowing down breathing, releasing tense muscles, moving away calmly and slowly from the stressful environment and giving yourself a time out. Replace negative and unhelpful thoughts with reaffirming and positive ones and use these as a mantra to repeat on a daily basis.
4. Act on them
It’s all very well knowing why you get stressed and how you can counteract it, but, if you then don’t do anything about it nothing will change. By actively starting to change the way you deal with your stress, it slowly begins to re-wire unhelpful and faulty thought processes putting you in control of your stress rather than letting your stress control you. So start today!