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| Shonagh Paterson Stroma, Farr, Inverness Registered Hypnotherapist for Inverness and the Highlands & Islands |
Anxiety and stress management - what is stress?
If you ask someone to actually define stress or anxiety, they normally can’t. Most of us don’t really know the definition of stress or anxiety simply because we’ve never bothered to really try to analyse it. We fret about stress. We wish it would stop bothering us. We often feel unable to do anything about it. But what exactly do we mean when we talk about stress or anxiety? When we refer to anxiety we normally mean short term worry. Stress is usually considered to be more long-term. |
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Whatever we mean by stress or anxiety, we simply believe that they are inescapable parts of our lives. And it's true! Stress is a very natural, unavoidable and important part of life.
Our body is designed to cope with stress and we all thrive under a certain amount of pressure. In fact, experts claim that short spells of stress in our everyday lives are actually beneficial. |
I have only spent about 50 years trying to define stress
Studies have shown that there is such a thing as a healthy level of stress which is essential for our well-being. For example, stress can help encourage us to face up to challenges, keep us alert, and motivate us. Low levels of stress are usually controllable and can be thought of as necessary and natural stimulation. |
Too much stress or constant stress can cause all sorts health problems and other difficulties.
To much stress occurs when our bodies over-react to situations. More stress than you can manage can have serious repercussions. If you've ever suffered from stress then I'm sure you already know this. When we refer to stress or anxiety we usually mean the sort of negative stress that makes our lives difficult. This type of stress or anxiety could more appropriately be called 'distress'.
What does negative stress mean to you?
Is it the frantic pace of your everyday life? Or maybe, to you, negative stress is what you feel during times when your life is unbearably difficult and you feel completely overwhelmed?
What's seen as stress to some people can be viewed as a source of pure enjoyment to others. Think of sky-divers for example! We all react differently to stress. Some people seem to thrive on situations most of us would find too demanding. Others become extremely anxious and crumple under fairly mild pressure.
Stress is a very normal, natural reaction. From a biological viewpoint, stress is simply your body's physical reactions to change. |
Stress is just the response you experience as you adjust to your continually changing environment.
Stress is something that's absolutely vital to keep you out of danger. For as long as mankind has existed, stress has helped us respond in a suitable manner to life-threatening situations, many of which we seldom encounter today. Without this appropriate response to stress, the human species would have become extinct long before now!
Of course, there are times when an appropriate response to a higher than normal level of stress is still vital today. Nowadays, such stress might help you when you're faced with physical danger. For example, it might help you avoid a traffic accident. You might also need it when you're participating in sporting activities that demand sharp wits and speedy reactions.
Unfortunately we tend to respond to many every day circumstances as if they were matters of life or death. Our bodies really don't know the difference between a life-threatening situation and having to wait in a long queue at the supermarket check-out!
Your mind isn’t terribly good at working out whether the situation poses real and immediate danger, or if it’s simply a concern about something in the future that may, or may not, happen. |
It’s worth remembering that it’s not the situation itself that’s stressful, but the way you choose to see it.
It's how you interpret what happens in your life that determines how your physical body responds.
Your whole system tends to go on red alert when you view something as frightening or overly demanding. On the contrary if you think of the situation as controllable you can remain ready to act without becoming excessively anxious or distressed.The more you perceive danger (social or physical), the more powerfully your body will respond.
Various studies into stress conclude that excessive stress plays a significant part in many illnesses. |
Signs and symptoms of negative stress and anxiety
Signs and symptoms of negative stress and anxiety can include depression, irritation, mood swings, phobias, high blood pressure, heart disease, eating disorders, extreme tiredness, ulcers, a lowering of the immune system etc.
Read more about the physical and emotional signs and symptoms of negative stress >
What is chronic stress?
Chronic stress is when your stress response is switched on for a prolonged period of time. It can occur when you’re faced with an overwhelming situation. Chronic stress may also be triggered by a series of smaller stressors with no time for recovery in between.
You’re much more likely to succumb to a stress-related illness if you suffer from chronic stress. This occurs whether the stressful situation is real or exists only in your mind. |
Would like to learn how to deal with stress right now?
Whether you feel overwhelmed and are struggling to cope with the stress in your life, or would simply like to become more relaxed, why not contact me to discover how hypnotherapy can help you? Most of my clients come for stress-related issues and stress-management is an area that hypnotherapy excels in.
I look forward to hearing from you soon! And don't forget my guarantee.
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Please contact me to find out more. You can ask me any questions about hypnotherapy for anxiety and stress management. |
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Or maybe you'd rather book a free introductory consultation to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help you manage stress and anxiety? This gives you a chance to meet me and decide if we could work together. |