Stress management skills and techniques

  

Date Posted: 2/9/2019 12:22:34 PM

Posted By: Kalungi  Membership Level: Bronze  Total Points: 42

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It is very normal to have stress in our daily routine, at work, home, at the gym,travelling,at the mall and almost everywhere.some little stress is good for our daily functioning,since it pushes us to meet deadlines and work within limits to achieve our goals.Either way, chronic stress can be so damaging. Have at one point been so stressed to a point you lose focus in your line of work and extend your negative impulses to everyone that surrounds you and feel so irritated,hold on, or maybe experienced loss of a loved one, property,accidents which may result to a post traumatic stress disorder(ptsd).this poses a threat to your health.Prolonged stress increase the levels of adrenaline(stress hormone)in the body,this aids build up of cholesterol in blood transmitting vessels and other internal body organs.This may result in lifestyle diseases which includes and not limited to high blood pressure also known as hypertension ,stroke,diabetes,ulcers,acne,Obesity,eating disorders,sleeping disorders, amnesia and heart attack(myocardia).Therefore,
It's always basic to learn several skills and techniques on how to manage both acute and chronic stress.

1.Relaxation skills

This is a very useful skill in dealing with day to day stressors. Always take a deep breath and exhale.repeat this severally,You can also do some aerobics.This promotes blood flow and relaxes internal body organs. Always pay attention to more tensed regions.

2.Talk about it

A problem shared is a problem half solved.whenever there is so much and you feel pressured,always find someone to talk to, a spouse, relative, colleague, friend or a therapist.Sharing of your issues reduces your baggage and eases your stress.you need that pat on your shoulder and an "it shall be well"consolation. Don't suffocate yourself with a million and one problems.

3.Regular exercise

Engage in some sporting activities, morning jog or go at the gym after

work.this will take your mind away for sometime and this will help calm down the tension.Regular exercise also keeps you fit and promotes healthy body functioning

4.Proper dieting
Eat a balanced diet with all the required nutrients and avoid skipping meals,especially breakfast.Do not use drugs.eg Alcohol,marijuana,cigarretes,cocaine and heroine. It's been a trend that people always turn to self intoxication to help them forget their problems.Too bad for you,this is a double tragedy you're causing yourself.always deal with problems as they come,you can never forget they ever existed.Binge eating may lead to bulimia nervorsa or anorexia nervorsa which presents with unhealthy underweight or overweight complications.

5.Support groups

For cases of loss, accidents, chronic illness, there is always intense prolonged stress associated. Using the church,NGOs,social platforms such as facebook and watsapp, find a group that shares your distress, work together in the group and this is a very relevant approach to dealing with depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Counselors always perform group therapies to such common groups whereby they only facilitate these group activities, leaving individuals to freely interract,share their emotions and generate solutions.

6.Seek professional assistance

You can visit a therapist/counsellor for assistance.they will help you work out your stress and even make reference where required just in case you need medical or legal assistance.

7. Defence mechanisms

Our bodies systems are naturally equipped with various defense mechanisms.some little psychological tease can make us feel good or bad.What if you used the defense mechanisms to deal with your stressor?How about you replace your negative impulses with positive ones, what if you displace existing ideal facts with a more realistic approach? What if you challenge yourself for once and repress the old feelings,do not compromise or blame yourself for everything that happens within your environment.Be a good time manager, always orient yourself in time, place and surrounding,learn to accept failure and consider it as part of your succesfull journey.


8. Go through all the stages of grief

You have every right to be very angry at the beginning,this is due to the depression you are going through and yes it's not an easy journey,suicidal thoughts,blaming, being so emotional, social withdrawal,self harm or harm to others.One important thing to remember during this time is to always express our emotions,cry when it's what you feel like, grief and take your time.

What follows is bargaining your options, weigh through what you have,one might end up projecting blames and even denying that whatever is happening is not their fault,and that they are not involved in any of the happenings

But then you have to accept that what has happened will stick to be and that nothing can change that fact.accept the whole traumatizing event in your life and learn to let go as per the following stages

a) Depression
b) Anger
c) Bargaining
d) denial
e) acceptance

You can always write your bad and good experiences on a piece of paper,narrate all the stressful experience and after going through these stages successfully,you can let go by burning this sheet of paper, whenever are ready to do so, with all the items that might bring back the memory. Remember to only do this when you are ready.

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