Stress Management What is stress and how do I deal with it? Stress can be a great motivator. Stress also helps us to recognize and react to danger. While the stress response can be helpful in many ways, if it becomes uncontrolled it can prevent us from functioning in daily life, as well as contribute to health problems. Stressful situations arise from how we perceive a given situation. Learning to cope with stressful situations is A SKILL that must be developed. The Physiology of Stress Our physiological response to stress is an increase in the neurotransmitter epinephrine and adrenalin. Epinephrine increases heart rate and blood pressure. This is a response to how our minds perceive a situation. These situations can range from fleeing from danger to worrying a bout a test; both can emit a similar response. Some peoples are “hot reactors” which means that they have an extreme increase in blood pressure and heart rate in response to stress. Developing Coping Skills Journaling – keep a record of all incidents that bring about stress. The goals it to become aware of situations, peoples, or tasks that you are allowing to cause stress. It’s as simple as taking a piece of paper and dividing it into five sections: stress felt, time of day, what was I doing and with whom, what were my thoughts and feelings, and how did I react in the situation. After a week or more of keeping this record it is easy to pick up patterns in our behavior and then develop a plan of how to change. Self-Contract – Make a contract(s) with yourself for things you want to change in different aspects of your life. It may be diet, exercise, self image, spirituality, work or recreation. Set small, attainable goals, write them down and sign it. You want to create the type of life that you want to lead and then commit to living it one step at a time. Two very important aspects of the contract are that you build habits and develop a reward system for your efforts. Support system – this is a time to build a support system. Supportive relationships are what help us survive through difficult situations. Identify who you can turn to when you have had a bad day. Opening up to another person who you trust can give you a sense of relief and the person an understanding of where you are coming from. Yoga – this is an effective way to quiet the mid and relax the body. The tension that we store in our muscles can be released through moving into different poses. When our body is relaxed and warm we can think clearly or meditate and just allow thoughts to flow in and out of the mind. Imagery – this is an opportunity to literally see yourself in the best light possible. Imagine yourself dealing with a stressful situation exactly how you want to. Many athletes use this method to see themselves running a play perfectly because once they visualize it the body can follow through. Imagery can also be used as a vacation. It is time to imagine what life is like when dreams come true.