Cry, run away? There are a lot of situations in life that lead to very unpleasant consequences. How to avoid stress? Every person asks himself this question dozens of times in his life. When emotional stress sets in, this is one part of the problem, but if you keep a storm of indignation and indignation in yourself, it is another, more difficult one.
In a number of psychological difficulties, stress is in the first place. Doctors have been studying this state of a person for many years. It was found that the result of a hysterical or depressed mood affects the bodies of women and men differently, but more often leads to detrimental health consequences.
general information
A protective psychological reaction to a strong external stimulus of an unfavorable plan, scientists and ordinary people used to call stress. Among the factors affecting the mental state of a person, the main ones are:
- Strong feeling of hunger.
- Cold.
- Injuries of the mental or physical plane.
From emotional overstrain, some people fall into hysterics, while others subside, withdraw into themselves.
The reasons for the unfavorable state of the human psyche lie not only in external stimuli. Often they are internal. A number of conditions that accumulate over the years, from childhood, lead to a crisis at the most inopportune moment.
Scientists say that the person himself is responsible for panic and overstrain of the psyche, no matter what reasons accompany them. You should not blame someone for this problem, you need to carefully look at your reactions.
It is possible to cope with adverse conditions, but at the same time it is advisable to tune in accordingly and follow a number of rules. An equally important factor in this matter is to notice in time the approach of hysteria or nervous overstrain, expressed in a different way.
Do not forget about stress prevention measures. This is a guarantee of a future excellent mood and positive state.
How to help yourself?
Each person is able to listen to himself and find out what his psyche is capable of. You need to learn how to manage your condition. It's quite difficult. Often the case is not complete without the help of psychologists. It is desirable to learn some techniques for life and always adhere to the rules of behavior in a stressful situation.
When tension arises, it is advisable to urgently understand your reaction to the situation. It is worth sorting everything out in order to get to the bottom of the psychological problem. This is often the case: an overconfident and successful person constantly controls his actions in order to fit the image. At some point, the situation goes out of sight and panic sets in, followed by stress. In this case, the easiest way is to pull yourself together, not to overexert yourself and deal with the problem on your own.
Another story: a very beautiful girl sees an even more beautiful one next to her chosen one. Panic sets in, wrong thoughts come to mind. A little self-confidence and the stress goes away. The same rule should be followed for people with low self-esteem, and as a stress prevention, use psychological attitudes, slogans that help not to lose heart. As such, psychologists offer to repeat phrases regarding their personality:
- Confident man.
- The most intelligent and resourceful.
- The most charming and attractive.
- I never lose heart.
- Everything is fine.
In this manner, you can come up with slogans for any unfavorable topic in order to set yourself up in the right way.
Sometimes people do not notice how stress accumulates and leads to negative consequences at crucial moments in life. To prevent this from happening, it is worth constantly keeping your mental state under control and sorting out all the problems that come out.
Causes of stress include:
- Accumulated fatigue.
- Unhealthy Lifestyle.
- Disease.
- Trouble at work.
In these cases, the elimination of the problem itself leads to the removal of psychological stress. The best prevention of professional stress is an internal understanding that working moments will always remain so. Some situations should end with the cries of an eternally dissatisfied boss, and mistakes can always be corrected. The main thing is the family, a healthy psychological situation in the house. Based on this, psychologists advise not to bring work problems into the house, not to talk with your husband or other relatives about the topics of the labor plan.
Overexertion in preschoolers and older toddlers
Stress in children is accompanied by a strong emotional reaction. In this situation, parents are responsible for everything. They are obliged to help the child cope with the problem, to calm and adjust in the right way.
Tantrums in babies are often associated with the requirement to buy a new toy or pick it up. The whims of children often do not correlate with external factors. Among the reasons are conflicts of parents or other household members, troubles associated with the problems of elders. Children, even the smallest ones, understand everything and endure no less suffering.
You need to build friendships with your child. Parents should not command, dominate the baby. It is advisable to have a series of conversations, beat optimistic situations, and establish peace in the family. In the case when a child asks for a new toy, it is worth convincing the baby to talk, being tolerant of his whims. You need to learn how to communicate with your child.
Prevention of stress in children is a trusting relationship in the family between parents in communication with small households. All mistakes must be corrected peacefully.
With a hysterical child, you can turn to a psychologist, a specialist will understand the problem if the parents are powerless. It is advisable to follow all the recommendations and learn how to give the baby the right settings.
Stress - like a butt on the head
Most situations associated with psychological overstrain come unexpectedly. You need to learn how to cope with internal stress. It is advisable to adhere to the following rules:
- Accept any situation with humor.
- Avoid conflict.
- Be able to be emotionally detached from the problem.
- Do not panic, keep your emotions under control.
- Count to 10 before making any decision.
- Do not rush to conclusions.
There are 2 related concepts - stress and prevention. If you try to follow the rules, tension will not come. "More positive emotions in life!" psychologists advise.
You need to see the positives in every situation.
You can find them even in a hopeless variant.
You should never be hysterical in public. Yelling and yelling will get you nowhere. But psychologists advise not to keep negativity in yourself, otherwise it will accumulate and this will lead to collapse. As soon as it becomes possible to retire, having come home, you can smash an old mug to smithereens or tear a newspaper into small pieces, gutting an unnecessary pillow.
Another way to get rid of stress is to stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself how beautiful, smart, resourceful you are. It is worth convincing yourself that nothing bad is happening, everything is behind, and a way out of the situation has been found. Being calm in conflict is already wonderful. The main thing is to increase your self-esteem.
It is advisable to find something to your liking. Hobbies of embroidery, knitting, sports, reading can distract from problems. When the head is busy with useful work, there is no time for inner worries and stresses.
You need to listen to music that relaxes, it helps to tune in the right way. It is better if it is a classic or works by modern composers in a classical manner.
Another way to get rid of unnecessary thoughts is shopping. It is not necessary to buy something at all, you can admire beautiful things. It is better if you make such an excursion with friends, completing the trip in a cafe with pleasant conversations.
Prevention of stress is also healthy sleep. It should not be too much, but it should not be enough to rest. The optimal number of hours to spend in the arms of Morpheus is 8-9.
Conclusion on the topic
Scientists have established that the state of psychological stress depends only on the person himself, so the prevention of stress is very important. There are people who are quick-tempered, emotional, panicking over trifles. It is worth learning to step back from minor problems. If you can’t cope with yourself, you need to contact a specialist and follow all the rules for dealing with stressful conditions.
Constantly high spirits and positive emotions are the first defense against negativity. It is worth learning to look for beautiful moments even in the most hopeless situations.
Stress has become one of the main factors of poor health and various diseases these days. Too often, it poisons our lives, and not figuratively, but in the literal sense of the word, because stress not only spoils the mood, but various processes are also launched in the body that directly hit almost all of its systems.
To understand how this phenomenon can be avoided (more precisely, to minimize its effect on the body, because it is impossible to completely avoid stress), you must first understand what stress is all the same.
DEFINITION OF STRESS
Many definitions of stress revolve around the fight-or-flight response to danger. The idea behind this formula is very simple. When any danger increases, our body automatically switches to a high speed of work: the heart begins to beat sharper and more often, additional sugar enters the blood to ensure increased energy consumption, vision becomes sharper, and breathing becomes intermittent. These and other changes immediately prepare the body to either fight or flee in the name of saving life.
This response to danger is a wonderful life-saving mechanism that is built into us by nature. And in situations where the danger is real (for example, a car speeding straight at you, a person trying to hit you, or
angry dog), the mechanism justifies itself. But the problem is that when the situation does not pose a serious danger to us, but is more annoying than dangerous, the mechanism still starts.
This mechanism was formed back in the days when people lived in caves, and they did not have to deal with rude clerks or traffic police officers. Life was much simpler, and the difference between dangerous and non-dangerous circumstances much clearer. Today, many of the situations we face are more annoying than frightening. Despite this, we still trigger the fight-or-flight response. We have no way to beat our bosses and wives or run away from them when they poison our lives. We can neither fight nor run when our children get on our nerves, or a traffic cop undeservedly fines, or a panic begins on the stock exchange. At such moments, it remains only to maintain self-esteem and react reasonably enough. Unfortunately, we tend to fight and flee even at the slightest provocation. As a result, the body produces a lot of potent substances, without using them for either one or the other. Instead, we have to "stew in our own juices."
All of the above leads us to the modern definition of stress: stress is a person's reaction to what happens to him in life. Most events and circumstances, with the exception of physical injuries and illnesses, are not really dangerous for us. But our own reaction makes them so.
Arguing with your wife shouldn't be stressful, but more often than not, that's what happens because we allow ourselves to get angry and offended. Situations that can frighten some people do not cause a stressful state for others. For example, for astronauts, returning from the Moon to Earth is not inherently stressful if they believe in their ship, they are sure that their work is no more dangerous than a morning walk around the neighborhood. However, if they start thinking about what might happen when a couple of tiny microcircuits burn out in a computer, stress is guaranteed. But the circumstances are the same - the return of the spacecraft home. It is the perception of this situation - whether it is dangerous or not dangerous - that makes it stressful or vice versa.
Noise in the middle of the night in the house can cause an extremely stressful situation - if you assume that a robber has climbed into your house. But if you are sure that this is a cat scratching at the door, returning from a night walk, you will not have any stress.
So, stress is not what happens to you, but how you react to it. In other words, which of the many possible reactions to an event do you choose.
HARM OF STRESS
The main “target” of stress is the cardiovascular system. It all starts with the hypothalamus, which, as soon as you choose the “wrong” reaction, immediately launches a certain sequence of actions. The heartbeat becomes more frequent and harder, causing an increase in blood pressure. Under chronic (long-term) stress, blood vessels constrict, decreasing in diameter, resulting in increased resistance, further increasing blood pressure. Platelets may become more sticky. All of these factors greatly increase the risk of heart problems.
In addition to the heart and blood vessels, stress also negatively affects the digestive system, contributing to the formation of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Stress reduces the level of sex hormones, disrupts the immune system and increases the risk of cancer.
The companion of stress is the hormone cortisol, produced by the adrenal cortex. Its levels in the body rise during stress, helping you cope with temporary danger. But chronic stress leads to a prolonged rise in cortisol levels, which can deplete muscles, weaken bones, and cripple the immune system. Elevated levels of cortisol provoke diabetes, depression, cancer, strokes and other ailments. Doctors have long known that certain diseases can be caused in a patient by giving them high doses of cortisol.
ARE YOU UNDER STRESS
There is no perfect description of the signs of stress - each of us reacts to events in our own way. For one man, say, a breakup with a girlfriend is a deep tragedy, and for another, a good opportunity to find a new one. To get a pretty rough idea of whether you are highly stressed or, conversely, a stress-tolerant person, check which of the following apply to you:
- hate to waste time;
- drive fast, even when you are not late for anything;
- overload your working day, work without a break;
- feel impatient when the interlocutor speaks too slowly;
- you do everything very quickly - eat, wash, clean the house, etc.;
- do not like to lose, even playing for fun;
- Do you think that relationships with loved ones take you away from work and other important things;
- often doing more than one thing at the same time;
- do not have a hobby, because you do not have time for it;
- believe that others are not capable of doing something as well as you;
- get upset when someone succeeds and you don't;
- you are very worried if you are late for something;
- use numbers to measure success (how much someone gets, how many products they produce, etc.).
The more items on this list that apply to you, the more stressed you are. Now let's talk about how to deal with it.
HOW TO MANAGE STRESS
Just as it is impossible to unambiguously determine how stressed a person is, it is also impossible to deduce a single catalog of rules and methods for treating stress. In addition, some provocative moments you simply cannot avoid. For example, you may not be able to quit even if your boss treats you cool. However, there are certain measures and actions that can be opposed to at least some stressful situations. Here are some everyday tips to help reduce the presence of stress in your life:
1. Never try to do more than one thing at once.
2. Don't overload your work schedule. Plan for the day only what you can do without feeling uncomfortable and constrained in time.
3. Drive your car at a moderate speed. Even if the road is clogged with traffic, take it easy.
4. Wake up every day a little earlier than usual. This will give you the opportunity to calmly, without haste, get ready for work. Leave or go to work also always a little bit early.
5. Set aside some time each day for relaxation and exercise. A regular walk in the early morning or evening is an excellent way to unwind.
6. Spend more time with family and friends, even if you have to sacrifice time for work and hobbies.
7. Do not voluntarily take on additional responsibility or work for the sake of a career. Think carefully about whether you can do this while leaving time for family and leisure.
8. Wherever you are going, make it your goal to see something beautiful there or along the way—flowers, a sunset or sunrise, an interesting building, unusual cars, and so on.
9. When talking to someone at a party or work meeting, don't talk too much. Sit quietly and listen to the other person, asking questions or commenting on the story just to keep the conversation going.
10. If a person does something slower than you could, do not interfere, allow yourself to observe the process.
11. Before setting yourself a new task, consider whether you really need it, and if so, whether you should do it immediately and whether someone can replace you.
12. Spend some time on your hobby every day. And do not try to become the best of the best in this, and also do not turn a hobby into a source of income - just enjoy it.
13. At work, if your boss doesn't mind, take a 5-10 minute break every 2 hours every day.
14. Every day look for an excuse to compliment someone (employees, family members, friends).
15. If you don't need a watch for work, leave it at home.
16. The next time you play with children, relatives or friends, deliberately lose to them. Be proud of how well you managed to hide the fact that you did it on purpose.
Most importantly, remember that the effect of stress depends much more on your reaction to what is happening than on the event itself. Almost always there is no need to expend energy on changing the situation, but it is easy to change your reaction.
Be in good shape!
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The article uses materials from the book by Mile Oppenheim.
2 comments on “What is harmful stress and how to avoid it”
The state of prolonged stress causes a response (defensive) reaction in the human body - depression. Depression is often characterized by a depressed mood, severe mental suffering, a decrease in the ability to enjoy, a decrease in mental activity, and various abnormalities in the functioning of internal organs. The development of depression is due to very subtle biochemical disturbances in the central nervous system. First of all, the depletion of the stock of substances regulating mental activity - neurotransmitters. The causes of depression are very diverse. The most common variants are severe or prolonged mental stress, including those caused by internal conflict, overwork, brain injury (even in the distant past), severe and prolonged diseases of internal organs, surgical operations, prolonged pain, lack of blood supply to the brain, congenital neurochemical disorders, personality traits. It is necessary to distinguish depression as a transient state of a healthy psyche from depression as an illness. Temporary depression due to a traumatic event is a normal reaction. Everyone has had to experience it after the loss of a loved one, loss of prestige or self-esteem. Depression as a disease has a high intensity, duration and leads to the appearance of specific symptoms of depression. Depression is curable. Since both biological and psychological factors are involved in the development of depression, doctors successfully combine medication and psychotherapy.
A lack of essential nutrients in the body can also trigger depression. Since ancient times, it has been known that the love of tasty and healthy food is an effective prevention of neuroses. The best fighters against depression - "natural antidepressants" are fatty acids contained, for example, in fish oil. Sweets are also effective - they increase the level of endorphin in the body, the “hormone of happiness”, which is especially lacking in winter. But from the sweet mood harmonizes only if the level of endorphin has already dropped. If it is at the “norm” mark, then you will not become happier from chocolate: the body will begin to produce insulin, which breaks down sugar. And then a vicious circle - the level of sugar in the blood will drop, and depression will return with it.
Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pasta, contain serotonin and norepinephrine. The first regulates mood, hunger, fear, aggressiveness, drowsiness. The second is responsible for blood pressure and stimulates carbohydrate metabolism. Two amino acids (tryptophan and el-phenylalanine) found in all protein-rich foods (meat, fish, chicken and eggs) also produce serotonin and norepinephrine. A vegetarian can satisfy his sadness by eating beans, lentils, nuts and other non-animal products of the "protein" group.
Alcohol, at first glance, seems like a good “antidepressant”. A common way to get rid of problems in men. Getting drunk is a radical, but temporary measure: a good mood will disappear along with wine vapors, giving way to even more stress.
But a delicious healthy and fragrant drink - cocoa, is able to nullify the prerequisites that have appeared, leading to a depressive state. The fact is that cocoa contains a lot of magnesium, which is responsible for the well-being of the nervous system. Its deficiency in the body provokes a state of anxiety and leads directly to depression.
Here is a list of antidepressant foods, the use of which helps to avoid neurotic conditions:
- chocolate,
- almonds
- various types of seafood,
- broccoli,
- dairy products: milk, cottage cheese, hard cheeses,
- bananas,
- various types of meat: turkey, lean beef, lamb, rabbit,
- oatmeal,
- berries: blueberries, strawberries.
Treat yourself to your favorite healthy treats more often, for example, juicy strawberries combined with cream or ice cream, chocolate-covered bananas with nuts, fragrant hot cocoa, etc. From delicious healthy food you can always make a holiday, after which it is unlikely that a depressive state will come upon you. The main thing is to always know when to stop in edible ways to get rid of depression.
There are 4 more effective ways to deal with stress:
- positive self-talk
- emergency stress relievers
- relaxation
- the ability to see the pleasant
Positive self-talk
To improve your well-being, practice a positive attitude constantly and everywhere: in the car, at your desk, before bed, on a walk. Tell yourself more often:
"I can handle it if need be"
"I won't let this problem knock me down"
"Could be worse"
"I'm human, and I tend to make mistakes from time to time."
Urgent Stress Relief
In order to fence yourself off from a stressful situation, try applying stress limiters:
Count to 10 before speaking
Take a few deep breaths
Go for a walk
Return to the situation that causes you stress a little later,
Don't be afraid to apologize and admit your mistakes
Divide a big problem into smaller parts
Smell the roses, hug your loved ones, do something nice for yourself.
Relaxation
Sit comfortably, put your feet on the floor, put your hands on your knees, close your eyes. Imagine a peaceful place, hold this scene in your mind. Breathe in and out calmly. Let your breath be slow. Do this for 10 minutes or more. Try to make time for relaxation every day.
Looking for pleasure
When stress hits you, find simple, inexpensive pleasures like going for a walk, chatting with a loved one, reading a good book. Try to do at least something pleasant for yourself during the day, even if it only takes you fifteen minutes.
Emotional stress is one of the reasons for the development of various diseases.
Of course, it is difficult for a person to “turn off” emotions and not respond to stressful situations. It is impossible to completely avoid stress, and it is not necessary. By and large, stress is one of the most important survival factors, with the direct participation of which mankind was formed and preserved. But in the process of evolution, stress has changed, because the active release of hormones under life-threatening circumstances has lost its relevance. In modern life, such a reaction of the body causes more harm. Stress usually occurs at the informational level, first settling in a person's thoughts. If the intellectual processing of information does not produce results, an emotional level is activated, at which it is no longer possible to solve the problem, as well as stop the destructive process, which is pronounced and perceived as a state of stress.
There are two directions of movement - to return to the level of work of the intellect or to go to the physical level: to transfer emotional stress into physical and extinguish it. The reason for the occurrence of stress can be any external significant event or a complex task that requires an immediate solution. By themselves, they do not carry potential without our attitude towards them. The cause of stress is precisely the internal state that causes our reaction to what is happening outside. It is useless to avoid sources that provoke stress, because you cannot foresee everything in advance. You should focus on personal psychological moments, strengthening confidence and self-esteem, getting rid of fears and phobias, resentments and doubts, jealousy and anxiety.
There are some simple rules that will help
You avoid stressful situations:
- Always let yourself rest. Adequate sleep will help calm the brain, relax tense muscles and streamline thoughts. In the morning, with a fresh head, the whole situation can appear on the other side, turn out to be more advantageous and positive. A warm bath and hot shower will also help you relax and clear your head. Rest should be not only physical, but also emotional. If on vacation or on weekends a person is haunted by thoughts about work, then there is no point in such a vacation.
- Pay close attention to your diet. Attempts to drown out the problem with alcohol or eat cake usually lead to even more serious violations. By itself, malnutrition, snacking on the go, drinking alcohol or unhealthy foods, as well as overeating and obsession with food are stressful for the human body.
- To prevent stress, as well as conditions associated with it, it is very important maintain harmony in relationships with loved ones, avoid quarrels, and also try to resolve omissions peacefully, without consequences. It is very dangerous to keep resentment or anger at a loved one, it just eats up a person over time, and a nervous breakdown will still happen one day.
- In order to avoid emotional stress, you first need to learn to readjust and not “savor” your problems. During the day, you need to try to smile, not think about the bad, not get upset over trifles. Of course, it will not be easy when there are a lot of problems, but, because a person constantly scrolls these problems in his head and cannot solve them, they cannot be solved by themselves, and a person is already in a bad mood.
- Go in for sports. As a result of physical activity, hormones of happiness - endorphins - are released. Sport strengthens morally, not in vain they say: in a healthy body - a healthy mind.
- Find an activity that will bring you pleasure- hobby. A favorite activity relieves stress, calms and gives you the opportunity to streamline your thoughts and put your feelings in order.
- Look at life positively, with optimism, as well as learn how to say "no" and distribute tasks and responsibilities at work and at home.
- Listen to music, energetic, positive, which is able to charge with energy and joy of life, avoid pessimistic texts that put pressure on the psyche. The pleasure that you get from listening is directly related to the chemical processes in the brain. They evoke feelings of euphoria and happiness.
- Learn to switch your attention. Go to the cinema, to concerts, watch humorous programs and comedies.
- Learn to relax. Find time for a walk in a quiet and peaceful park. Avoid large crowds and noise. During the walk, try to free yourself from thoughts, relax.
- Don't run away from problems better solve them as they come. And don't be afraid to make mistakes. Life is built on mistakes, and it is impossible to avoid this.
The consequences of stress depend on you and your attitude to life. You can't avoid stress. But it is possible and necessary to avoid the consequences of psychological overload.
Stress is the cause of various somatic diseases, so its prevention is the key to health and normal human performance.
The article was prepared based on materials from open Internet sources.
Department of Interdepartmental Relations and Comprehensive Prevention Programs of the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution "Center for Medical Prevention of the City of Stary Oskol" psychologist Bezlepkina O.A.
Have you ever experienced an anxiety attack at work? This happened to me recently.
Last week, I had to quickly, one by one, finish a few things. As I tried to decide what to do first, I felt thoughts swirling and colliding in my head. When I managed to cope with this hell, my head was a complete mess.
And what did I do? Deep breath - from the very center of the body. I imagined the crown and arrows growing from the shoulders in different directions. She stood for a while, then walked around the room and returned to work.
This simple anti-anxiety remedy isn't always easy to apply, especially if you're multitasking and there are a lot of distractions around. I only mastered it after I signed a book contract and got so nervous that I got back and stomach pains. The sedative could not be taken all the time (it is addictive), so I had to look for more natural ways.
Like most people, I breathed "vertically": my shoulders lifted up during inhalation.
First of all, I turned to clinical psychologist Belisa Vranich, who teaches - or rather, retrains - people to breathe. I felt that I was not breathing correctly, she confirmed this.
Like most people, I breathed "vertically": my shoulders lifted up as I inhaled. Also, I was breathing from the upper chest, not the main part of the lungs.
Vranich taught me how to breathe correctly - horizontally, from the center of the body, where the diaphragm is located. She explained: you need to expand the stomach during inhalation through the nose and retract during exhalation.
At first it seemed inconvenient. And yet it is a natural way of breathing. When society starts to put pressure on us, we turn to the wrong way. Due to work stress, we try to pull ourselves together, shrink - which means we begin to breathe quickly and shallowly. The brain needs oxygen to function, and such breathing does not provide enough of it, making it difficult to think normally. In addition, the digestive system does not receive the necessary massage from the diaphragm, which can lead to a number of problems.
Stress turns on fight-or-flight mode, and we tighten our abdominal muscles to appear stronger.
Stress puts us into fight-or-flight mode, and we tense our abdominal muscles to appear stronger. This posture interferes with calm, clear thinking.
The fight-or-flight response was formed by our distant ancestors as a defense against predators. It was so important to survival that it still occurs in response to stress.
With a reasonable level of stress (for example, a realistic deadline for completing a task), adrenaline begins to be produced, which helps to get to the finish line. But if the level is too high (say, a few deadlines that you can't meet), the fight-or-flight mode kicks in, causing you to shrink and tense up.
When I started writing the book, I felt pain and tension in my shoulders and back, as if my body was about to hide from a dangerous predator. I had to do something, and I started going to posture correction classes.
When I said that I was working on my posture, the interlocutors usually became embarrassed, realizing their own "crookedness", and immediately tried to bring their shoulder blades together and raise their chin. As a result, the shoulders and neck were pinched. And this just cannot be allowed: on the contrary, you need to gently relax the contracted muscles.
Here are some basic principles to help you get through the day.
First, imagine your crown. You can even touch it to understand exactly how it is located in space (you may be surprised how wrong you are). Then imagine horizontal arrows moving outward from your shoulders. This expands your chest and allows you to breathe more freely.
Try to notice when you strain some part of the body more than necessary.
Try to notice when you strain some part of the body more than necessary. For example, the majority of the mouse should be controlled by the fingers, not the palm, wrist, or the entire arm. The same applies to typing on the keyboard.
You can master the "Alexander method". This technique was invented in the 19th century by the Australian actor Frederic Matthias Alexander, who used the method to cure hoarseness and possible loss of voice. He came up with the concept of "pursuing the ultimate goal". Its essence is that when you strive to be somewhere, at that moment you seem to be not present in your body.
Another important component of dealing with stress is movement. Many mistakenly believe that being in one position for a long time, they concentrate better. What you really need to improve concentration is to move and take regular breaks, explains Alan Hedge, professor of ergonomics at Cornell University.
Hedge claims that in the process of work, this alternation is optimal: sit for about 20 minutes, stand for 8, walk for 2 minutes.
Of course, if you feel inspired and completely immersed in the work, you can not adhere to this rule. But if you get stuck on a task, it's enough to move from one room to another to reset your brain.
Research has shown that we need to constantly feel the effects of gravity in order to work effectively.
According to Professor Hedge, the chair is an "anti-gravity device" and gravitational stimulation is very important for our body. NASA research has shown that in order to work effectively, we need to constantly feel the effects of gravity. When we sit down, stand up or walk, we receive the appropriate signal (and there should be at least 16 such signals per day).
This basic knowledge of the body - so simple and clear - can be difficult to apply in a stressful situation. I still sometimes find myself frozen in a chair at the moments of work blockage. But now I know how to act: straighten up, straighten my shoulders and drive the imaginary lion out of the room.
Stress is dangerous for the mental and physical health of a person. To avoid this condition, you need to know where it comes from and how to prevent it.
severe stress
How to avoid stress? Stop worrying over trifles, work on your thinking and your own behavior: comprehensive prevention is the key to life without depression and apathy.
Concept definition
Stress is a powerful psycho-emotional experience. It is accompanied by obsessive thoughts, diseases of the body and panic attacks. The more a person is in this state, the harder it is for him to get rid of obsessive thoughts. Internal tension does not go away, but only enhances all those experiences that are caused by stress. The level of resistance to stressful situations determines how long a person can withstand stress.
Stress is the cause of apathy and depression. When the body cannot cope with constant stress, certain symptoms arise: due to stress, a person cannot lead a full life, he is confused and exhausted. Stressful conditions are dangerous for people with a weak psyche or victims of phobias. Strong experiences in such cases complicate the well-being of a person and create all the prerequisites for the development of a neurosis or mental disorder.
Causes
Stress needs a specific cause or a series of minor causes: obsessive thoughts gradually accumulate and change the perception of the individual. She perceives any complexity exaggeratedly, as a personal failure or an unacceptable oversight. It is also important how a person copes with different types of stress: at work, at home, in personal life, stress factors are completely different.
stress at work
The main reasons why a person is in a difficult psycho-emotional state:
- constant difficulties that a person cannot overcome;
- mental disorders;
- low stress resistance and low self-esteem;
- difficult social and material living conditions.
The more responsibility is placed on a person, the greater its internal tension. People with low self-esteem are unable to withstand such pressure - they constantly think about their own mistakes and try to hide them. Guilt only worsens the psycho-emotional state. A person is under constant pressure from family, colleagues, strangers and close people. Financial difficulties, difficult relationships with family or colleagues. Bad parenting and negative thinking are the real causes of stress.
If cases accumulate, and a person is unable to solve them, stress begins. In this state the person cannot relax. She is fixated on one lesson, which affects mental protection. A shattered psyche due to disorders or phobias is unable to defend itself from the slightest trouble, so a stressful state develops twice as fast.
If a person does not carry out stress prevention, he will not succeed in avoiding stress on the psyche.
Symptoms
A complex emotional state is a real threat to the whole organism. In a state, he sweats, his heartbeat quickens and there is an attack of suffocation. The body's defensive reaction signaling danger should not be constant, but during stress, the victim experiences the same feelings again and again: helplessness, worthlessness, fear.
In a complex psycho-emotional environment, a person cannot objectively assess what is happening. His apathy is replaced by fits of anger: the victim of stress cannot control emotions or behavior. The more a person withdraws into himself, the less others can help him. The victim is negatively tuned, she is a prisoner of her own cyclical thoughts. She is scared and lonely.
The difficulties that have piled up seem unbearable to her. In a state of stress, a protective reaction of the body occurs - attacks of panic or fear. This is a normal state when a person is in real danger. The person is overloaded, he is weakened and distracted. The sleep pattern is disturbed: during the day, the victim of stress is sleepy, and at night, due to obsessive thoughts, he cannot fall asleep. Over time, a phobia develops, which characterizes the greatest fears of a person - fear of responsibility, condemnation, the future.
Resilience is essential for both men and women.
Symptoms of stress directly depend on the stress resistance of the individual and the causes of her difficult condition. If she can't handle the stress or pressure of the environment, then she fears that her incompetence and incompetence will be exposed. Against the background of experiences, a person develops neurosis, hysteria, severe depression.
Consequences
Why is stress dangerous? Constant internal stress is dangerous emotional burnout. A person worries so much that the only psychological defense for him is indifference. This is selective coldness and neglect of those duties that cause stress. A person fences himself off from the problem instead of solving it - he makes an escape, which worsens his condition.
Suppressed emotions turn into fears and phobias. The less control over the situation, the harder it is for a person to defend his principles: the victim of stress adapts to the external environment to his own detriment. In search of salvation, a weak personality creates a comfort zone. It limits its own growth and development. A frequent consequence of prolonged stress is depression, which needs separate treatment.
Preventive measures
Prevention and correction of mental stress is needed for people with increased individual responsibility - these are leaders on whom the quality of production and the prosperity of the company depend. Developed resistance to stress is the key to their peace of mind and a guarantee of high professional status.
Stress relief techniques are necessary for children during the formation of their psyche. The less changes a person experiences, which is still growing and developing, the less complexes and phobias it will manifest in the future.
Simple and accessible methods of stress correction are based on timely prevention. The essence of prevention is to strengthen the stress resistance of a person and change his thinking.
Stress prevention methods:
- change in attitude to problems;
- work on thinking;
- switching from problem;
- physical exercise;
- weakening of internal stress;
- psychological settings.
The main goal of prevention is positive changes in a person's life.
When he is happy, problems seem less significant, and any consequences of mistakes are acceptable. Prevention of psycho-emotional stress allows you to objectively look at the world, set priorities.
Meditation helps fight stress
Stress prevention recommendations from a psychologist include working on ingrained beliefs: thoughts that have no logical basis. Because these thoughts give rise not only to stress, but also to fears and phobias that prevent a person from fully living and working. Constructive methods of dealing with stress consist in a voluntary decision to get rid of internal tension and look at problems differently.
Attitude to problems
Problems are temporary. They have a certain period of validity, no problem is permanent. To solve a problem, you need to be confident in yourself. It is important to understand the essence of the problem and choose a solution. It will take time to solve a complex problem: do not panic or be afraid that the problem will not be solved.
By changing the understanding of the essence of the problem, you can reduce internal stress. How to avoid stress:
- stop focusing on one problem;
- disassemble complexities, divide them into simpler unsolved problems;
- solve problems as they arise;
- leave less important tasks, do not load yourself with a dozen different problems.
Organized problem solving and the right attitude to problems will reduce stress levels.
You need to deal with work problems only at work. You can’t bring negativity home: delimiting the sphere of influence of troubles will help you get rid of the experience in a timely manner.
The right attitude
It is important to be able to tune in to quickly solve difficult problems. Attitudes and beliefs, to a greater extent, are laid in early childhood, when the child learns to perceive the world and people. Any problems and traumas at this time affect the worldview in adulthood. The right attitude is partial auto-suggestion and persuasion. If the attitudes laid down in childhood interfere with life, they are disposed of with the help of cognitive-behavioral therapy. This is a technique used by psychoanalysts: during the conversation, the true causes of distorted perception are revealed. The patient's task is to draw new logical conclusions and get rid of false beliefs.
It is impossible to prevent stress in a family without the participation of a person who is subject to it. The person must voluntarily participate in changing beliefs. If the problem is in the wrong mood, the potential victim of stress needs to change their attitude towards themselves. The more love and care she receives, the less temporary difficulties will affect her life. The right attitude helps to avoid stress, depression, but it should be worked on daily.
Change of mind
Prevention and coping with stress necessarily includes a change in thinking. This is a global concept, which consists not only of the temporary mood of a person or his stamina. It is necessary to analyze each situation and choose a model of behavior. Thinking will help.
Insecure individuals often make mistakes. Subconsciously, they look for problems in order to confirm their own fears. They need problems, otherwise the picture of their world will collapse. Stress prevention addresses an important issue: there are problems in thinking that prevent a person from learning important lessons from difficulties.
To change thinking, work with a psychoanalyst is used. You can't change your outlook in one day. A person needs to learn to accept himself and not blame himself for every mistake. At this stage of prevention, the support of the close environment is important: through the care of relatives, a person feels more confident and steadfast.
Working on positive thinking
If the problems of perceiving the world and oneself are resolved, and a person has tuned in to the right attitude to problems, to prevent stress, one should tune in to the positive. The hardest thing is to control your own thoughts and avoid negativity.
Thoughts are a kind of attitudes, this is the future reality of a person. They should be cleared: for this, a person learns to comprehend his own behavior during a stressful situation and follow the conclusions that are born in his head. Without controlling thoughts and replacing negative with positive, stress cannot be prevented.
Switching techniques
Stress prevention involves simple actions that become a habit. The switching method is based on the removal of unfavorable conditions. This technique is suitable only in situations where a person cannot solve the problem, but stress appears against the background of guilt.
Prevention of stress conditions:
- if there are problems at work, you should ask for help - partial transfer of responsibility will ease internal pressure;
- if there is such an opportunity, you need to take a break for a while - walk, change the situation, unwind.
How to avoid stressful situations: find a habit that will be a signal for the psyche to disconnect from experiences. It could be reading or exercising, playing a board game or talking with friends. Switching is not an escape from problems, it is a temporary suspension, it will give you an opportunity to think about everything.
Switching stress prevention is especially useful in cases where a person is unable to influence the situation or it has led to irreversible consequences. In such cases, the excitement does not make any sense.
Physical exercise
Physical activity and sports are effective methods of stress prevention. They are available to everyone: a variety of physical activities will appeal to adults and children. The meaning of this technique is distraction. During classes, a person cannot think about problems, he is busy with exercises.
Sports
Sports help fight depression. It has been scientifically proven that people with regular physical activity are less prone to stress and depression. Group classes are a rewarding experience that will provide new experiences and the necessary neutral communication.
Yoga and meditation
Yoga classes will help to save yourself from a nervous breakdown. These are poses for relaxation and muscle tension at the same time. A unique oriental technique helps to relieve tension from the body and clear thoughts of negativity. Yoga can be practiced both at home and in the gym. Even breathing can calm the nerves if a person comes to class tense and angry.
Meditation and yoga teach what self-love is. This is caring for the body and soul. This is a desire to find harmony and not take to heart what does not bring joy. Prevention of stressful situations takes place in a relaxed and comfortable environment.
Fighting internal tension
If a person is psychologically dependent on stress, it is difficult for him to find a way out on his own. He is closed, and the more he thinks about problems, the more he falls under their power. Internal tension is the initial stage of stress, and at this stage it can still be prevented.
Psychoprophylaxis of stress through the reduction of internal stress occurs with the help of:
- constant relaxation of the body;
- walks and socializing with friends;
- travel;
- new hobbies.
Treatment and prevention of stress includes simple activities that do not directly affect the human psyche, but allow you to relax in a timely manner. If you give them several days a week, you won’t have to be afraid of constant internal tension.
Fun Cleaning - Stress Relief
Simple work helps to cope with internal stress: physical labor is always distracting. It is useful to clean the house and keep the mess out. With the help of simple exercises, the soul will become much better.
Relaxing baths
A simple way to relax the body. Coniferous baths with essential oils are useful and pleasant. At the same time, such procedures have a calming effect.
It is necessary to develop the habit of taking a relaxing bath at least once a week. Before going to bed, this procedure is useful for the whole body.
Walking and running
An additional source of health and muscle relaxation is running. While running, you can listen to relaxing music and think about the world around you. It is useful to run in the park or in the fresh air.
Walking is good for adults and children. They saturate the blood with oxygen. Especially useful before bedtime: after a walk, it is easier for a person to fall asleep. Walking helps to switch, temporarily muffle anxiety and reduce nervousness.
Adventure and travel
Resilience skills are the key to a stress-free life. They do not appear in one day, they need to be developed in oneself. Traveling is a change of scenery: new experiences and adventures.
Travel is a good stress reliever
After an exciting trip, a person returns completely different. He is no longer worried about everyday problems, he is full of strength and energy. It's nice to travel with your loved ones and family. Traveling is a pleasant alternative to passive methods of stress prevention.
New hobbies
The list of recovery programs (prevention plan) includes new activities. They help to distract and calm down, lie down with a new activity. Against the backdrop of inspiration, the perception of those many things changes.
New hobbies will allow the personality to open up, show inner potential. The more she is busy with her development, the less time and energy she spends on problems - the causes of stress.
Psychological attitudes
A psychoprophylactic measure is one that affects not only the symptoms of stress, but also the root cause of their development. To restore peace of mind, a person must devote time to what he thinks and what he spends his energy on.
Stress management happens in the mind. A person must find the reasons that trigger a dangerous psycho-emotional state. The self-hypnosis technique is a simple exercise that helps to eradicate wrong attitudes and replace them with new beliefs.
Self-hypnosis technique
The psychology of stress is simple. There is a difficult situation with which a person, for one reason or another, cannot cope. He blames himself, and even after solving the problem, the anxiety does not go away. The person continues to live with the failure that has happened.
The fight against this problem begins with simple exercises that you can do at home. Self-hypnosis exercises will require no more than 15-20 minutes a day. To replace installations, affirmations are used - phrases (motivational, inspiring, soothing). These phrases should be significant for a person, resonate in his soul.
Prevention of psycho-emotional stress is carried out at home: a person is left alone and does the exercises in the following order:
- if possible, stand in front of a mirror (with visual contact it is easier to emotionally tune in);
- repeat the affirmation, putting emotion into it.
Over time, the phrase to prevent stress is perceived by the subconscious as a correct, proven setting. A person does not doubt it: the brighter the emotional coloring, the easier it is to believe in the affirmation.
Auto-trainings change and are adjusted. They can be adjusted to suit the situation. The more a person knows himself, the easier auto-training is. Over time, self-esteem and stress resistance of the individual improves.
stress factors
Factors that may be the cause of stress or their main cause.
- the person causing antipathy;
- an event that brings to mind an old trauma;
- mistakes, because of self-doubt, a person perceives them as a real disaster;
- thoughts due to mental disorders or phobias;
- words and thoughts.
Eliminating the causes will reduce the likelihood that intrusive thoughts will appear. Stress factors are individual. They do not lend themselves to conditional classification: a person determines their significance by analyzing experience from the past. It is difficult to cope with factors resembling a serious psychological trauma: they return a person to the moment when he was defenseless.
Concomitant phobias force a person to change behavior: if earlier he normally perceived problems, then internal fears make him afraid of the world around him. Serious mental disorders are especially dangerous at a young age: during the formation of the psyche, low stress resistance develops pathologies and diseases.
Prevention
Psychocorrection of human behavior at any age is a multi-stage process. Prevention and prophylaxis of a stressful state begins with the awareness of a factor that triggers a strong psycho-emotional reaction. After identifying the stress factor, it is necessary to eliminate it from life. Do not be afraid of changes, they will help the individual to regain their former spiritual harmony. If the stress factor is only an excuse, and not the main cause of stress, then its elimination will only reduce the strength of the psycho-emotional reaction. In such cases, it is necessary to work with thinking, beliefs and habits.
Psychologists advise to prioritize life. Separate what is meaningful from what does not require so much effort. In most cases, stress occurs at work: this is work that is exhausting and does not bring moral satisfaction. In order not to carry out constant prevention of stress, you should change your unloved job and find an occupation that brings self-satisfaction.
Psychologists recommend to devote more time to household chores and family. It is important to seek balance in work and family affairs: disharmony is a favorable environment for stress. It is useful to make spontaneous weekends and get out of the country. New skills and knowledge will increase self-confidence, and problems will not seem so significant.
You should not hide inner fears: in them you can find the reason why life does not bring pleasure. If a person is afraid of the unknown or the future, his self-esteem needs to be corrected. Fear and stress are reactions when a person does not pay due attention to mental health. Physical fatigue is the cause of a stressful state, so you need to exclude a fanatical attitude to business.