Behavioral responses:
Speaking and eating very fast
Drinking alcohol, eating, or smoking to calm down
Rushing around, but not able to get much done
Working too much
Delaying doing the things that need to be done
Trying to do too many things at once
Causes of stress?
Having a “Type A” personality that causes you to constantly rush, be angry, hostile, or competitive can foster stress. Various factors can contribute to stress, such as family matters, work pressures, relationships, money problems, or health concerns. Personal traits and habits can also foster stress. Every individual reacts differently to stress, necessitating tailored stress reduction strategies. A poll by the American Psychological Association in 2007 found that one-third of people in the U.S. report feeling extreme levels of stress. Once in a while, people polled reported feeling high levels of stress 15 or more days per month.
Preventing Stress
Medicines are helpful for many things, but usually not for stress. Any medication you take will only address symptoms of stress, not the source. Camouflaging symptoms with medication may deprive you of the signals you need, prompting you to reduce the strain on your physiological and psychological systems caused by stress. Managing stress through relaxation techniques and stress management is far better. Treatment focuses on identifying the sources of stress in your life and finding ways to avoid them or reduce their impact. Some components of treatment may include cognitive behavioral modification, assertiveness training, time management, and minimizing and replacing habits and traits causing stress. Sessions may also include muscle relaxation, meditation, and deep breathing. Reducing feelings of helplessness and providing a sense of control over problems through therapy can help to lessen the amount of stress in your life. Being able to control stress is a learned behavior, stress can be effectively managed by taking small steps toward changing unhealthy behaviors. Stress management sessions can last 10-12 weeks or longer.
Factors that can help to prevent stress:
Understanding “Stress Management?”
This term is widely used and applies to many different circumstances, depending on the individual. For one person, stress management may entail their responses to their family members at home; for another, it might refer to the way they deal with responsibilities at work. Whatever the personal meaning,. Several key concepts are integral to this particular work. Dr. Niloo Dardashti is trained in a variety of stress management approaches that she uses for training within the workplace and on a personal level with individuals.
Typically this includes:
examining and identifying situations that lead to stressful circumstances
become aware of triggering automatic thoughts and emotions that give rise to the stress response
recognizing negative/faulty belief systems and thought patterns and learning how to change one's perception to be more in line with reality
learning the physiological cues that can prompt one to de-escalate
developing an effective plan to deal with stressors that typically lead to undesired outcomes
learning mindfulness skills - a technique that is evidence-based for several stress-related issues - both physical and psychological
learning breath work and relaxation techniques that can alter heart rate and stress hormones, thus decreasing tension, irritation, stress, and anger.
