Stress
The term 'stress' has entered everyday language and taken on a range of broad and often misleading meanings. People say things like “I’m really
stressed” when they mean that were simply annoyed by someone or something, or just had a bad day at the office. This is a world away from
the person who says “I’m really stressed out” and means that he or she is close to a nervous breakdown.
There is also the notion that stress is an inherently bad thing when in fact it is a natural reaction to change, and essential for our well-being, since it stimulates and supports us to meet the challenges that we face.
The Stress Response
Most people will know that stress is important for our ability to survive.It acts as a mechanism to protect the body against danger by triggering the
release of hormones, such as adrenalin. Adrenalin raises your heart rate to carry blood where it’s most needed. Your breathing quickens to provide the extra oxygen required for energy. You sweat to prevent overheating. Your mouth may feel dry as your digestive system slows down to allow more blood to be deflected to your muscles. Your senses become heightened and your brain becomes more alert. These are all normal responses to stress.
These responses prepare your body for action and to protect itself against danger, either by running away or fighting back. It is known commonly as the ‘fight or flight’ reflex. Once the danger has passed, other hormones are released which may cause you to shake as your muscles start to relax. This response is useful for protecting you against physical danger. If your house was on fire it is a totally necessary and
appropriate response. But if this was a regular reaction to attending meetings,for example, then it would be clearly inappropriate and harmful.
This is the time to get help.
Whether it is a real or imaginary threat, your body reacts in the very same way to situations that you find threatening, but which you can’t deal with appropriately, by either fighting it or by running away. Situations like this may include public speaking, an interview, a driving test, or having an injection.
Whilst we may be able to deal with one off situations like these, it is when the perceived or actual physical, emotional and mental demands take their toll over time, and exceed our ability to cope, that the unhealthy stress condition occurs. More accurately this can be described as “distress.” There comes a point when there is only so much that a person can cope with, they become too exhausted to keep battling on and feel completely overwhelmed.
This is NOT the same as having a heavy workload or excessive demands on our time in and out of work. There are plenty of people who handle
these adequately over a lifetime and exhibit little or no stress at all. Equally, there is evidence that certain personality types are more prone
to stress than others, such as perfectionists, controllers and the unassertive, people who are anxious by nature. But even the strongest among us can succumb to stress. In my experience at work it was usually the dedicated, hard working, most capable and seemingly strong individuals who experienced stress or ultimately ‘burn out’.
Getting help
Helping people with stress is similar to treating anxiety and depression. I firstly try to listen and understand each client’s intrinsic needs and how
their current behaviour could possibly change for the better. Then develop a customised approach can be taken in order to help clients to learn new, more effective ways of thinking. In doing so, they get to look at their lives differently, make better choices and ultimately overcome their problems.
The treatment for stress would usually incorporate a combination of:-
* Hypnotherapy- as hypnosis is the most powerful way to help people to let go of self-limiting beliefs and habits and better control thoughts and
emotions.
* Life Coaching – to challenge limits, set life goals and develop plans for realising the life they really want.
* Teaching – how to use relevant tools and techniques that enable clients to relax, prepare for and deal effectively with different situations. If
desired, I can also teach people self - hypnosis so that they can continue to help themelves long after their treatment is over.
stressed” when they mean that were simply annoyed by someone or something, or just had a bad day at the office. This is a world away from
the person who says “I’m really stressed out” and means that he or she is close to a nervous breakdown.
There is also the notion that stress is an inherently bad thing when in fact it is a natural reaction to change, and essential for our well-being, since it stimulates and supports us to meet the challenges that we face.
The Stress Response
Most people will know that stress is important for our ability to survive.It acts as a mechanism to protect the body against danger by triggering the
release of hormones, such as adrenalin. Adrenalin raises your heart rate to carry blood where it’s most needed. Your breathing quickens to provide the extra oxygen required for energy. You sweat to prevent overheating. Your mouth may feel dry as your digestive system slows down to allow more blood to be deflected to your muscles. Your senses become heightened and your brain becomes more alert. These are all normal responses to stress.
These responses prepare your body for action and to protect itself against danger, either by running away or fighting back. It is known commonly as the ‘fight or flight’ reflex. Once the danger has passed, other hormones are released which may cause you to shake as your muscles start to relax. This response is useful for protecting you against physical danger. If your house was on fire it is a totally necessary and
appropriate response. But if this was a regular reaction to attending meetings,for example, then it would be clearly inappropriate and harmful.
This is the time to get help.
Whether it is a real or imaginary threat, your body reacts in the very same way to situations that you find threatening, but which you can’t deal with appropriately, by either fighting it or by running away. Situations like this may include public speaking, an interview, a driving test, or having an injection.
Whilst we may be able to deal with one off situations like these, it is when the perceived or actual physical, emotional and mental demands take their toll over time, and exceed our ability to cope, that the unhealthy stress condition occurs. More accurately this can be described as “distress.” There comes a point when there is only so much that a person can cope with, they become too exhausted to keep battling on and feel completely overwhelmed.
This is NOT the same as having a heavy workload or excessive demands on our time in and out of work. There are plenty of people who handle
these adequately over a lifetime and exhibit little or no stress at all. Equally, there is evidence that certain personality types are more prone
to stress than others, such as perfectionists, controllers and the unassertive, people who are anxious by nature. But even the strongest among us can succumb to stress. In my experience at work it was usually the dedicated, hard working, most capable and seemingly strong individuals who experienced stress or ultimately ‘burn out’.
Getting help
Helping people with stress is similar to treating anxiety and depression. I firstly try to listen and understand each client’s intrinsic needs and how
their current behaviour could possibly change for the better. Then develop a customised approach can be taken in order to help clients to learn new, more effective ways of thinking. In doing so, they get to look at their lives differently, make better choices and ultimately overcome their problems.
The treatment for stress would usually incorporate a combination of:-
* Hypnotherapy- as hypnosis is the most powerful way to help people to let go of self-limiting beliefs and habits and better control thoughts and
emotions.
* Life Coaching – to challenge limits, set life goals and develop plans for realising the life they really want.
* Teaching – how to use relevant tools and techniques that enable clients to relax, prepare for and deal effectively with different situations. If
desired, I can also teach people self - hypnosis so that they can continue to help themelves long after their treatment is over.
