If you are not enjoying the stress-free life you desire it may be due to any one of the three obsessive behaviors which we tend to engage ourselves in. Once you are able to recognize these barriers you can begin to get rid of the problems that go along with being so stressed.
1. Obsessive Negativity
This often indicates that you may have a tendency to be "negative" towards people, situations and other things in life. You just might find yourself saying such things as, "Nothing ever seems to work out for me!" or "Why don't people understand?" These are things that you might be thinking unconsciously, ultimately you have an attitude, which is commonly known as "sour grapes." This attitude will only prevent you from seeing life from it's positive side and enjoying yourself and the people among you.
2. Obsessive Perfectionism
If you engage in obsessive perfectionism you are centering on trying to get things done "just right" until you end up forcing yourself into a state of anxiety. You will say such things as, "If I don't do this just right, then I will likely become a failure!" or "If I don't do this just so, people will be angry with me!" You are probably unaware of this behavior and it will interfere with your chance to enjoy life without feeling "stressed" or "uptight."
3. Obsessive Analysis
If you are using this blocking behavior you will discover that you will want to re-hash an issue or task repeatedly. For example you may say to yourself, "I can't relax until I have studied this until I clearly know everything about it." or "If I just relax now and let this go without checking it over several times, things could go wrong!"
Analytical thinking is a great trait, however, if you over do it you will not get the chance to stop and smell the roses because you are too busy analyzing everyone and everything around you. It is important to gain insight into this sort of behavior in order to let go of your stress and get power over your anxiety.
There are a couple of things that you can do if you engage in any of these "Blocking Behaviors." First you can ask people who you know, love and trust if you have a negative attitude, if you complain too much or if you are difficult to be around.
Hearing the truth may be hurtful, but such knowledge about yourself is invaluable and you will then know for certain how other people see you. Remember, if you ask, you want nothing but their honest opinion and know that you will gain amazing insight from what you hear.
Second, try keeping a journal and write down when you are using any of these "blocking behaviors." You may not be thrilled with the thought of writing things down but you will begin to see a pattern in your behavior that reveals what it is that you have been doing to prevent yourself from curing your anxiety.
Recognizing when these blocking behaviors occur is the first step in the "healing" stage towards conquering your stress.
Michael B. Roth, DC
Standing in line at the grocery store you start to feel your heart race. Within moments your hands are sweating, your breathing becomes short and rapid, you feel hot, dizzy and overwhelmed with a sense of fear.
What is this sensation? Where is it coming form? If you have experienced similar sensations in the past and especially if you have begun changing your life and routine in the fear of experiencing it again, you may be suffering from Panic Attacks.
WHAT ARE PANIC ATTACKS?
Panic is a physical reaction that is a response to stress. Often called the 'fight or flight' response, panic is a normal response to danger and is actually your body's cue to get out of harm's way. However, when panic sets in when there is no source of danger it can be linked to two causes - stress or possibly, a panic disorder.
The following symptoms are common during a panic attack:
- rapid heartbeat
- shortness of breath or inability to breath
- dizziness or nausea
- sweating, shaking or trembling
- a sense of fear or dread
- tingling sensation in the fingers or toes
- chest pain
- hot flashes or chills
- thinking you are going to die or go craz
WHAT CAUSES PANIC ATTACKS?
Stress in our lives is not usually caused by a physical danger; in fact most stress is caused by completely normal daily activities and is not harmful to us. Too much stress, however, is dangerous to our body and in some cases it can cause panic attacks, particularly if we have experienced an additional trauma or burden such as the loss of a loved one or big change such as a new job or move. While normal stress can cause anxiety, when panic attacks become regular a panic disorder may be the cause.
Panic disorder may or may not be directly related to over stress. Some researchers are linking the panic attacks caused by panic disorder to a physical cause. If this is the case you need to seek professional help in dealing with the symptoms.
Sadly most individuals suffering from panic disorder do not get properly diagnosed. Many begin to suffer the physical and psychological effects of changing their lives, their jobs and their recreational activities to accommodate their panic attacks before finding a physician that can properly diagnose their condition. The symptoms of panic attacks may also lead a person to believe they have a dangerous physical condition and seek treatment for various unrelated diseases and conditions.
CAN PANIC DISORDER BE TREATED?
If you think you have been experiencing panic attacks you will need to be diagnosed by your physician or referred to a psychiatrist. While the physical symptoms may not be connected to a mental condition, often the fear of having panic attacks in public leads to phobias that may need to be treated as well.
A combination of medication and therapy may be used to combat the panic attacks and help a person to overcome related phobias.
The good news is that panic disorder responds very well to treatment and those who receive treatment can lead healthy, normal lives.
Michael B. Roth, DC
Moms are some of the busiest people on the planet. From working a 9-5 job to getting the kids off the school or from attending soccer games to chaperoning a slumber party, a mom's feet never seem to stay still. Some moms are responsible for taking care of their aging parents as well.
With this almost frantic pace, increased stress levels can be a natural result. Stress can impact many areas of life such as work, family, and other relationships. Stress can cause one to experience irritability, impatience, and distractibility. For busy moms, stress management is a necessity. Here are eight tips to assist in living a more stress free life.
1. Determine, no matter what, to create time for self. For some busy moms, maybe it's a soothing bubble bath at the end of the day. For others, it could be a quick trip to the local Nail Salon. The activity really doesn't matter as long as busy moms take some time for themselves.
2. Listen to calm, soothing music on the way to work, while at work, and while going to sleep. Music has a way of calming and soothing the mind body.
3. Practice deep abdominal breathing periodically throughout the day. Breath in deeply through the nose pulling the belly button toward the spine, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly release. Busy moms will be pleasantly surprised at how this simple technique can result in a more relaxed body and mind. This can be done in any environment.
4. Take time to exercise. Exercise helps to increase self-esteem, decrease depression, increase concentration and energy, and gives one a greater sense of control over stress. Hitting the local gym is not always necessary. Taking a 15-minute walk around the neighborhood, taking walks on lunch breaks, taking the steps instead of an elevator, and parking farther away when shopping are examples of how busy moms can squeeze in exercise during the day.
5. Eat Healthy. There are foods that promote calmness and foods that increase stress levels. Busy moms can ask themselves if they are eating too much sugar and caffeine, and if they are getting enough protein. They can also evaluate if they are eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and staying away from refined and processed foods. Healthy eating is very important for any busy mom. Taking a look at diets and making the necessary changes can result in increased optimal health.
6. Call a friend. For any busy mom, it is always important in life to have at least one relationship where they can just vent and know that a listening ear and unconditional acceptance will be given.
7. Practice Thinking Calmly. Everyone has a favorite place that is peaceful, soothing, and calm. When stress levels increase, busy moms can take a mental break and visualize that special place. They can take note of the sights, sounds, and smells. It is important to continue to do this until relaxation is felt. Busy moms will notice that the stress they are experiencing will be less and more manageable.
8. Have a sense of humor. We all are familiar with the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." This is so true. Be willing to laugh at personal mistakes. Watch a funny movie. Share a joke with a friend. In other words, lighten up. It will make such a difference.
Busy moms can follow the above eight tips for a more stress free life!
Michael B. Roth, DC
As Australian television personality Andrew Denton has noted - "PRESSURE AND STRESS IS THE COMMON COLD OF THE PSYCHE."
Stress is a fact of life and a certain amount of stress, unlike the common cold, can even be good for you - but too many stressful incidents can prevent you from reaching your full potential.
There is no magic wand to wave away stress - it takes a determined effort to control your lifestyle to prevent stress overload. However, the basics of alleviating stress are easy to arrange and practice - it's not rocket science - it just takes time and more than a little effort.
First, plan ahead - be organized and prepared. There are close-at-hand weapons available to you in your battle against stress - a pencil and a piece of note paper.
Many times stress is energized because we allow a tidal wave of different and conflicting thoughts to flood our mind making us believe the assignments ahead are too overpowering.
Prepare for tomorrow the night before.
Take the time to sit down with a pencil and paper and list all the assignments you feel are important to complete the next day. When all the tomorrow tasks are listed, redo and list each item in order of importance. Finally, mark the time you think it would take to complete each task - review the total time and when you reach the time limit you feel comfortable with, draw a line across the page - that's tomorrow's schedule.
One other important item when completing the final schedule - it's vital that your allow time for relaxing,exercising and to eat a healthy meal - three more important weapons in alleviating stress.
"IN TIMES OF GREAT STRESS OR ADVERSITY, IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO KEEP BUSY, TO PLOW YOUR ANGER AND YOUR ENERGY INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE" - Lee Iacocca
Something positive - great advice - but again, not easy. Maintaining a positive attitude also takes a great deal of work and commitment, but by following two basic fundamentals of positive thinking,you can detour your life into a new affirmative direction that will lower the stress level no matter what the situation and, as a bonus,make you a happier, more contented individual.
First and foremost - stop all the negative talk. Start today - every time you utter a negative thought, repeat what you said and change the negative into a positive. Make a game of it. Tell those you trust how you are trying to change your lifestyle and have them yell out "negative" every time you utter a negative thought. If they catch you on such a miscue - you have to give them a dime or some such reward.
Repetition is the key to changing negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Come up with your own personal mantra you can silently repeat to yourself to constantly remind you of your new positive, less stressful lifestyle - the word "POSITIVE" is a good one to start with.
Secondly,stay away from those who view life pessimistically. Those who are unenthusiastic about life can drag you down faster than a freighter's anchor - join the people who make you happy - better yet - be around people who you can talk to about your feelings.
One more basic fundamental - find the humor in it - take time to laugh loud and often - it's the best medicine for alleviating stress.
Again from Lee Iacocca - "STRESS IS WHEN YOU WAKE UP SCREAMING AND YOU REALIZE YOU HAVEN'T FALLEN ASLEEP YET."
Michael B. Roth, DC
