They’re the plagues of the modern world. Stress, depression
and anxiety are on the increase, year in, year out and they
show no signs of ending their relentless onslaught. In the
United States alone, over 40 million people are affected by
these illnesses annually, and for the majority of sufferers,
the only means of stopping the pain is by taking powerful
antidepressant drugs.
What’s curious is that most of them will be on these drugs
for life. Equally curious is that over seventy percent of
people who stop taking them, for any length of time, will
relapse into another painful episode of their illness.
Something’s rotten in Denmark. Because if these drugs are as
effective as their manufacturers claim, then sufferers
should be cured of their illness. Clearly, this isn’t
happening.
Why? I mean, if these drugs are so good, why don’t they cure
stress, anxiety and depressive illness?
The commonly held belief, both by the medical profession and
people who suffer from illnesses such as stress, anxiety and
depression, is that anti-depressant drugs are the most
effective treatment.
This is in fact, not quite true.
Antidepressant drugs DO help a sufferer. But they can only
help them TEMPORARILY. They cannot offer a permanent cure
for these illnesses. This is because anti-depressants treat
ONE of the SYMPTOMS of stressful illnesses – reduced levels
of "happy chemicals" called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals inside our brains that
help to regulate our moods. So all anti-depressants do is to
give the sufferer a "boost" by raising levels of
neurotransmitters. The real issue here is that once the
sufferer ceases the medication, there is a seventy percent
chance of relapse.
The reason for relapse is because these drugs simply haven’t
addressed the root cause of these illnesses. By boosting
levels of our "happy chemicals" all the drugs are doing is
masking the problem. Now, in the short term, giving our
mental well-being a boost by increasing the levels of "happy
chemicals" is very helpful in helping us START the process
of recovery.
The last sentence is very important. It explains how these
drugs should be used. Because when we feel stressed out,
burned out, terrified of the future or that life has no
point (all common feelings associated with stressful and
depressive illnesses), we find it almost impossible to
function. Finding our own way "out of the tunnel" is mission
impossible.
And that’s where antidepressants can help. In giving us a
boost, we can feel more able to cope. We can START to take
the first steps towards ending our suffering.
But they will not provide a permanent cure. They only way to
cure these painful illnesses is to address the root cause as
to why these illnesses arise. The root cause is down to
harmful mental habits and processes we have learned and put
to use for most of our lives – since childhood in the
majority of instances.
And there lies the crucial difference. Antidepressants can
help us in the short-term by CONTROLLING the illness.
Learning the mental habits and processes that crush these
illnesses so they cannot even begin to arise help us in the
long-term by CURING these illnesses.
Something else I think you'll find illuminating about these
drugs:
No single drug has proven to be more effective than any
other and the latest research conducted at Yale university
in the United States has revealed that drugs are ineffective
for seventy percent of sufferers. This is because chemical
imbalances in the brain are a symptom and not a cause.
You now know why this is so.
What’s also interesting to note is that sales of these drugs
in the US alone are worth $12 BILLION annually. Pretty good
for something that cannot provide a cure don’t you think? Of
course, one of the issues here is having a sufferer paying
thousands of hard-earned dollars for a drug which cannot
cure them month in, month out, year in, year out.
I don’t think that’s right. Because I firmly believe that
people who are suffering from stress, anxiety, panic,
depression and similar illnesses, want to get rid of it from
their lives forever. Cure means cured, permanently.
I overcame a terrible 5 year period of anxiety-induced
depression without taking any antidepressants. By learning
to address the harmful mental habits and processes which
took me to the lowest point anyone can go, I turned my life
around and found happiness again.
What worked for me will work for you and it will provide the
one thing you deserve and what antidepressant drugs can
never provide: A permanent cure to your suffering.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
BEFORE YOU STOP TAKING ANY ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
3 Powerful Natural Ways To Relieve Stress, Anxiety & Depression
In this article, you'll see how everyday language can fuel stress, depression
and anxiety and you'll find out how to relieve stress anxiety and depression
quickly using 3 natural powerful ways.
One of the most common flawed modes of behavior performed by every
sufferer who enters into a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety
concerns the words they use to describe situations and events they are
confronted with. In using powerful, emotive words, sufferers will trigger the
fear response and the more they use such words, the worse their suffering
gets.
Powerful, emotive words are part of everybody's vocabulary. Sometimes, we
use powerful words when we lose our temper or we become angry and
frustrated. In this state, we give vent to our feelings and the emotions within
us have an outlet.
This is fine. For most people, once their emotions have been expressed, they
return to their usual selves and life carries on as normal.
But it doesn't work like this if you are prone to stress, depression or anxiety.
In these states, sufferers will react negatively to every event they are
confronted with in their lives. One of the negative reactions concerns using
powerful and emotive words that can make even the most insignificant of events
a major problem. Words can and do have that much power and I'm now going to
show you how to relieve stress by showing you how this works with three of the worst words you can use to assign meanings to events.
They are:
Nothing, everything and never.
For example, let's say your relationship with your spouse breaks down. Here's
how using the above words can trigger stress, depression or anxiety:
"Well that's it. EVERYTHING has gone wrong in my life. I'm NOTHING without
him/her and I know I'll NEVER be happy ever again."
Can you see how flawed this highly emotive reaction is and can you see how these
words - seemingly innocuous by themselves - have made one event a major,
stressful episode by assigning a catastrophic meaning to your whole life?
To avoid arousing such fearful emotions, here are three better, much less emotive
words you can use to relieve stress, depression and anxiety:
For everything, use ONLY.
For never, use TEMPORARY.
For nothing, use SOME.
So let's discover how to relieve stress by using these words to find a less intense
meaning to the event in our example, the breakdown of an intimate relationship:
"OK, my relationship is over, but it ONLY affects my love life. SOME things will
change but other areas of my life - my work, my friendships, my hobbies and my
social life will carry on as normally as possible. I'm hurting now, but this is
TEMPORARY and things will get better in due course."
Can you see how using different words can dramatically reduce the impact and
make much clearer sense of the event? This is how you can relieve stress, anxiety
and depression very effectively and is exactly why some people never enter into a
stressful, depressive or anxious episode even when they are faced with the most
trying of circumstances, such as relationship breakdown.
Everything, nothing and never are just three of the emotive words used by sufferers.
There are many more - including expletives that are far too strong to use here - but
if you use the three alternatives I've given in this article, you will know how to relieve
stress, anxiety and depression naturally for the rest of your life.
and anxiety and you'll find out how to relieve stress anxiety and depression
quickly using 3 natural powerful ways.
One of the most common flawed modes of behavior performed by every
sufferer who enters into a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety
concerns the words they use to describe situations and events they are
confronted with. In using powerful, emotive words, sufferers will trigger the
fear response and the more they use such words, the worse their suffering
gets.
Powerful, emotive words are part of everybody's vocabulary. Sometimes, we
use powerful words when we lose our temper or we become angry and
frustrated. In this state, we give vent to our feelings and the emotions within
us have an outlet.
This is fine. For most people, once their emotions have been expressed, they
return to their usual selves and life carries on as normal.
But it doesn't work like this if you are prone to stress, depression or anxiety.
In these states, sufferers will react negatively to every event they are
confronted with in their lives. One of the negative reactions concerns using
powerful and emotive words that can make even the most insignificant of events
a major problem. Words can and do have that much power and I'm now going to
show you how to relieve stress by showing you how this works with three of the worst words you can use to assign meanings to events.
They are:
Nothing, everything and never.
For example, let's say your relationship with your spouse breaks down. Here's
how using the above words can trigger stress, depression or anxiety:
"Well that's it. EVERYTHING has gone wrong in my life. I'm NOTHING without
him/her and I know I'll NEVER be happy ever again."
Can you see how flawed this highly emotive reaction is and can you see how these
words - seemingly innocuous by themselves - have made one event a major,
stressful episode by assigning a catastrophic meaning to your whole life?
To avoid arousing such fearful emotions, here are three better, much less emotive
words you can use to relieve stress, depression and anxiety:
For everything, use ONLY.
For never, use TEMPORARY.
For nothing, use SOME.
So let's discover how to relieve stress by using these words to find a less intense
meaning to the event in our example, the breakdown of an intimate relationship:
"OK, my relationship is over, but it ONLY affects my love life. SOME things will
change but other areas of my life - my work, my friendships, my hobbies and my
social life will carry on as normally as possible. I'm hurting now, but this is
TEMPORARY and things will get better in due course."
Can you see how using different words can dramatically reduce the impact and
make much clearer sense of the event? This is how you can relieve stress, anxiety
and depression very effectively and is exactly why some people never enter into a
stressful, depressive or anxious episode even when they are faced with the most
trying of circumstances, such as relationship breakdown.
Everything, nothing and never are just three of the emotive words used by sufferers.
There are many more - including expletives that are far too strong to use here - but
if you use the three alternatives I've given in this article, you will know how to relieve
stress, anxiety and depression naturally for the rest of your life.
5 Things You Can Do For Depression, Anxiety and Stress Relief
No ceremony with this article, let's go straight into five quick things you can do
for depression, anxiety and stress relief.
1. Take regular breaks from the firing line. Working hard without regular breaks
is a great way to build up stress and tension. Make sure you have at least one
15-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon as well as at least 20
minutes for lunch. If possible, eat lunch away from your workstation. Equally, if
you have a lot to deal with in your life right now, taking a day, or a weekend
elsewhere - longer if you can - to get some breathing space will really help. Even
just a day away from the firing line will enable you to get some distance from the
problems and help you to gather your thoughts.
2. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Exercise
releases endorphins into your system and will give you a natural boost. It will also
provide you with a break from brooding and dwelling upon problems and troubles -
but only if you perform the right kind of exercises. Avoid: Exercises that allow you
to brood (weight lifting, jogging, treadmills) and perform exercises that require
your full concentration. Competitive sports such as squash, tennis, badminton and
circuit training are all excellent examples. It is important that you do not brood when
you exercise because although you will be benefiting physically, you are still stressing
yourself mentally and the stress, depression and anxiety will worsen.
3. Stop beating yourself up. Self-deprecation is a huge part of stress, depression and
anxiety. Each time you beat up on yourself, you will erode confidence and self-esteem.
Never tell yourself you're useless, worthless, stupid, hopeless, boring, ugly, and a loser.
Never convince yourself that other people hate you, that others find you difficult to be
around and that you're better off being alone. You would never deem it acceptable to
say such things to other people and you must deem it equally unacceptable to say
them to yourself. These words and phrases are powerful and they will hurt you. Accept
you're not perfect and that you make mistakes - just like everybody else does - and
cut yourself some slack. From this day, make a pact with me to never indulge
self-deprecation ever again. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
4. Isolation is another problem experienced by stress, depression and anxiety sufferers.
OK, there will be times when you just want your own company. During such times, you
can brood over and over again on problems and events and beat yourself up for hours
on end. Not good. Instead, use isolation more positively. Occupy your mind by tackling
a jigsaw puzzle, a logic problem, a crossword, read a book or perform a hobby such as
painting, playing a musical instrument or whatever it is you have an interest in. In this
way, isolation will help you to grow instead of causing you further pain.
5. Television, radio and newspapers can all supply you with a daily hit of negativity and
help lower your mood. In the main, they concentrate on the negative side of life: crime,
corruption, war, scandal and natural disasters and can give you a distorted view of
reality. Not to mention the amount of image manipulation they subject you to. Give
yourself a break from this negative drip feed and avoid them completely for one week.
You may find, like I have, that they have no place in your life after that. Trust me, you
won't miss them.
OK, there's 5 things you can do fo depression, anxiety and stress relief depression and
anxiety. Please give them a try, they'll all help you feel much better very quickly indeed.
for depression, anxiety and stress relief.
1. Take regular breaks from the firing line. Working hard without regular breaks
is a great way to build up stress and tension. Make sure you have at least one
15-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon as well as at least 20
minutes for lunch. If possible, eat lunch away from your workstation. Equally, if
you have a lot to deal with in your life right now, taking a day, or a weekend
elsewhere - longer if you can - to get some breathing space will really help. Even
just a day away from the firing line will enable you to get some distance from the
problems and help you to gather your thoughts.
2. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Exercise
releases endorphins into your system and will give you a natural boost. It will also
provide you with a break from brooding and dwelling upon problems and troubles -
but only if you perform the right kind of exercises. Avoid: Exercises that allow you
to brood (weight lifting, jogging, treadmills) and perform exercises that require
your full concentration. Competitive sports such as squash, tennis, badminton and
circuit training are all excellent examples. It is important that you do not brood when
you exercise because although you will be benefiting physically, you are still stressing
yourself mentally and the stress, depression and anxiety will worsen.
3. Stop beating yourself up. Self-deprecation is a huge part of stress, depression and
anxiety. Each time you beat up on yourself, you will erode confidence and self-esteem.
Never tell yourself you're useless, worthless, stupid, hopeless, boring, ugly, and a loser.
Never convince yourself that other people hate you, that others find you difficult to be
around and that you're better off being alone. You would never deem it acceptable to
say such things to other people and you must deem it equally unacceptable to say
them to yourself. These words and phrases are powerful and they will hurt you. Accept
you're not perfect and that you make mistakes - just like everybody else does - and
cut yourself some slack. From this day, make a pact with me to never indulge
self-deprecation ever again. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
4. Isolation is another problem experienced by stress, depression and anxiety sufferers.
OK, there will be times when you just want your own company. During such times, you
can brood over and over again on problems and events and beat yourself up for hours
on end. Not good. Instead, use isolation more positively. Occupy your mind by tackling
a jigsaw puzzle, a logic problem, a crossword, read a book or perform a hobby such as
painting, playing a musical instrument or whatever it is you have an interest in. In this
way, isolation will help you to grow instead of causing you further pain.
5. Television, radio and newspapers can all supply you with a daily hit of negativity and
help lower your mood. In the main, they concentrate on the negative side of life: crime,
corruption, war, scandal and natural disasters and can give you a distorted view of
reality. Not to mention the amount of image manipulation they subject you to. Give
yourself a break from this negative drip feed and avoid them completely for one week.
You may find, like I have, that they have no place in your life after that. Trust me, you
won't miss them.
OK, there's 5 things you can do fo depression, anxiety and stress relief depression and
anxiety. Please give them a try, they'll all help you feel much better very quickly indeed.
5 Stress Reduction Techniques To Avoid Burnout
Although the following stress reduction techniques really come in to their own
during the festive season when stress depression and anxiety can make this
season anything but merry, Here's 5 stress reduction techniques to help you
avoid burnout not just during the holidays but throughout the entire year.
* Lower your expectations. The holidays are so exciting! Being with loved
ones, Christmas decorations, lights, presents and much feasting! As the holiday
approaches, expectations increase as to how the holiday will be only for them to
be dashed when the holidays arrive. So, try not to place high expectations on how
events will unfold. Always expect the unexpected and remember that humans
can react unpredictably and surprisingly. Also, life can throw us the odd curve
ball, especially when we least want it, so just have a "what will be will be" attitude
and hopefully, the holidays will be perfect. Avoiding high expectations means you
won't become stressed out or upset should things not turn out the way you wanted.
* Plan ahead. Make a detailed plan for all of the things you need to do. Be thorough
and try to do as much in advance as possible. The more you can get done before
the holidays the less stressful the season will be. Include shopping, decorations,
wrapping, meal preparation, sending cards, visiting family, and a schedule for
the big day. This will help you get organized so you'll get more done and you'll feel
less stressed. Make checklists so you can mark progress as you go. Another great
stress reduction technique is to have a backup plan in case things go awry.
* Delegate. There's a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure happy holidays.
The Christmas dinner alone really can be hard work for the cook! Too much work
leads to stress burnout so make sure the whole family share the workload.
Delegate by sharing chores amongst the whole family and get children involved
too. It's true - many hands make light work - and also makes one of the very best
stress reduction techniques too!
* As much as the holidays are about spending time with family, having the family
over can be highly stressful. Not all families get along, and stress levels can soar
at get-togethers. If you have family members who are unappreciative,
argumentative, aggressive, sulky - the kind of people who will spoil the day,
then say "no!" and don't invite them. The holidays are about joy and happiness,
so inviting people who will ruin everyone's day isn't on. But a sense of duty can
lead to inviting someone around against your better judgement. Your only duty is
to your immediate family - your spouse and your children - not to any other
family members. If your family get along, fine, but if you know there's going to be
fireworks, then make everyone's day by not having stress as an unwanted holiday
guest.
* Set your budget and stick to it. Perhaps this is the most important stress
reduction techniques here. It's really tempting to spend money during the holidays
and many people will rack up huge debts doing so. The debt then becomes a major
stress factor after the holidays have ended. You don't need to buy people expensive
gifts and you don't need to go into debt to impress people. The Internet is a fantastic
source for finding creative and imaginative gifts that will give the receiver a highly
valued special surprise because it shows thoughtfulness. Debt is to stress what
pizzas are to waistlines and you can pay a heavy price for impressing people with
gifts. Stick to your budget and you will reduce stress, not just over the holidays but
for many months after.
during the festive season when stress depression and anxiety can make this
season anything but merry, Here's 5 stress reduction techniques to help you
avoid burnout not just during the holidays but throughout the entire year.
* Lower your expectations. The holidays are so exciting! Being with loved
ones, Christmas decorations, lights, presents and much feasting! As the holiday
approaches, expectations increase as to how the holiday will be only for them to
be dashed when the holidays arrive. So, try not to place high expectations on how
events will unfold. Always expect the unexpected and remember that humans
can react unpredictably and surprisingly. Also, life can throw us the odd curve
ball, especially when we least want it, so just have a "what will be will be" attitude
and hopefully, the holidays will be perfect. Avoiding high expectations means you
won't become stressed out or upset should things not turn out the way you wanted.
* Plan ahead. Make a detailed plan for all of the things you need to do. Be thorough
and try to do as much in advance as possible. The more you can get done before
the holidays the less stressful the season will be. Include shopping, decorations,
wrapping, meal preparation, sending cards, visiting family, and a schedule for
the big day. This will help you get organized so you'll get more done and you'll feel
less stressed. Make checklists so you can mark progress as you go. Another great
stress reduction technique is to have a backup plan in case things go awry.
* Delegate. There's a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure happy holidays.
The Christmas dinner alone really can be hard work for the cook! Too much work
leads to stress burnout so make sure the whole family share the workload.
Delegate by sharing chores amongst the whole family and get children involved
too. It's true - many hands make light work - and also makes one of the very best
stress reduction techniques too!
* As much as the holidays are about spending time with family, having the family
over can be highly stressful. Not all families get along, and stress levels can soar
at get-togethers. If you have family members who are unappreciative,
argumentative, aggressive, sulky - the kind of people who will spoil the day,
then say "no!" and don't invite them. The holidays are about joy and happiness,
so inviting people who will ruin everyone's day isn't on. But a sense of duty can
lead to inviting someone around against your better judgement. Your only duty is
to your immediate family - your spouse and your children - not to any other
family members. If your family get along, fine, but if you know there's going to be
fireworks, then make everyone's day by not having stress as an unwanted holiday
guest.
* Set your budget and stick to it. Perhaps this is the most important stress
reduction techniques here. It's really tempting to spend money during the holidays
and many people will rack up huge debts doing so. The debt then becomes a major
stress factor after the holidays have ended. You don't need to buy people expensive
gifts and you don't need to go into debt to impress people. The Internet is a fantastic
source for finding creative and imaginative gifts that will give the receiver a highly
valued special surprise because it shows thoughtfulness. Debt is to stress what
pizzas are to waistlines and you can pay a heavy price for impressing people with
gifts. Stick to your budget and you will reduce stress, not just over the holidays but
for many months after.
3 Natural Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management Techniques
If you're enduring a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety,
then seeing light at the end of the tunnel can be difficult. You just want
the torment to stop. Here are three easy depression, anxiety and stress
management techniques you can take today to find natural relief from
stress, depression and anxiety:
1. With many changes in life, the first step is the hardest and taking the first
step towards beating stress, depression and anxiety is no different. It's
accepting that where you are now is solely down to you. This took me so
long to realize and for years, I believed circumstances caused my anxiety,
such as the timing of events, the number of events and the people involved.
I also thought that because these circumstances were beyond my control, I
couldn't do anything to change. This thinking deepened my anxiety. But
accepting that where you're at right now is solely down to you is so important.
Initially, accepting it can seem overwhelming but in fact, it's liberating.
Why?
Because when you accept that you are responsible for where you are now, you
also accept that logically, you are the one who can get you out of it. There are
always events outside ourselves that we can point to as being the reason for
our plight. But doing this won't help. Instead, say: "No matter what happened,
no matter what others did or didn't do. I and I alone am responsible for where
I am now and therefore, I will get myself out of it."
This is one of the most powerful stress management techniques you can do
because it will remove the power external events and other people have over you
and will empower you instead. And please don't confuse this with blame. This is
accepting responsibility and developing the power to change and is vastly different
from blaming yourself. One is destructive, the other is constructive and the
difference between them is crucial.
2. Make a firm decision to get rid of stress, depression and anxiety. Say:
"I want to conquer stress/depression/anxiety. These things are no longer
acceptable and I'm going to take action to beat them. I want them out of my life
and I deserve to be free of them."
Wow, this is one of my very favorite stress management techniques and it
is another great step you can take. From now on you will control these problems
they won't control you. There are many actions you can take and there are many
skills you can have in your power that will effectively diminish the torment stress,
depression and anxiety inflict upon you. And when you have them in your power,
the quality of your life will improve dramatically. By using this stress management
technique, you acknowledge that stress, depression and anxiety aren't problems that
you have to put up with and instead, you have the power to conquer them. You also
realize that you deserve to live a happy and enjoyable life and that stress, depression
and anxiety WILL NOT take that away from you. Indeed, you have a right to be
happy and you will no longer allow anything or anyone to take that away from you.
3. OK you've already got two really powerful stress management techniques, let's
now bring this article to an end by equipping you with an equally powerful third. The
self-improvement gurus have been sharing a secret with their clients for years.
It is a powerful secret that has helped millions of people around the world to
change their lives. As my clients will testify, I don't believe in magic bullets to
conquer stress, depression and anxiety as they rarely work. But this is a magic
bullet that really does work and it will yield big results for you.
So what is their closely guarded secret and how can it help you find relief from
stress, depression and anxiety? It's this:-
If you change your thoughts you will change your life.
It's a simple sentence but my word does it hold power! Because the way you think
about your life - and I mean everything in your life from your looks, your abilities,
relationships, work, to events and circumstances you are faced with - affects how
you feel.
When you're suffering a stressful, depressive or anxious episode, assigning negative
meanings and outcomes to your situation is performed habitually. Continually
brooding upon negative and even catastrophic outcomes is performed by all
sufferers and these flawed modes of thinking are the fuel that maintains stress,
depression and anxiety.
The more you think in negative ways the deeper your suffering becomes. But if you
apply the secret of the self- improvement gurus, you can change your life too.
Because if you carry on doing the same things - thinking in the same way - your life
will carry on in the same way. But if you change your thoughts, you will change your
life and you will emerge from the tunnel into a brighter, happier future. It's true -
change your thoughts, change your life!
That's three 100% natural and highly-effective stress management techniques you
can start using right away and I promise you, they will help you conquer stress,
anxiety and depression quickly and permanently.
then seeing light at the end of the tunnel can be difficult. You just want
the torment to stop. Here are three easy depression, anxiety and stress
management techniques you can take today to find natural relief from
stress, depression and anxiety:
1. With many changes in life, the first step is the hardest and taking the first
step towards beating stress, depression and anxiety is no different. It's
accepting that where you are now is solely down to you. This took me so
long to realize and for years, I believed circumstances caused my anxiety,
such as the timing of events, the number of events and the people involved.
I also thought that because these circumstances were beyond my control, I
couldn't do anything to change. This thinking deepened my anxiety. But
accepting that where you're at right now is solely down to you is so important.
Initially, accepting it can seem overwhelming but in fact, it's liberating.
Why?
Because when you accept that you are responsible for where you are now, you
also accept that logically, you are the one who can get you out of it. There are
always events outside ourselves that we can point to as being the reason for
our plight. But doing this won't help. Instead, say: "No matter what happened,
no matter what others did or didn't do. I and I alone am responsible for where
I am now and therefore, I will get myself out of it."
This is one of the most powerful stress management techniques you can do
because it will remove the power external events and other people have over you
and will empower you instead. And please don't confuse this with blame. This is
accepting responsibility and developing the power to change and is vastly different
from blaming yourself. One is destructive, the other is constructive and the
difference between them is crucial.
2. Make a firm decision to get rid of stress, depression and anxiety. Say:
"I want to conquer stress/depression/anxiety. These things are no longer
acceptable and I'm going to take action to beat them. I want them out of my life
and I deserve to be free of them."
Wow, this is one of my very favorite stress management techniques and it
is another great step you can take. From now on you will control these problems
they won't control you. There are many actions you can take and there are many
skills you can have in your power that will effectively diminish the torment stress,
depression and anxiety inflict upon you. And when you have them in your power,
the quality of your life will improve dramatically. By using this stress management
technique, you acknowledge that stress, depression and anxiety aren't problems that
you have to put up with and instead, you have the power to conquer them. You also
realize that you deserve to live a happy and enjoyable life and that stress, depression
and anxiety WILL NOT take that away from you. Indeed, you have a right to be
happy and you will no longer allow anything or anyone to take that away from you.
3. OK you've already got two really powerful stress management techniques, let's
now bring this article to an end by equipping you with an equally powerful third. The
self-improvement gurus have been sharing a secret with their clients for years.
It is a powerful secret that has helped millions of people around the world to
change their lives. As my clients will testify, I don't believe in magic bullets to
conquer stress, depression and anxiety as they rarely work. But this is a magic
bullet that really does work and it will yield big results for you.
So what is their closely guarded secret and how can it help you find relief from
stress, depression and anxiety? It's this:-
If you change your thoughts you will change your life.
It's a simple sentence but my word does it hold power! Because the way you think
about your life - and I mean everything in your life from your looks, your abilities,
relationships, work, to events and circumstances you are faced with - affects how
you feel.
When you're suffering a stressful, depressive or anxious episode, assigning negative
meanings and outcomes to your situation is performed habitually. Continually
brooding upon negative and even catastrophic outcomes is performed by all
sufferers and these flawed modes of thinking are the fuel that maintains stress,
depression and anxiety.
The more you think in negative ways the deeper your suffering becomes. But if you
apply the secret of the self- improvement gurus, you can change your life too.
Because if you carry on doing the same things - thinking in the same way - your life
will carry on in the same way. But if you change your thoughts, you will change your
life and you will emerge from the tunnel into a brighter, happier future. It's true -
change your thoughts, change your life!
That's three 100% natural and highly-effective stress management techniques you
can start using right away and I promise you, they will help you conquer stress,
anxiety and depression quickly and permanently.
Stress Relief Tips
If you're feeling like everything is getting on top of you, or you're finding
it difficult to cope and function as you normally do or perhaps you're
feeling down in the dumps, then try these 5 easy stress relief tips.
1. My favourite stress relief tip of all. Take a relaxing bath. Add music,
candles and a glass of your favourite drink: beer, tea, hot chocolate, wine
or even champagne. Close the door and forget about everything else for
an hour or so. This helps to increase levels of calmness and the calmer we
feel, the less likely we are to get stressed out or depressed. A luxurious way
to find stress relief.
2. Comedy night: get in your favourite nibbles: chips, tortillas, salsa, crackers,
cheese, pizza, chocolate, cookies, ice cream etc. Crack open a bottle of wine or
pour yourself a beer or two and spend a full evening watching your favourite
funny films or comedians. Finding stress relief through laughter will raise your
spirits and is a great antidote to the pressures of modern life.
3. Need stress relief quickly but feel overwhelmed? Get out of the firing line.
Just scoot off for some peace and quiet for a day or better still a weekend or a
week. Take a journal, relax and gather your thoughts. When you're under
pressure or struggling to cope with a major situation or event in life,
seeing solutions to problems can be really difficult. Distance from problems can
bring clarity. I love going to the coast when I feel like this and it always,
without fail, helps me to quickly find stress relief and the calmer I am, the
easier I discover solutions. I don't know why, but being near the ocean helps
me find stress relief almost instantly. Being near water, come to think of it.
4. Find stress relief and feel great by indulging in massage. Share a massage
with your partner - create a relaxing atmosphere by softening the lights and
have oils and towels to hand. Lavender oil is particularly relaxing. Or, treat
yourself to a massage from a professional masseur or masseuse. For a really
invigorating massage, visit a Turkish baths if you're fortunate enough to have
one nearby. Massage is very relaxing and increases intimacy between lovers
and it is one of the best stress relief tips of all but be warned, it's addictive! Not a
bad thing to be addicted to though, and it will do you the world of good.
5. Spend a week without watching any television. Television can fill your mind
with negativity, bombard you with image manipulation via commercials and
give you a distorted view of reality by showing you everything that's bad about
the world. Famines, disasters, murders, violence, war - the list is endless - and
news programmes and soap operas are full of such events. Continually watching
such things will cause you no end of stress! Find some much needed stress relief
by giving your mind a break from this assault on your senses. Abandon the
television for a week and do something more rewarding instead: Read a book,
listen to music, socialize, workout, go for a walk or try your hand at something
new. If you need to hear the news, listen to a radio news bulletin once a day. But
try and avoid them for one week, replace them with something more life
enhancing. Out of all the stress relief tips, this is perhaps one of the easiest. Try
it, see stress levels drop.
The above stress relief tips are very easy to implement but they are also very
effective in helping to relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Give them a try and
watch your mood levels rise!
it difficult to cope and function as you normally do or perhaps you're
feeling down in the dumps, then try these 5 easy stress relief tips.
1. My favourite stress relief tip of all. Take a relaxing bath. Add music,
candles and a glass of your favourite drink: beer, tea, hot chocolate, wine
or even champagne. Close the door and forget about everything else for
an hour or so. This helps to increase levels of calmness and the calmer we
feel, the less likely we are to get stressed out or depressed. A luxurious way
to find stress relief.
2. Comedy night: get in your favourite nibbles: chips, tortillas, salsa, crackers,
cheese, pizza, chocolate, cookies, ice cream etc. Crack open a bottle of wine or
pour yourself a beer or two and spend a full evening watching your favourite
funny films or comedians. Finding stress relief through laughter will raise your
spirits and is a great antidote to the pressures of modern life.
3. Need stress relief quickly but feel overwhelmed? Get out of the firing line.
Just scoot off for some peace and quiet for a day or better still a weekend or a
week. Take a journal, relax and gather your thoughts. When you're under
pressure or struggling to cope with a major situation or event in life,
seeing solutions to problems can be really difficult. Distance from problems can
bring clarity. I love going to the coast when I feel like this and it always,
without fail, helps me to quickly find stress relief and the calmer I am, the
easier I discover solutions. I don't know why, but being near the ocean helps
me find stress relief almost instantly. Being near water, come to think of it.
4. Find stress relief and feel great by indulging in massage. Share a massage
with your partner - create a relaxing atmosphere by softening the lights and
have oils and towels to hand. Lavender oil is particularly relaxing. Or, treat
yourself to a massage from a professional masseur or masseuse. For a really
invigorating massage, visit a Turkish baths if you're fortunate enough to have
one nearby. Massage is very relaxing and increases intimacy between lovers
and it is one of the best stress relief tips of all but be warned, it's addictive! Not a
bad thing to be addicted to though, and it will do you the world of good.
5. Spend a week without watching any television. Television can fill your mind
with negativity, bombard you with image manipulation via commercials and
give you a distorted view of reality by showing you everything that's bad about
the world. Famines, disasters, murders, violence, war - the list is endless - and
news programmes and soap operas are full of such events. Continually watching
such things will cause you no end of stress! Find some much needed stress relief
by giving your mind a break from this assault on your senses. Abandon the
television for a week and do something more rewarding instead: Read a book,
listen to music, socialize, workout, go for a walk or try your hand at something
new. If you need to hear the news, listen to a radio news bulletin once a day. But
try and avoid them for one week, replace them with something more life
enhancing. Out of all the stress relief tips, this is perhaps one of the easiest. Try
it, see stress levels drop.
The above stress relief tips are very easy to implement but they are also very
effective in helping to relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Give them a try and
watch your mood levels rise!
Reduce Stress Naturally
If stress, depression or anxiety is turning your life into a living hell, the
following 5 techniques will help you reduce stress anxiety and depression
naturally and quickly.
At the start of a new week, arrange several enjoyable activities spread
over the whole week that you really enjoy. Going to the movies, a night at
the theater, a nice meal in a restaurant, visiting family, a concert -
whatever you like. This will give you plenty of things to look forward to
throughout the week and alleviate that "the week is a slog" feeling.
Avoid comparing yourself to others who find themselves in extremely
difficult situations in life. Doing so will only lead to you feeling guilty. For
example, you see a report about a poverty in India and you think "why
do I feel like this when there's people who have it much worse than I
do." Your circumstances in life are your circumstances and are nothing to
do with anything or anyone else. Comparing yourself to others will not
help you in anyway. What's important is that you know stress, anxiety
and depression are real problems that can be overcome naturally so don't
think about the situations others are in, concentrate on getting better.
Brooding continually about all of the problems you face in your life is a
habit guaranteed to trigger stress, depression and anxiety. It's so
important to "switch off" from problems and a really good method to help
you is to listen to music. So, arrange a music night where you can shut out
the world and enjoy listening to your favourite music. It doesn't have to be
the soothing, mellow music, you can listen to whatever music gives you
pleasure and if you want to sing, dance or play air guitar, go ahead! If you
want to just relax and listen to music with a glass of wine, no problem! It's
your music night, listen to music you enjoy and immerse yourself in it.
Avoid playing any music that is sad, or emotional and that may trigger
painful memories from the past. That's not what you're aiming for here.
Listening to music is an excellent way to reduce stress, depression and
anxiety and I urge you to make a music night a regular event in your diary.
Burnout is an ever increasing problem in our society. As if a full working
day isn't enough, many people return home and have to do even more
work to run the family home, prepare meals, time for the children and a
never-ending stream of other chores and people all demanding your
attention. So make "me time" a priority. Schedule at least one 20 minute
break away from the firing line so you can you can relax in peace. At home,
ensure you make time each day so you can rest and relax. Rest and
relaxation are vital in maintaining both mental and physical health and
they'll help reduce stress, depression and anxiety.
Feeling as if you're trapped in a rut or that your life is going nowhere is
another part of stressful illnesses and this feeling can trigger depression.
Performing the same routines each and every day really isn't good for us.
OK, we do need to have some security, but a problem arises if we live life
in fear of taking even the slightest risk. So, make an effort to break out of
your comfort zone and try something new. Start a course, a fitness
program, try a new sport, learn a musical instrument, go on a activity
holiday or take up a new hobby. This will help to keep you fresh as
overcoming a challenge gives you a buzz and increases the enjoyment you
get from life. What a great way to reduce stress!
You can significantly reduce stress by using the above tips as often as you
can. Try and apply at least one of them every day and you will see a big
difference.
following 5 techniques will help you reduce stress anxiety and depression
naturally and quickly.
At the start of a new week, arrange several enjoyable activities spread
over the whole week that you really enjoy. Going to the movies, a night at
the theater, a nice meal in a restaurant, visiting family, a concert -
whatever you like. This will give you plenty of things to look forward to
throughout the week and alleviate that "the week is a slog" feeling.
Avoid comparing yourself to others who find themselves in extremely
difficult situations in life. Doing so will only lead to you feeling guilty. For
example, you see a report about a poverty in India and you think "why
do I feel like this when there's people who have it much worse than I
do." Your circumstances in life are your circumstances and are nothing to
do with anything or anyone else. Comparing yourself to others will not
help you in anyway. What's important is that you know stress, anxiety
and depression are real problems that can be overcome naturally so don't
think about the situations others are in, concentrate on getting better.
Brooding continually about all of the problems you face in your life is a
habit guaranteed to trigger stress, depression and anxiety. It's so
important to "switch off" from problems and a really good method to help
you is to listen to music. So, arrange a music night where you can shut out
the world and enjoy listening to your favourite music. It doesn't have to be
the soothing, mellow music, you can listen to whatever music gives you
pleasure and if you want to sing, dance or play air guitar, go ahead! If you
want to just relax and listen to music with a glass of wine, no problem! It's
your music night, listen to music you enjoy and immerse yourself in it.
Avoid playing any music that is sad, or emotional and that may trigger
painful memories from the past. That's not what you're aiming for here.
Listening to music is an excellent way to reduce stress, depression and
anxiety and I urge you to make a music night a regular event in your diary.
Burnout is an ever increasing problem in our society. As if a full working
day isn't enough, many people return home and have to do even more
work to run the family home, prepare meals, time for the children and a
never-ending stream of other chores and people all demanding your
attention. So make "me time" a priority. Schedule at least one 20 minute
break away from the firing line so you can you can relax in peace. At home,
ensure you make time each day so you can rest and relax. Rest and
relaxation are vital in maintaining both mental and physical health and
they'll help reduce stress, depression and anxiety.
Feeling as if you're trapped in a rut or that your life is going nowhere is
another part of stressful illnesses and this feeling can trigger depression.
Performing the same routines each and every day really isn't good for us.
OK, we do need to have some security, but a problem arises if we live life
in fear of taking even the slightest risk. So, make an effort to break out of
your comfort zone and try something new. Start a course, a fitness
program, try a new sport, learn a musical instrument, go on a activity
holiday or take up a new hobby. This will help to keep you fresh as
overcoming a challenge gives you a buzz and increases the enjoyment you
get from life. What a great way to reduce stress!
You can significantly reduce stress by using the above tips as often as you
can. Try and apply at least one of them every day and you will see a big
difference.
5 Keys To Managing Stress Naturally and Successfully
Give your mood levels a much-needed boost with these easy-to-apply stress management techniques.
It's a fact about life that everybody at some point will make mistakes. For many people, the mistake is made, learned from, corrected if possible and quickly forgotten. But some people carry on replaying the mistake over and over again for months - years in some cases - and it causes no end of stress and misery. When you're stressed, you can be vulnerable to this replaying of mistakes further exacerbating the stress. So avoid the urge to replay events from your past over and over again. Learn from them, find the positives, accept that you'll make mistakes from time to time and move on as quickly as you can.
Sometimes, life can be very difficult to cope with because you are dealing with a multitude of major events. For example, a relationship breakdown can trigger a number of events: the split itself, moving house, finances, social life and so on. During such trying times, the plate is already full and it's important to not pile the plate higher by making other major, life-altering decisions. Postpone changes at work, relationship commitments, house moves etc. until the plate is less full and control has been regained.
If you're dealing with a stressful situation and you have a lot on your plate then it can be very hard to find solutions. At these times, you can feel as if you're caught up in the midst of a sandstorm and it can be nigh on impossible to see the way out. A good idea is to get some distance from your problems so you can gather your thoughts. If possible, take a day or even a weekend away from your usual surroundings, somewhere peaceful, and relax. Take a journal along so you can jot down any ideas. Distance away from problems can bring clarity and by relaxing, you'll be calmer and solutions will come far easier than when you are in the heat of battle. During an episode of stress, depression or anxiety, a belief that you are helpless can creep in. You say things like: "I can't do anything, things are totally beyond my control and there's no point in trying to do anything about it because nothing I do ever works." This is a very powerful and limiting belief. If you believe that you are helpless, then you will act accordingly because you won't take action to change things. Why would you if you strongly believe it is a hopeless cause? Helplessness is learned and it is also flawed. Many people are blind to the power they possess and a belief in helplessness keeps them in the dark. But just as helplessness is learned, it can be unlearned and a good way to start is to resolve to take action to create the outcomes you want. Keep writing down positive outcomes and keep taking action each and every day to move towards them.
Performing the same routines day in day out really can become a grind. Although routine gives us a sense of certainty and security, it can also make us feel like robots who live a predictable existence. This feeling can trigger stress, depression and anxiety as you don't enjoy life when you feel it is predictable. So try to vary your days: start and finish work at different times, don't eat the same types of meal each day (e.g. cereal for breakfast each day), vary how you start the day (go for a swim, a walk, a jog, rise at different times) and try to visit somewhere new at least twice a month (a restaurant, a museum, a theatre, a town etc.) as this will help to bring variety to life and keep life interesting. It's also a great way of easily managing stress without making major changes.
Feel a major shift in how you feel about yourself by putting all of these techniques into action as often as you can! All can play a vital role with managing stress successfully so you enjoy greater happiness.
It's a fact about life that everybody at some point will make mistakes. For many people, the mistake is made, learned from, corrected if possible and quickly forgotten. But some people carry on replaying the mistake over and over again for months - years in some cases - and it causes no end of stress and misery. When you're stressed, you can be vulnerable to this replaying of mistakes further exacerbating the stress. So avoid the urge to replay events from your past over and over again. Learn from them, find the positives, accept that you'll make mistakes from time to time and move on as quickly as you can.
Sometimes, life can be very difficult to cope with because you are dealing with a multitude of major events. For example, a relationship breakdown can trigger a number of events: the split itself, moving house, finances, social life and so on. During such trying times, the plate is already full and it's important to not pile the plate higher by making other major, life-altering decisions. Postpone changes at work, relationship commitments, house moves etc. until the plate is less full and control has been regained.
If you're dealing with a stressful situation and you have a lot on your plate then it can be very hard to find solutions. At these times, you can feel as if you're caught up in the midst of a sandstorm and it can be nigh on impossible to see the way out. A good idea is to get some distance from your problems so you can gather your thoughts. If possible, take a day or even a weekend away from your usual surroundings, somewhere peaceful, and relax. Take a journal along so you can jot down any ideas. Distance away from problems can bring clarity and by relaxing, you'll be calmer and solutions will come far easier than when you are in the heat of battle. During an episode of stress, depression or anxiety, a belief that you are helpless can creep in. You say things like: "I can't do anything, things are totally beyond my control and there's no point in trying to do anything about it because nothing I do ever works." This is a very powerful and limiting belief. If you believe that you are helpless, then you will act accordingly because you won't take action to change things. Why would you if you strongly believe it is a hopeless cause? Helplessness is learned and it is also flawed. Many people are blind to the power they possess and a belief in helplessness keeps them in the dark. But just as helplessness is learned, it can be unlearned and a good way to start is to resolve to take action to create the outcomes you want. Keep writing down positive outcomes and keep taking action each and every day to move towards them.
Performing the same routines day in day out really can become a grind. Although routine gives us a sense of certainty and security, it can also make us feel like robots who live a predictable existence. This feeling can trigger stress, depression and anxiety as you don't enjoy life when you feel it is predictable. So try to vary your days: start and finish work at different times, don't eat the same types of meal each day (e.g. cereal for breakfast each day), vary how you start the day (go for a swim, a walk, a jog, rise at different times) and try to visit somewhere new at least twice a month (a restaurant, a museum, a theatre, a town etc.) as this will help to bring variety to life and keep life interesting. It's also a great way of easily managing stress without making major changes.
Feel a major shift in how you feel about yourself by putting all of these techniques into action as often as you can! All can play a vital role with managing stress successfully so you enjoy greater happiness.
Relieve Stress
Throughout your life, you have formed a set of values and meanings to make sense of the world you live in. These values and meanings constitute your beliefs and your beliefs are what you hold to be true about life. Your beliefs are at the core of your existence and you wouldn't be the person you are now without them. Some beliefs are harmful, and here's 3 common ones to dump so you relieve stress, anxiety and depression quickly.
Beliefs are very important. The only reason you act and behave the way you do is because of your beliefs. For example, people who believe in God will act in a way conducive with their belief - praying or going to church for example. If you don't believe in a God, it is very unlikely
you'll pray to one.
This pattern follows in most areas of our lives and here are three very powerful beliefs that can hurt you and spoil your quality of life. They are beliefs common to stress, anxiety and depression and they underpin these illnesses. Do you hold any or all of the following beliefs:
1. I'm helpless and hopeless. I can't do anything, things are totally beyond my control and there's no point in trying to do anything about it because nothing I do ever works. This is a very powerful and limiting belief. If you believe that you are helpless, then you will act accordingly because you won't take action to change things. Why would you if you strongly believe it is a hopeless cause? Helplessness is learned and it is also flawed. Many people are blind to the power they possess and a belief in helplessness keeps them in the dark. But just as helplessness is learned, it can be unlearned and this will help to relieve stress anxiety and depression enormously.
2. Nobody loves me. I'm an effort to be with, I bore people and I never have anything interesting to say. It's much better if I stay alone and don't inflict myself on others and spoil their happiness. OK, it was very hard for me to write the last few lines because they're exactly what someone I loved dearly said to me on many occasions when we were due to socialize with friends. Hearing such words cuts you to ribbons, my word it is such a destructive belief. If
you believe this, you will act accordingly by isolating yourself from others. You'll find excuses so you don't have to go out and when you do, you will sit in silence and try to melt into the background. And as you won't be engaging with others, this belief will be re-enforced. Another
aspect: people who believe this will put themselves down when others question them. So, someone says "you're quiet tonight, are you OK?" Will get a "well, that's me, I haven't really got anything interesting to say so I'll keep quiet and not bore anyone." Honestly, I've seen this happen many times. Even when they've been loved, even when they've had family and friends who loved them and enjoyed their company, this belief blinded them to all of it. Can you see how the belief comes first no matter what is happening in reality? In other words, it is THE BELIEF causing the harm, not others. Not family, not friends, but the belief and if you
strongly believe this, nothing will convince you otherwise until you start to question and test this belief. Dump this belief and you'll relieve stress depression and anxiety significantly without a doubt.
3. Finally, perhaps the most limiting belief of all. Be honest with me here when I ask: Do you believe it is wrong to be blissfully happy? The obvious immediate reaction is "yes, of course!". But stop for a second because this is important. Very few people truly believe this. They see
others struggle in life and believe that it is wrong to be happy while others suffer. Feeling happy makes them feel guilty. Also, you may hold a deep-seated belief that there has to be suffering in life, that somehow, suffering brings enlightenment. If you are happy, then you're selfish and this is wrong because the happiness of others comes before yours and you must sacrifice your happiness for the greater good. But you have a right enjoy a happy life. There is no value in suffering and there is nothing to feel guilty about in being happy. Believing otherwise will mean you will act in a way that spoils happiness and continually robs it from
you.
Please examine the beliefs you hold. Question their validity and if they're making you stressed, anxious or depressed, then please understand they can be unlearned and replaced with better ones and as you develop better beliefs you'll relieve stress anxiety and depression too.
Beliefs are very important. The only reason you act and behave the way you do is because of your beliefs. For example, people who believe in God will act in a way conducive with their belief - praying or going to church for example. If you don't believe in a God, it is very unlikely
you'll pray to one.
This pattern follows in most areas of our lives and here are three very powerful beliefs that can hurt you and spoil your quality of life. They are beliefs common to stress, anxiety and depression and they underpin these illnesses. Do you hold any or all of the following beliefs:
1. I'm helpless and hopeless. I can't do anything, things are totally beyond my control and there's no point in trying to do anything about it because nothing I do ever works. This is a very powerful and limiting belief. If you believe that you are helpless, then you will act accordingly because you won't take action to change things. Why would you if you strongly believe it is a hopeless cause? Helplessness is learned and it is also flawed. Many people are blind to the power they possess and a belief in helplessness keeps them in the dark. But just as helplessness is learned, it can be unlearned and this will help to relieve stress anxiety and depression enormously.
2. Nobody loves me. I'm an effort to be with, I bore people and I never have anything interesting to say. It's much better if I stay alone and don't inflict myself on others and spoil their happiness. OK, it was very hard for me to write the last few lines because they're exactly what someone I loved dearly said to me on many occasions when we were due to socialize with friends. Hearing such words cuts you to ribbons, my word it is such a destructive belief. If
you believe this, you will act accordingly by isolating yourself from others. You'll find excuses so you don't have to go out and when you do, you will sit in silence and try to melt into the background. And as you won't be engaging with others, this belief will be re-enforced. Another
aspect: people who believe this will put themselves down when others question them. So, someone says "you're quiet tonight, are you OK?" Will get a "well, that's me, I haven't really got anything interesting to say so I'll keep quiet and not bore anyone." Honestly, I've seen this happen many times. Even when they've been loved, even when they've had family and friends who loved them and enjoyed their company, this belief blinded them to all of it. Can you see how the belief comes first no matter what is happening in reality? In other words, it is THE BELIEF causing the harm, not others. Not family, not friends, but the belief and if you
strongly believe this, nothing will convince you otherwise until you start to question and test this belief. Dump this belief and you'll relieve stress depression and anxiety significantly without a doubt.
3. Finally, perhaps the most limiting belief of all. Be honest with me here when I ask: Do you believe it is wrong to be blissfully happy? The obvious immediate reaction is "yes, of course!". But stop for a second because this is important. Very few people truly believe this. They see
others struggle in life and believe that it is wrong to be happy while others suffer. Feeling happy makes them feel guilty. Also, you may hold a deep-seated belief that there has to be suffering in life, that somehow, suffering brings enlightenment. If you are happy, then you're selfish and this is wrong because the happiness of others comes before yours and you must sacrifice your happiness for the greater good. But you have a right enjoy a happy life. There is no value in suffering and there is nothing to feel guilty about in being happy. Believing otherwise will mean you will act in a way that spoils happiness and continually robs it from
you.
Please examine the beliefs you hold. Question their validity and if they're making you stressed, anxious or depressed, then please understand they can be unlearned and replaced with better ones and as you develop better beliefs you'll relieve stress anxiety and depression too.
Increase Self Confidence
Self-confidence is so important to maintaining good mental health. In this article, you'll discover 7 simple but effective techniques to increase self confidence and raise self esteem.
Each week, work out exactly what you want to accomplish and set goals. This will bring structure to your week and you'll have clarity and purpose about what your life is about. Include work, family, social and personal aspects and each time you achieve a goal, give yourself a little reward. The feeling of accomplishment will increase self confidence significantly.
Give yourself a makeover. Knowing that you look good will make you feel good and this will increase self confidence. So change your appearance - hairstyle, clothes you wear, colors you wear. Get more ideas from an image consultant, you'll find them in yellow pages. Perhaps your makeover could also involve a healthier lifestyle so you look even better?
Dump the past. Whatever has happened previously has gone forever. Today you can dump the past and start afresh. You can shape whatever happens from now on and create a new, more assured you. Forget the past and begin taking action to build a brighter future. And just because things have been a certain way till now, it doesn't mean they always have to be this way. Dumping the past and embracing the now and looking to the future relieves stress and will really help to increase self confidence.
Drop self-deprecation. If you repeatedly put yourself down it will knock confidence right out of you. Criticizing your looks, your body shape, your hair, your abilities and your personality is harmful. If you do this everyday, confidence will be non-existent. You wouldn't think this is a decent way to treat others so make it totally unacceptable for you to treat yourself this way. Be kind to yourself, respect yourself and never ever beat yourself up and you'll increase self confidence significantly.
Frequently remind yourself of all of the good things you have done. If you remind yourself of all the mistakes you've made, your confidence levels will remain grounded. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Reminding yourself of the good things you have done builds self-esteem. Why beat yourself up when you can praise yourself instead?
Be aware of what you allow your mind to be exposed to. The media continually bombard you with image manipulation and tales of corruption, wars, crime, disasters and impending doom. This can give you a negative perspective on life. Reduce the amount of TV you watch and do something more beneficial instead. Read a book, workout, learn a new skill - whatever you want. This will replace a negative stream with a positive one, and will increase self confidence.
Mix with confident, positive people. Negative people erode confidence like rust upon metal. Who you spend your time with influences how you are. It can be hard to drop negative people but be strong and find a better quality of company. The more time you spend with confident people the more confident you'll become. Confidence breeds confidence.
That's 7 great ways for you to increase self confidence that you can use immediately and I urge you to try them all.
Each week, work out exactly what you want to accomplish and set goals. This will bring structure to your week and you'll have clarity and purpose about what your life is about. Include work, family, social and personal aspects and each time you achieve a goal, give yourself a little reward. The feeling of accomplishment will increase self confidence significantly.
Give yourself a makeover. Knowing that you look good will make you feel good and this will increase self confidence. So change your appearance - hairstyle, clothes you wear, colors you wear. Get more ideas from an image consultant, you'll find them in yellow pages. Perhaps your makeover could also involve a healthier lifestyle so you look even better?
Dump the past. Whatever has happened previously has gone forever. Today you can dump the past and start afresh. You can shape whatever happens from now on and create a new, more assured you. Forget the past and begin taking action to build a brighter future. And just because things have been a certain way till now, it doesn't mean they always have to be this way. Dumping the past and embracing the now and looking to the future relieves stress and will really help to increase self confidence.
Drop self-deprecation. If you repeatedly put yourself down it will knock confidence right out of you. Criticizing your looks, your body shape, your hair, your abilities and your personality is harmful. If you do this everyday, confidence will be non-existent. You wouldn't think this is a decent way to treat others so make it totally unacceptable for you to treat yourself this way. Be kind to yourself, respect yourself and never ever beat yourself up and you'll increase self confidence significantly.
Frequently remind yourself of all of the good things you have done. If you remind yourself of all the mistakes you've made, your confidence levels will remain grounded. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Reminding yourself of the good things you have done builds self-esteem. Why beat yourself up when you can praise yourself instead?
Be aware of what you allow your mind to be exposed to. The media continually bombard you with image manipulation and tales of corruption, wars, crime, disasters and impending doom. This can give you a negative perspective on life. Reduce the amount of TV you watch and do something more beneficial instead. Read a book, workout, learn a new skill - whatever you want. This will replace a negative stream with a positive one, and will increase self confidence.
Mix with confident, positive people. Negative people erode confidence like rust upon metal. Who you spend your time with influences how you are. It can be hard to drop negative people but be strong and find a better quality of company. The more time you spend with confident people the more confident you'll become. Confidence breeds confidence.
That's 7 great ways for you to increase self confidence that you can use immediately and I urge you to try them all.
Relieve Anxiety and Depression
Treating anxiety and depression effectively means knowing what works and what doesn't. There are many myths surrounding anxiety and depression that can prolong the suffering. In this article, I'm going to debunk some myths so you don't allow them to deepen your anxiety or depression.
If you're taking an antidepressant and it isn't working, you will be told that:
"some drugs are more effective than others. What works on one person may not be as effective with another. That's why doctors repeatedly change the type of drug. It's simply a matter of finding the drug that is right for you." This simply isn't true. There are other factors - tolerance to a drug, dosage of a drug and the simple fact that chemical imbalances aren't the root cause of your anxiety or depression. Tellingly, Yale University has published results showing that for 70% of people, antidepressant drugs are totally ineffective. Other treatments, especially cognitive therapy, are far more effective.
Anxiety and depression are all in the mind. This is another huge myth, mainly believed by people who have never suffered from these problems. There are many other symptoms that are part of anxiety and depression: back ache, muscle cramps, exhaustion, loss of appetite or increase in appetite, sleeplessness, hyper-tension, and loss of sex drive to name but a few. Dismissing anxiety and depression as being "all in the mind" simplifies them and shows a complete lack of understanding about them. All of these symptoms combined make it so very hard for sufferers to do even the simplest of daily tasks and cause so much anguish. If anyone tells you it's "all in your mind" ignore them, they don't know what they're talking about.
In today's modern society, the food police are continually advocating their belief that a poor diet is at the root of all of our ills. Indeed, obesity is a major health problem and increases your risk of heart attack and strokes. But can food cause and cure stress, depression and anxiety? No it cannot. A poor diet has no bearing whatsoever on anxiety or depression and this is easily proven by asking a simple question: Does everyone who eats a poor diet suffer from anxiety and depression and does everyone who eats a healthy diet never suffer from them? In both cases the answer is no! Your diet will not cause anxiety or depression and it won't cure them. However, eating a healthy diet will boost your overall health and healthy eating should be a part of your treatment to address anxiety and depression. Feeling good physically will help you feel better mentally.
Global industrialization has led to claims that harmful toxins are being released into the atmosphere and are the reason why anxiety and depression have increased so dramatically. This claim is absolute nonsense. If it were true, everybody who lives in major cities - Los Angeles, New York, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Moscow, Mumbai, Berlin, Paris etc. - would ALL suffer from anxiety and depression. Conversely, everybody who lives in rural locations well away from the toxic clouds hovering above our cities would never suffer from anxiety or depression. Clearly, both of these scenarios simply don't ring true.
You may hear fitness gurus promoting exercise as the best way to ease anxiety and depression. Although exercise is great for physical health, it cannot cure anxiety or depression. Lack of exercise has absolutely nothing to do with depression and exercising regularly will not cure you. Indeed, certain exercises - running, treadmills, biking to give just 3 examples - may even fuel depression as they allow you to brood over your problems. Exercises where you have to concentrate, such as tennis, badminton, squash, are more beneficial. Exercise can help, but you also need to treat the root cause of anxiety and depression as well. And if you perform the behaviours that cause anxiety and depression when you stop exercising, exercise won't help you conquer either of these problems.
Being aware of the myths that don't help you get better will give you a big advantage in coming out of anxiety and depression. Put your knowledge to work for you and concentrate on selecting the right treatment and you will find relief quickly.
If you're taking an antidepressant and it isn't working, you will be told that:
"some drugs are more effective than others. What works on one person may not be as effective with another. That's why doctors repeatedly change the type of drug. It's simply a matter of finding the drug that is right for you." This simply isn't true. There are other factors - tolerance to a drug, dosage of a drug and the simple fact that chemical imbalances aren't the root cause of your anxiety or depression. Tellingly, Yale University has published results showing that for 70% of people, antidepressant drugs are totally ineffective. Other treatments, especially cognitive therapy, are far more effective.
Anxiety and depression are all in the mind. This is another huge myth, mainly believed by people who have never suffered from these problems. There are many other symptoms that are part of anxiety and depression: back ache, muscle cramps, exhaustion, loss of appetite or increase in appetite, sleeplessness, hyper-tension, and loss of sex drive to name but a few. Dismissing anxiety and depression as being "all in the mind" simplifies them and shows a complete lack of understanding about them. All of these symptoms combined make it so very hard for sufferers to do even the simplest of daily tasks and cause so much anguish. If anyone tells you it's "all in your mind" ignore them, they don't know what they're talking about.
In today's modern society, the food police are continually advocating their belief that a poor diet is at the root of all of our ills. Indeed, obesity is a major health problem and increases your risk of heart attack and strokes. But can food cause and cure stress, depression and anxiety? No it cannot. A poor diet has no bearing whatsoever on anxiety or depression and this is easily proven by asking a simple question: Does everyone who eats a poor diet suffer from anxiety and depression and does everyone who eats a healthy diet never suffer from them? In both cases the answer is no! Your diet will not cause anxiety or depression and it won't cure them. However, eating a healthy diet will boost your overall health and healthy eating should be a part of your treatment to address anxiety and depression. Feeling good physically will help you feel better mentally.
Global industrialization has led to claims that harmful toxins are being released into the atmosphere and are the reason why anxiety and depression have increased so dramatically. This claim is absolute nonsense. If it were true, everybody who lives in major cities - Los Angeles, New York, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Moscow, Mumbai, Berlin, Paris etc. - would ALL suffer from anxiety and depression. Conversely, everybody who lives in rural locations well away from the toxic clouds hovering above our cities would never suffer from anxiety or depression. Clearly, both of these scenarios simply don't ring true.
You may hear fitness gurus promoting exercise as the best way to ease anxiety and depression. Although exercise is great for physical health, it cannot cure anxiety or depression. Lack of exercise has absolutely nothing to do with depression and exercising regularly will not cure you. Indeed, certain exercises - running, treadmills, biking to give just 3 examples - may even fuel depression as they allow you to brood over your problems. Exercises where you have to concentrate, such as tennis, badminton, squash, are more beneficial. Exercise can help, but you also need to treat the root cause of anxiety and depression as well. And if you perform the behaviours that cause anxiety and depression when you stop exercising, exercise won't help you conquer either of these problems.
Being aware of the myths that don't help you get better will give you a big advantage in coming out of anxiety and depression. Put your knowledge to work for you and concentrate on selecting the right treatment and you will find relief quickly.
Facts About Antidepressants
It is widely believed that antidepressant drugs are the best treatment for stress, depression and anxiety. After consulting with their health professional, many sufferers will be put on a
course of antidepressants, but how effective are these drugs? Not very, in fact they cannot provide a permanent cure and here are the astonishing facts about antidepressants you need to know.
Antidepressant drugs are used to treat stress, depression and anxiety because of an alleged "chemical imbalance" within the brains of sufferers. What this means is that there is a lack of a
chemical responsible for regulating our moods called Serotonin. If there is a lack of serotonin in the brain, is this then the root cause of anxiety, depression and stress? Unfortunately,
there is no evidence at all to support this theory. Indeed, low levels of serotonin are a symptom of stress, depression and anxiety. The issue here is that treating one of the many symptoms
of these problems will only mask the cause and will therefore be unable to provide a complete cure.
The main reason why antidepressant drugs are prescribed to people who suffer from stress, depression and anxiety is because a chemical imbalance in the brain is believed to be the root
cause. But this is just a theory, there is no evidence to support it whatsoever. A chemical imbalance is just one of the many symptoms involved. All antidepressant drugs do is to treat one symptom. What's astonishing is that there is no test to determine the levels of the imbalance. Treating the symptoms will not provide a cure, the only way to cure stress, depression and anxiety is to treat the root cause, harmful and flawed modes of
thinking.
If you're taking an antidepressant and it isn't working, you will be told that:
"Some drugs are more effective than others. What works on one person may not be as effective with another. That's why doctors repeatedly change the type of drug. It's simply a matter of
finding the drug that is right for you."
This simply isn't true. There are other factors - tolerance to a drug, dosage of a drug and the simple fact about antidepressants that chemical imbalances aren't the root cause of your anxiety or depression. Tellingly, Yale University has published results showing that for 70% of people, antidepressant drugs are totally ineffective. Other treatments, especially cognitive therapy, are far more effective.
You're now aware of the facts about antidepressants and why they cannot provide a cure for stress, depression or anxiety. Please use the information to help you select better treatments and you will soon start to enjoy a happier future.
Please Note: If you are taking a course of antidepressant medication, please do not stop taking your medication until you have consulted with your health professional. They will be able to advise you on how best to withdraw from the medication in a fully controlled, safe way.
course of antidepressants, but how effective are these drugs? Not very, in fact they cannot provide a permanent cure and here are the astonishing facts about antidepressants you need to know.
Antidepressant drugs are used to treat stress, depression and anxiety because of an alleged "chemical imbalance" within the brains of sufferers. What this means is that there is a lack of a
chemical responsible for regulating our moods called Serotonin. If there is a lack of serotonin in the brain, is this then the root cause of anxiety, depression and stress? Unfortunately,
there is no evidence at all to support this theory. Indeed, low levels of serotonin are a symptom of stress, depression and anxiety. The issue here is that treating one of the many symptoms
of these problems will only mask the cause and will therefore be unable to provide a complete cure.
The main reason why antidepressant drugs are prescribed to people who suffer from stress, depression and anxiety is because a chemical imbalance in the brain is believed to be the root
cause. But this is just a theory, there is no evidence to support it whatsoever. A chemical imbalance is just one of the many symptoms involved. All antidepressant drugs do is to treat one symptom. What's astonishing is that there is no test to determine the levels of the imbalance. Treating the symptoms will not provide a cure, the only way to cure stress, depression and anxiety is to treat the root cause, harmful and flawed modes of
thinking.
If you're taking an antidepressant and it isn't working, you will be told that:
"Some drugs are more effective than others. What works on one person may not be as effective with another. That's why doctors repeatedly change the type of drug. It's simply a matter of
finding the drug that is right for you."
This simply isn't true. There are other factors - tolerance to a drug, dosage of a drug and the simple fact about antidepressants that chemical imbalances aren't the root cause of your anxiety or depression. Tellingly, Yale University has published results showing that for 70% of people, antidepressant drugs are totally ineffective. Other treatments, especially cognitive therapy, are far more effective.
You're now aware of the facts about antidepressants and why they cannot provide a cure for stress, depression or anxiety. Please use the information to help you select better treatments and you will soon start to enjoy a happier future.
Please Note: If you are taking a course of antidepressant medication, please do not stop taking your medication until you have consulted with your health professional. They will be able to advise you on how best to withdraw from the medication in a fully controlled, safe way.
Revealed: Astonishing Truth About Chemical Imbalances
If you've been told by a health professional that you are depressed because of a chemical imbalance within your brain, then you've been misled. Imbalances have never been proven to cause depression and here's why this theory is seriously flawed.
Perhaps the biggest flaw with attributing the cause of depressive illnesses to chemical imbalances is one of order. The question is: What comes first, imbalances or emotional turmoil? If we look at somebody who has just been told of the unexpected death of a loved one and who enters into depression, we can see that it isn't chemical imbalances that came first, it is the sad news that triggered the depression. If there are chemical imbalances, then you can clearly see they come AFTER the news and are therefore a SINGLE symptom.
What exactly is the nature of a chemical imbalance? If you eat too much sugar, do you experience an imbalance? How about chocolate? Smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol - will these create imbalances? And what if you land the job you've always wanted - will the resulting joy cause a chemical imbalance?
If you listen to health professionals, imbalances are the cause of depressive illnesses. But is this a one-way street? I mean, if imbalances make us unhappy, do they then by extension make us happy? For example, if I get a raise at work because I've worked really hard and my efforts have been rewarded, does the resulting feeling of elation occur because of an imbalance? And does this then mean that if I'm neither happy or unhappy, that my chemicals are balanced? I very much doubt it.
What's interesting to note is what happens to a sufferer once the antidepressants have corrected the imbalance. If they stop taking the drugs, will the imbalance occur again? If so, is it because of the drugs or is it because there is something else causing the depression? There has to be, surely. Otherwise the drugs are not addressing the root cause. And if someone who is grieving for a loved one takes an antidepressant, will this stop the grieving process? I contest not because it isn't imbalances that are causing the grieving and the sadness.
The chemical imbalance theory is too simple, too general, and has no evidence whatsoever to support it as being the cause of stress, depression or anxiety. The cause lies well away from this theory and is to be found in flawed, harmful modes of thinking that can be addressed very effectively and naturally without interfering with the delicate chemical levels within the brain.
Perhaps the biggest flaw with attributing the cause of depressive illnesses to chemical imbalances is one of order. The question is: What comes first, imbalances or emotional turmoil? If we look at somebody who has just been told of the unexpected death of a loved one and who enters into depression, we can see that it isn't chemical imbalances that came first, it is the sad news that triggered the depression. If there are chemical imbalances, then you can clearly see they come AFTER the news and are therefore a SINGLE symptom.
What exactly is the nature of a chemical imbalance? If you eat too much sugar, do you experience an imbalance? How about chocolate? Smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol - will these create imbalances? And what if you land the job you've always wanted - will the resulting joy cause a chemical imbalance?
If you listen to health professionals, imbalances are the cause of depressive illnesses. But is this a one-way street? I mean, if imbalances make us unhappy, do they then by extension make us happy? For example, if I get a raise at work because I've worked really hard and my efforts have been rewarded, does the resulting feeling of elation occur because of an imbalance? And does this then mean that if I'm neither happy or unhappy, that my chemicals are balanced? I very much doubt it.
What's interesting to note is what happens to a sufferer once the antidepressants have corrected the imbalance. If they stop taking the drugs, will the imbalance occur again? If so, is it because of the drugs or is it because there is something else causing the depression? There has to be, surely. Otherwise the drugs are not addressing the root cause. And if someone who is grieving for a loved one takes an antidepressant, will this stop the grieving process? I contest not because it isn't imbalances that are causing the grieving and the sadness.
The chemical imbalance theory is too simple, too general, and has no evidence whatsoever to support it as being the cause of stress, depression or anxiety. The cause lies well away from this theory and is to be found in flawed, harmful modes of thinking that can be addressed very effectively and naturally without interfering with the delicate chemical levels within the brain.
Ways To Relieve Stress
In today's busy world, stress is a real problem for many people throughout the week. There is so much to do both at work and at home and it's so important for your health to keep stress at bay. Here's 5 effective ways to relieve stress so you can make the most of your weekend and relax and enjoy living and relieve stress as you do.
Listening to music is one of my favorite ways to relieve stress and it certainly beats watching the garbage dished up on TV these days. Music can inspire, soothe, calm, and excite you and it is one of the greatest pleasures life has to offer in my humble opinion. So why not take in some live music? Whether your tastes lie in classical, opera, jazz, blues or R&B, you'll be able to find somewhere that caters to your taste. Or, you could just schedule some time to sit down and listen to your favorite CDs in the comfort of your home - maybe have a relaxing soak in the tub as you do? It's such a great way to relieve stress, so make it a part of your stress-busting weekend.
How about involving all of the family in your weekend of stress relief? A picnic is a great day out for all of the family. Zoos, theme parks, the beach, the lakes are places all of the family will enjoy but you don't have to venture afar to enjoy a picnic. You could enjoy a picnic in the comfort of your garden, maybe even fire up the barbecue while you're at it? Your picnic, your call, just make sure all the family are involved in preparing the food so they feel part of it. Hmm, good food and good company, are there any better ways to relieve stress than this?
Why not take full advantage of the free time the weekend brings by doing something new? You could visit a new town or village, a park, a museum, or even a new restaurant or a coffee shop. You could go watch some sport, or even take up a new sport or hobby. This will broaden your horizons and will keep life fresh and interesting as well as helping to relieve stress.
Why not spend a cosy night indoors with your lover and cook a special dinner? A great idea is to try different cuisines - be as exotic as you dare! This is time for indulging your relationship so leave the stressful stuff like work elsewhere. Make the effort to dress for dinner and have candles and relaxing music in the background to create a nice ambience. I know one couple who've done this at least once a month for more than 30 years and they say it's one of the main reasons for their success. Try it, I have, I love it and it is certainly one of the most enjoyable ways to relieve stress that there is and it will also improve your relationship. Result!
Take a timeout and spend a day or two completely away from the firing line. Go somewhere tranquil, somewhere you can take walks or cycle rides to take in the scenery and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the place. Lakes, a beach, a park, the countryside - whatever you enjoy. Just leave your cares and worries behind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity.
You can use these 5 ways to relieve stress to help you make the most of your weekends and relieve stress while you're having lots of fun! Why not give them a try this weekend?
Listening to music is one of my favorite ways to relieve stress and it certainly beats watching the garbage dished up on TV these days. Music can inspire, soothe, calm, and excite you and it is one of the greatest pleasures life has to offer in my humble opinion. So why not take in some live music? Whether your tastes lie in classical, opera, jazz, blues or R&B, you'll be able to find somewhere that caters to your taste. Or, you could just schedule some time to sit down and listen to your favorite CDs in the comfort of your home - maybe have a relaxing soak in the tub as you do? It's such a great way to relieve stress, so make it a part of your stress-busting weekend.
How about involving all of the family in your weekend of stress relief? A picnic is a great day out for all of the family. Zoos, theme parks, the beach, the lakes are places all of the family will enjoy but you don't have to venture afar to enjoy a picnic. You could enjoy a picnic in the comfort of your garden, maybe even fire up the barbecue while you're at it? Your picnic, your call, just make sure all the family are involved in preparing the food so they feel part of it. Hmm, good food and good company, are there any better ways to relieve stress than this?
Why not take full advantage of the free time the weekend brings by doing something new? You could visit a new town or village, a park, a museum, or even a new restaurant or a coffee shop. You could go watch some sport, or even take up a new sport or hobby. This will broaden your horizons and will keep life fresh and interesting as well as helping to relieve stress.
Why not spend a cosy night indoors with your lover and cook a special dinner? A great idea is to try different cuisines - be as exotic as you dare! This is time for indulging your relationship so leave the stressful stuff like work elsewhere. Make the effort to dress for dinner and have candles and relaxing music in the background to create a nice ambience. I know one couple who've done this at least once a month for more than 30 years and they say it's one of the main reasons for their success. Try it, I have, I love it and it is certainly one of the most enjoyable ways to relieve stress that there is and it will also improve your relationship. Result!
Take a timeout and spend a day or two completely away from the firing line. Go somewhere tranquil, somewhere you can take walks or cycle rides to take in the scenery and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the place. Lakes, a beach, a park, the countryside - whatever you enjoy. Just leave your cares and worries behind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity.
You can use these 5 ways to relieve stress to help you make the most of your weekends and relieve stress while you're having lots of fun! Why not give them a try this weekend?
Reduce Stress Levels
If you're caught up in a harrowing storm of stress, depression or anxiety, you may feel that the storm will never pass. Most sufferers of these problems feel like this at some point and it further deepens the torment, intensifying the storm, a storm with no end in sight. Let's look at how this can happen and then we'll see how to reduce stress levels quickly using two very powerful stress reduction techniques.
Let's say things aren't going well with your marriage. Maybe your spouse has had an affair, maybe the relationship has gone stale and you've both had enough. Then things change at work and you find yourself working long hours and under pressure to meet deadlines. Additionally, money is becoming a real problem and credit card debts are mounting up. In such a situation, it is very difficult to reduce stress levels, and there is a very real possibility of descending into anxiety and depression.
Sounds familiar, yes? I've been there too and my word is it a terrible state to be in. You can't talk to anyone, you try to make things better by yourself and they just get worse and you wake up with the night demons at 3 am. every morning and you start to think highly-emotional thoughts such as:
"What's the point of trying? I'm ruined, my life is falling apart and no matter what I do things NEVER change. I just can't work this out, and life will always be like this."
Wow, it's a very powerful, destructive way of thinking but it is a flawed way of thinking. And there are two great techniques to reduce stress levels that are simple but very effective. The two key words in such flawed modes of thinking are ALWAYS and NEVER. By using such emotionally-charged words, you make it virtually impossible to find solutions to your problems. You are telling yourself you are in a turbulent storm that will never end, and such a thought means you'll really struggle to reduce stress levels.
This simply isn't true because no storm can rage forever and no matter how violent it is it will ALWAYS blow itself out. This is the nature of life on this wonderful planet of ours; change is certain. You will face changes in your life that are welcome but you will also face changes that aren't welcome but change in whatever form will happen. Just as good times cannot last forever neither can the bad times and you will help yourself enormously and reduce stress levels by not using the words "always" and "never" to describe your circumstances.
I know that if stress, depression or anxiety are wreaking their destructive ways with you, it is very hard to see an end to the torment because finding answers is so hard. It is crucial to bear in mind that there are always solutions to problems, even though sometimes we may not like the outcome, a solution will be found and you can get on with the next chapter of your life. Your life will continue to change as the years roll by - it's been full of change up to now hasn't it? - and the key to happiness is to be able to adapt to change, be it welcome or unwanted and knowing this will greatly help reduce stress levels no matter what event you are faced with.
One more thing. You can create change by your own hand. All of us have this power and when times are good, you create changes constantly. Moving house, changing jobs, going on vacation - you create all of these. Here's an empowering thought for you that will really help you to reduce stress levels: You can CHOOSE to create change even during times of stress, depression or anxiety. The power to change things doesn't suddenly leave you because you're under stress, the power is yours to use should you choose to. This is another really powerful stress reduction technique and I promise you that if you apply it, you'll reduce stress levels and you won't run the risk of entering into a turbulent episode of anxiety or depression.
When you realize that nothing in life is permanent and that the storm you're caught up in right now will eventually pass, you'll reduce stress levels and feel much more in control of your life.. And combine this with your power to create change by your own hand and you have two very effective strategies to help the storm pass quickly.
Let's say things aren't going well with your marriage. Maybe your spouse has had an affair, maybe the relationship has gone stale and you've both had enough. Then things change at work and you find yourself working long hours and under pressure to meet deadlines. Additionally, money is becoming a real problem and credit card debts are mounting up. In such a situation, it is very difficult to reduce stress levels, and there is a very real possibility of descending into anxiety and depression.
Sounds familiar, yes? I've been there too and my word is it a terrible state to be in. You can't talk to anyone, you try to make things better by yourself and they just get worse and you wake up with the night demons at 3 am. every morning and you start to think highly-emotional thoughts such as:
"What's the point of trying? I'm ruined, my life is falling apart and no matter what I do things NEVER change. I just can't work this out, and life will always be like this."
Wow, it's a very powerful, destructive way of thinking but it is a flawed way of thinking. And there are two great techniques to reduce stress levels that are simple but very effective. The two key words in such flawed modes of thinking are ALWAYS and NEVER. By using such emotionally-charged words, you make it virtually impossible to find solutions to your problems. You are telling yourself you are in a turbulent storm that will never end, and such a thought means you'll really struggle to reduce stress levels.
This simply isn't true because no storm can rage forever and no matter how violent it is it will ALWAYS blow itself out. This is the nature of life on this wonderful planet of ours; change is certain. You will face changes in your life that are welcome but you will also face changes that aren't welcome but change in whatever form will happen. Just as good times cannot last forever neither can the bad times and you will help yourself enormously and reduce stress levels by not using the words "always" and "never" to describe your circumstances.
I know that if stress, depression or anxiety are wreaking their destructive ways with you, it is very hard to see an end to the torment because finding answers is so hard. It is crucial to bear in mind that there are always solutions to problems, even though sometimes we may not like the outcome, a solution will be found and you can get on with the next chapter of your life. Your life will continue to change as the years roll by - it's been full of change up to now hasn't it? - and the key to happiness is to be able to adapt to change, be it welcome or unwanted and knowing this will greatly help reduce stress levels no matter what event you are faced with.
One more thing. You can create change by your own hand. All of us have this power and when times are good, you create changes constantly. Moving house, changing jobs, going on vacation - you create all of these. Here's an empowering thought for you that will really help you to reduce stress levels: You can CHOOSE to create change even during times of stress, depression or anxiety. The power to change things doesn't suddenly leave you because you're under stress, the power is yours to use should you choose to. This is another really powerful stress reduction technique and I promise you that if you apply it, you'll reduce stress levels and you won't run the risk of entering into a turbulent episode of anxiety or depression.
When you realize that nothing in life is permanent and that the storm you're caught up in right now will eventually pass, you'll reduce stress levels and feel much more in control of your life.. And combine this with your power to create change by your own hand and you have two very effective strategies to help the storm pass quickly.
Stress Relief Technique
Here's a really great stress relief technique that is easy to do but very effective
and it is a technique that will last you a lifetime. You and I both have a belief about
who and what we are. Indeed, everybody does. Many different events happen to
you throughout your life and it is how you assign meanings to these events that
forms the belief you have about yourself. If you view these events negatively, you
can form a victim mindset, a mindset that will send stress levels soaring and cause
you misery for a long time.
An old friend of mine is a perfect example. Life was going smoothly for him until
he was forced to change jobs because the company was "streamlining". He was
assigned to a new job, he really struggled with it, he didn't get along with his new
boss who eventually moved my friend to another department, on a lower salary.
Gary changed dramatically. He was no longer a nice guy content with his life but
a very angry, bitter person who deeply resented what had happened to him. He
resented everybody, labelling friends as "selfish" and would snap at people over
the slightest thing. Gradually his presence became unbearable and his friends,
tired of the bitterness and arguing, deserted him. He had chosen to be a victim
and he was taking it out on everyone. And the more he acted like a victim the
more he became one. If only he knew the stress relief technique you're about
to discover here back then he'd have dealt with this event so much better.
Just as Gary believed he was a victim because of a trying event, so do millions of
others. Being a victim becomes the story of their life after an event such as a job
loss, death of a loved one, a nasty accident, a move of house, a change of job or they
split from their partner - whatever. But every single one of us has to face these
types of events in our lives and what is crucial is not to choose to allow them to
make you believe you are a victim as this will fuel stress.
Let me share with you an outstanding stress relief technique you can use so you
never allow a stressful event to make you choose to be its victim.
Imagine that you want a fresh new look in your living room. You want new
furniture - a new sofa, a new coffee table, a new sideboard, a new carpet and
a fresh new color scheme.
Before you can proceed you have to do one very important thing:
Clear out all of the old furniture and furnishings. You either sell them or take
them to the dump. You cannot replace them whilst they are still in the room you
cannot have your fresh new look unless the old has been removed, agreed?
It's so obvious isn't it? Yet what is really great about this is that it makes a super
stress relief technique because you can apply the principle to your life and the
events you have experienced if such events are causing you to believe you are a
victim long after they have happened.
No matter what stressful event you have endured, maybe your partner has left
you, a business venture collapsed, someone you love passed away, you had a bad
accident or you were made redundant or someone you trusted abused your trust,
whatever it is, no matter how severe, you now throw it out of your life. Dump it in
the garbage and completely LET IT GO. It has hung around way too long, now let it
go so you can bring in fresh opportunities and experiences.
Whatever it is, dump it. Get angry at it, take yourself to a private place and
picture what has happened and then shout: "ENOUGH! NO MORE! I LET YOU
GO YOU ARE DUMPED FROM MY LIFE. I AM NOT YOUR VICTIM!"
This is such a powerful stress management technique because allowing events to
make you believe you are a victim is a recipe for high levels of stress and may
lead to episodes of anxiety and depression as it did with me.
I want you to think of this: Whatever has happened to you in life you can
have but two effects on you. It can either be a curse or a blessing. If you
choose to believe an event has made you a victim, then it will be a curse on
you for a long time.
Choose instead, to make it a blessing, even if you were really hard done by.
Because when you choose to make it a blessing it will never ever make you a
victim and rob years from your life, as the change of job robbed precious years
from my old friend. You're now armed with a brilliant stress relief technique
that Gary and many like him really need and I urge you to try it, it will
work for you.
and it is a technique that will last you a lifetime. You and I both have a belief about
who and what we are. Indeed, everybody does. Many different events happen to
you throughout your life and it is how you assign meanings to these events that
forms the belief you have about yourself. If you view these events negatively, you
can form a victim mindset, a mindset that will send stress levels soaring and cause
you misery for a long time.
An old friend of mine is a perfect example. Life was going smoothly for him until
he was forced to change jobs because the company was "streamlining". He was
assigned to a new job, he really struggled with it, he didn't get along with his new
boss who eventually moved my friend to another department, on a lower salary.
Gary changed dramatically. He was no longer a nice guy content with his life but
a very angry, bitter person who deeply resented what had happened to him. He
resented everybody, labelling friends as "selfish" and would snap at people over
the slightest thing. Gradually his presence became unbearable and his friends,
tired of the bitterness and arguing, deserted him. He had chosen to be a victim
and he was taking it out on everyone. And the more he acted like a victim the
more he became one. If only he knew the stress relief technique you're about
to discover here back then he'd have dealt with this event so much better.
Just as Gary believed he was a victim because of a trying event, so do millions of
others. Being a victim becomes the story of their life after an event such as a job
loss, death of a loved one, a nasty accident, a move of house, a change of job or they
split from their partner - whatever. But every single one of us has to face these
types of events in our lives and what is crucial is not to choose to allow them to
make you believe you are a victim as this will fuel stress.
Let me share with you an outstanding stress relief technique you can use so you
never allow a stressful event to make you choose to be its victim.
Imagine that you want a fresh new look in your living room. You want new
furniture - a new sofa, a new coffee table, a new sideboard, a new carpet and
a fresh new color scheme.
Before you can proceed you have to do one very important thing:
Clear out all of the old furniture and furnishings. You either sell them or take
them to the dump. You cannot replace them whilst they are still in the room you
cannot have your fresh new look unless the old has been removed, agreed?
It's so obvious isn't it? Yet what is really great about this is that it makes a super
stress relief technique because you can apply the principle to your life and the
events you have experienced if such events are causing you to believe you are a
victim long after they have happened.
No matter what stressful event you have endured, maybe your partner has left
you, a business venture collapsed, someone you love passed away, you had a bad
accident or you were made redundant or someone you trusted abused your trust,
whatever it is, no matter how severe, you now throw it out of your life. Dump it in
the garbage and completely LET IT GO. It has hung around way too long, now let it
go so you can bring in fresh opportunities and experiences.
Whatever it is, dump it. Get angry at it, take yourself to a private place and
picture what has happened and then shout: "ENOUGH! NO MORE! I LET YOU
GO YOU ARE DUMPED FROM MY LIFE. I AM NOT YOUR VICTIM!"
This is such a powerful stress management technique because allowing events to
make you believe you are a victim is a recipe for high levels of stress and may
lead to episodes of anxiety and depression as it did with me.
I want you to think of this: Whatever has happened to you in life you can
have but two effects on you. It can either be a curse or a blessing. If you
choose to believe an event has made you a victim, then it will be a curse on
you for a long time.
Choose instead, to make it a blessing, even if you were really hard done by.
Because when you choose to make it a blessing it will never ever make you a
victim and rob years from your life, as the change of job robbed precious years
from my old friend. You're now armed with a brilliant stress relief technique
that Gary and many like him really need and I urge you to try it, it will
work for you.
Stress Management Methods
With modern day busy lifestyles, stress and anxiety are severe troubles that make the day very demanding and if you're unaware of how to address stress and anxiety well, then both your psychological and physical wellness will suffer. We're now going to bring some urgently required stress relief to your life by bringing three utterly natural anxiety, depression and stress management methods that will enable you to ease stress, depression and anxiety
1. Routine and safekeeping are important cornerstones everyone needs in life however, if your life has an excess of both, one may believe as though you're on a treadmill and that life is becoming a tiresome drudge. This can ignite stress, depression and anxiety because a belief that life has become dull and that you're "trapped in a rut" can creep in. It really isn't helpful for people to carry out identical actions all the time so attempt to accomplish something original at least once a week. Listed below are a few nice and straightforward methods you can want to bring into to your anxiety, depression and stress management plan:
Begin everyday in a different way. Eat a different breakfast, take a dip in the pool, a brisk stroll or a short run, travel by a another route to the workplace.
Every week, go to somewhere you've never been before - alternative eateries, a different cafeteria. different stores, a city, a park, any place that fits the bill, with the proviso as it's someplace you've never seen up to that time. Visiting new places is going to sprinkle a good dose of diversity into your life and bring about fresh adventures , all fantastic for relieving that "life is dull" feeling and excellent for reducing anxiety, depression and stress!
Break free from humdrum customs and try new activities that are more gratifying. For example, you might consider starting a fitness schedule; learn how to play the guitar; sign up for a classes; go away on an adventure vacation; start studying how to speak Chinese or just find a new interest. Forget the goggle box and spend the time engaging in something more rewarding instead and you will not just prosper and keep life fresh and satisfying, you'll reduce anxiety and stress greatly. Just the job!
2. One of the most wounding behaviors to indulge in is to constantly ruminate on the events you're experiencing in life at any particular occasion or even worse, about problems and encounters you suffered from the recent or distant past. This will fuel stress, depression and anxiety to a great extent if you perform it, for sure. An excellent stress management step is to arrange a section of time each day to grab a break from the pressures of the day of daily life and by this I recommend to place your tribulations and routine daily tasks on hold so you can fully unwind. Listening to music is one of the most effective methods to unwind so why not spend an entire evening immersing yourself in one of the most excellent anxiety, depression and stress management techniques in existence kicking back by listening to your favorite music? You are able to listen to winding down music, you could listen to music you fancy to sing along to, and of course, you can even dance if you fancy, any kind of music you like so you totally wind down and savor being in the here and now. Shun listening to any heavy stuff or songs that triggers gloomy or distressing moments from the past, that isn't the aim at all. I perform this a minimum of once a week and I savor it! Allocate a daily "time-out" and pen-in an evening of listening to relaxing music once a week so you may turn off, totally unwind and feel stress and anxiety drift away.
3. Another practice that plays a sizeable part with stress and anxiety is to persistently berate yourself. Such pattern is so completely harmful it's astonishing because it steals you of your self-confidence and you'll also dissipate self-esteem. Please firmly resolve to never call yourself a loser, a fool, or inform yourself that you're incapable, useless, inferior or still severe, obnoxious, tedious and that your life is pointless. Being this hard on yourself saying such type of emotionally arousing phrases will send stress and anxiety levels sky-high and cause you nothing but turmoil. You're a unique individual and you're going to make errors in life just as all human beings do and occasionally the breaks won't go your way but you know, it's an aspect of being human that all humans have to experience. Cut yourself some slack, recognize that as a human you're not perfect and that being human has its good and bad moments and be good to yourself. You would never say these hurtful kinds of statements to others because you already know you'd damage them badly if you did, so please don't say them to yourself. Memorize this: If you put yourself down, down is where you'll linger. Please, be gentle to yourself instead and you'll drastically alleviate stress, I guarantee it.
So there you are, three truly valuable natural stress, depression and anxiety management ways to help you relieve stress, depression and anxiety and I give you my word you that if you try them you will quickly note a big difference.
1. Routine and safekeeping are important cornerstones everyone needs in life however, if your life has an excess of both, one may believe as though you're on a treadmill and that life is becoming a tiresome drudge. This can ignite stress, depression and anxiety because a belief that life has become dull and that you're "trapped in a rut" can creep in. It really isn't helpful for people to carry out identical actions all the time so attempt to accomplish something original at least once a week. Listed below are a few nice and straightforward methods you can want to bring into to your anxiety, depression and stress management plan:
Begin everyday in a different way. Eat a different breakfast, take a dip in the pool, a brisk stroll or a short run, travel by a another route to the workplace.
Every week, go to somewhere you've never been before - alternative eateries, a different cafeteria. different stores, a city, a park, any place that fits the bill, with the proviso as it's someplace you've never seen up to that time. Visiting new places is going to sprinkle a good dose of diversity into your life and bring about fresh adventures , all fantastic for relieving that "life is dull" feeling and excellent for reducing anxiety, depression and stress!
Break free from humdrum customs and try new activities that are more gratifying. For example, you might consider starting a fitness schedule; learn how to play the guitar; sign up for a classes; go away on an adventure vacation; start studying how to speak Chinese or just find a new interest. Forget the goggle box and spend the time engaging in something more rewarding instead and you will not just prosper and keep life fresh and satisfying, you'll reduce anxiety and stress greatly. Just the job!
2. One of the most wounding behaviors to indulge in is to constantly ruminate on the events you're experiencing in life at any particular occasion or even worse, about problems and encounters you suffered from the recent or distant past. This will fuel stress, depression and anxiety to a great extent if you perform it, for sure. An excellent stress management step is to arrange a section of time each day to grab a break from the pressures of the day of daily life and by this I recommend to place your tribulations and routine daily tasks on hold so you can fully unwind. Listening to music is one of the most effective methods to unwind so why not spend an entire evening immersing yourself in one of the most excellent anxiety, depression and stress management techniques in existence kicking back by listening to your favorite music? You are able to listen to winding down music, you could listen to music you fancy to sing along to, and of course, you can even dance if you fancy, any kind of music you like so you totally wind down and savor being in the here and now. Shun listening to any heavy stuff or songs that triggers gloomy or distressing moments from the past, that isn't the aim at all. I perform this a minimum of once a week and I savor it! Allocate a daily "time-out" and pen-in an evening of listening to relaxing music once a week so you may turn off, totally unwind and feel stress and anxiety drift away.
3. Another practice that plays a sizeable part with stress and anxiety is to persistently berate yourself. Such pattern is so completely harmful it's astonishing because it steals you of your self-confidence and you'll also dissipate self-esteem. Please firmly resolve to never call yourself a loser, a fool, or inform yourself that you're incapable, useless, inferior or still severe, obnoxious, tedious and that your life is pointless. Being this hard on yourself saying such type of emotionally arousing phrases will send stress and anxiety levels sky-high and cause you nothing but turmoil. You're a unique individual and you're going to make errors in life just as all human beings do and occasionally the breaks won't go your way but you know, it's an aspect of being human that all humans have to experience. Cut yourself some slack, recognize that as a human you're not perfect and that being human has its good and bad moments and be good to yourself. You would never say these hurtful kinds of statements to others because you already know you'd damage them badly if you did, so please don't say them to yourself. Memorize this: If you put yourself down, down is where you'll linger. Please, be gentle to yourself instead and you'll drastically alleviate stress, I guarantee it.
So there you are, three truly valuable natural stress, depression and anxiety management ways to help you relieve stress, depression and anxiety and I give you my word you that if you try them you will quickly note a big difference.
How To Manage Stress
As the global economic downturn continues, worries about finances are sending stress levels into orbit for millions of people. Increased expenditure, difficulties paying the rent, mortgage and household bills, job loss, losing the family home, changes to your standard of living, all of these unpleasant, stress-triggering events arise when the economy struggles and it is so important to know how to manage stress effectively so you can deal with these difficult issues and avoid entering into harrowing episodes of stress and anxiety.
Just as turmoil in the world's markets weakens the entire global economy, stress and anxiety - mental turmoil - weaken your entire body. The costs of stress and anxiety are high. When you're under stress, harmful chemicals are released in to your system - adrenaline and cortisol - and if you remain in a stressed state for prolonged periods, the damage these chemicals inflict on your body is great. Adrenaline and cortisol destroy healthy body cells, causing accelerated aging and reduced life expectancy. The damage also weakens the immune system leaving you at greater risk of other infections and diseases you are normally able to comfortably fight off.
So not only will an economic downturn hit your finances, stress and anxiety will also have an impact on them because you'll need medical care. This will just increase the stress because you'll need to pay for medications or appointments and consultations with health care professionals. And the more stressed about the economy you are, the more you will need medical care, the more it impacts your finances, the more your health suffers and you're now caught in a traumatic, destructive loop. This is why it is so important to know how to manage stress.
One of the very best ways to manage stress during an economic downturn is the ability to avoid assigning single, absolute, and catastrophic meanings. For example, you constantly worry about what's going to happen, that you're going to lose your job, that you'll not be able to pay bills or service your debts and this will cause you to then lose everything else you have - home, relationship, savings, pension etc. When I endured 5 years of anxiety, this is exactly how I assigned a meaning to my situation. And that's another cost because I look at those years as lost years that I can never have back. Stress and anxiety rob you of precious, non-renewable life-time which is far more precious than money can ever be.
Here’s how to manage stress effectively by using a simple, effective way to avoid assigning absolute, worst-outcome meanings: reduce your exposure to the media. The media love to sensationalise and alarm, and they'll use highly-emotive, catastrophic phrases like "Mother of All Depressions", "Global Economic Meltdown Worsening", "No End To Economic Disaster", loaded phrases exploiting the normal concerns most people have. If you're reading these everyday it's no wonder that your stress-levels are going to soar!
What's happening with the global economy will happen without you reading these sensationalised media stories. You'll keep stress in check if you avoid worrying about or blaming yourself for things beyond your control. Many things in life happen that you simply cannot do anything about, things you didn't cause and things that you cannot solve. Accept that what is going on right now is not of your doing and that you cannot put it right. Those who are responsible for the current global economic situation (see what I mean about assigning less emotive meanings?) are the only ones who can put it right, indeed who can implement solutions to it.
Not worrying about things beyond your control, reducing exposure to the media and not assigning single and absolute meanings to events means you will know how to manage stress at any time but they will be very helpful during the current economic situation for sure.
Just as turmoil in the world's markets weakens the entire global economy, stress and anxiety - mental turmoil - weaken your entire body. The costs of stress and anxiety are high. When you're under stress, harmful chemicals are released in to your system - adrenaline and cortisol - and if you remain in a stressed state for prolonged periods, the damage these chemicals inflict on your body is great. Adrenaline and cortisol destroy healthy body cells, causing accelerated aging and reduced life expectancy. The damage also weakens the immune system leaving you at greater risk of other infections and diseases you are normally able to comfortably fight off.
So not only will an economic downturn hit your finances, stress and anxiety will also have an impact on them because you'll need medical care. This will just increase the stress because you'll need to pay for medications or appointments and consultations with health care professionals. And the more stressed about the economy you are, the more you will need medical care, the more it impacts your finances, the more your health suffers and you're now caught in a traumatic, destructive loop. This is why it is so important to know how to manage stress.
One of the very best ways to manage stress during an economic downturn is the ability to avoid assigning single, absolute, and catastrophic meanings. For example, you constantly worry about what's going to happen, that you're going to lose your job, that you'll not be able to pay bills or service your debts and this will cause you to then lose everything else you have - home, relationship, savings, pension etc. When I endured 5 years of anxiety, this is exactly how I assigned a meaning to my situation. And that's another cost because I look at those years as lost years that I can never have back. Stress and anxiety rob you of precious, non-renewable life-time which is far more precious than money can ever be.
Here’s how to manage stress effectively by using a simple, effective way to avoid assigning absolute, worst-outcome meanings: reduce your exposure to the media. The media love to sensationalise and alarm, and they'll use highly-emotive, catastrophic phrases like "Mother of All Depressions", "Global Economic Meltdown Worsening", "No End To Economic Disaster", loaded phrases exploiting the normal concerns most people have. If you're reading these everyday it's no wonder that your stress-levels are going to soar!
What's happening with the global economy will happen without you reading these sensationalised media stories. You'll keep stress in check if you avoid worrying about or blaming yourself for things beyond your control. Many things in life happen that you simply cannot do anything about, things you didn't cause and things that you cannot solve. Accept that what is going on right now is not of your doing and that you cannot put it right. Those who are responsible for the current global economic situation (see what I mean about assigning less emotive meanings?) are the only ones who can put it right, indeed who can implement solutions to it.
Not worrying about things beyond your control, reducing exposure to the media and not assigning single and absolute meanings to events means you will know how to manage stress at any time but they will be very helpful during the current economic situation for sure.
How To Handle Stress
Each one of us will face some pretty trying times during our life, it’s a part of being human. Life has its ups and downs and when the downs come, it is so important to know how to handle stress effectively so you can deal with the events without entering into a harrowing episode of stress, anxiety or depression.
One of best stress management skills you can acquire is to focus on the aspects of your life that you can control and influence instead of focusing on things you cannot. This is an especially important skill to have during economic downturns such as the current one. A good way to apply the skill is to concentrate on your two main priorities: Paying the rent or the mortgage and putting food on the table. Everything else is secondary to these and can wait until the economy recovers.
Knowing how to handle stress effectively means being continually aware that there is always a solution. If you're having problems with debt, get help. Write to lenders to inform them of the situation and ask them for help. There are organisations that will help you too and use the Internet to inform yourself and to find as much help as you can.
Keeping your concerns and problems to yourself certainly isn’t a good way to manage stress as this will only result in greater stress and will make finding solutions to problems so much harder. Talk about the situation with your partner or your family or even a close friend so you get different perspectives. Denial, hoping problems will solve themselves or believing that you can do it all by yourself fuels stress and the problems just get worse. Before you know it you'll be trapped in a harrowing stress loop that is so very difficult to break out of and your physical and mental health will take a huge hit.
At the root of stress is fear. A good way to deal with fear is to write down exactly what it is that you are worried about. List them all: Job loss, reduced income, losing your home, servicing debts, paying bills, dealing with unwanted change. Get it all down on paper. Talk with your spouse, or with your family or a trusted friend. All of these will help you learn how to handle stress and lessen the burden.
Asking questions will also help to bring in perspective so you avoid assigning negative and worst-outcome meanings. One of the best questions to ask is:
What are the chances of this actually happening?
This leads to another great question:
What can I do to prevent it from happening and what can I do should it happen?
Draw up a list of actions and solutions you can take to minimise the effects. Can you cut down on non-essentials, can you reduce spending, can you do something better, cheaper, more efficiently? Can you see the situation as an opportunity to make improvements to your life instead of a life-crisis? The more solutions and meanings you can assign to what's going on the less emotionally aroused you will feel, the less fearful you will feel and you’ll keep stress firmly at bay as well as keeping yourself healthy which will also ensure you don't incur additional expenses for medical care.
It's also important to know where can you go for help and support, and make sure you involve your family. Be prepared for any outcome and you will not fear it.
You have some really powerful skills and you now know how to handle stress effectively. Put your knowledge to work and you will soon feel less stressed without a doubt.
One of best stress management skills you can acquire is to focus on the aspects of your life that you can control and influence instead of focusing on things you cannot. This is an especially important skill to have during economic downturns such as the current one. A good way to apply the skill is to concentrate on your two main priorities: Paying the rent or the mortgage and putting food on the table. Everything else is secondary to these and can wait until the economy recovers.
Knowing how to handle stress effectively means being continually aware that there is always a solution. If you're having problems with debt, get help. Write to lenders to inform them of the situation and ask them for help. There are organisations that will help you too and use the Internet to inform yourself and to find as much help as you can.
Keeping your concerns and problems to yourself certainly isn’t a good way to manage stress as this will only result in greater stress and will make finding solutions to problems so much harder. Talk about the situation with your partner or your family or even a close friend so you get different perspectives. Denial, hoping problems will solve themselves or believing that you can do it all by yourself fuels stress and the problems just get worse. Before you know it you'll be trapped in a harrowing stress loop that is so very difficult to break out of and your physical and mental health will take a huge hit.
At the root of stress is fear. A good way to deal with fear is to write down exactly what it is that you are worried about. List them all: Job loss, reduced income, losing your home, servicing debts, paying bills, dealing with unwanted change. Get it all down on paper. Talk with your spouse, or with your family or a trusted friend. All of these will help you learn how to handle stress and lessen the burden.
Asking questions will also help to bring in perspective so you avoid assigning negative and worst-outcome meanings. One of the best questions to ask is:
What are the chances of this actually happening?
This leads to another great question:
What can I do to prevent it from happening and what can I do should it happen?
Draw up a list of actions and solutions you can take to minimise the effects. Can you cut down on non-essentials, can you reduce spending, can you do something better, cheaper, more efficiently? Can you see the situation as an opportunity to make improvements to your life instead of a life-crisis? The more solutions and meanings you can assign to what's going on the less emotionally aroused you will feel, the less fearful you will feel and you’ll keep stress firmly at bay as well as keeping yourself healthy which will also ensure you don't incur additional expenses for medical care.
It's also important to know where can you go for help and support, and make sure you involve your family. Be prepared for any outcome and you will not fear it.
You have some really powerful skills and you now know how to handle stress effectively. Put your knowledge to work and you will soon feel less stressed without a doubt.
Relieving Stress
If stress - or anxiety or depression - is becoming a considerable problem in your life, you will be looking to obtain stress, anxiety and depression relief as soon as possible. Here's 3 guaranteed stress, anxiety and depression-busters you'll be able to utilize today, each one of them is great for relieving stress, anxiety and depression.
Everyone will tackle a few quite serious situations all through our time on earth. Issues like divorce, loved ones passing away, stress at work and change of address to list just four. What is vital to understand is that such events in isolation do not trigger stress & anxiety, more accurately, it's completely in the way you attach definitions to them.
Remember, no problem ever goes on forever. Tempests come and subside and each situation that happens to you is not going to go on eternally. You'll lower stress & anxiety levels appreciably by knowing that the storm will subside, just as previous tempests you have faced have also died down.
A truth regarding life is that change is endless and whenever I am faced with change I declare: "No matter what occurs I will manage it." It certainly is a strong declaration to employ and it's an excellent attitude for relieving stress. There will be always a solution. ALWAYS. Have this in mind, that you're sure to uncover a solution, this will help to maintain calmness.
There is an old bill from WWII that is doing the rounds on the world wide web right now, I especially like it and I think its simple message is especially helpful in keeping stress, anxiety and depression thoroughly restrained. It's a red public notice containing white lettering that plainly affirms:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
My best friend and I speak often. Recently, we discussed the current economic situation. He said: "2010 is a year that I am merely lying low whilst getting on with life as best as is possible. Hopefully, things will improve in 2011."
Keep Calm and Carry On.
It's so important not to allocate single, unquestionable, worst-outcome, destructive explanations to either the financial circumstances or to your own situations. Such definitions leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope because they awaken the fear response and you're going to battle to, well, keep calm and carry on.
Very important: No matter what, create time to switch off, to chill-out and just indulge in the here and now. Take a time-out and listen to some music, read a good book, or make yourself something nice to eat, anything you enjoy doing to take a time-out from the everyday grind, and go for it. The world for that particular day can take a hike and wait for you rather than you rushing around to pander to the whims and demands of the outside world. Taking a small amount of exercise can help hold stress, anxiety and depression in check also, a brisk stroll for half an hour everyday is all it takes. Each of these techniques are superb for relieving stress & anxiety and they'll help you to:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
Everyone will tackle a few quite serious situations all through our time on earth. Issues like divorce, loved ones passing away, stress at work and change of address to list just four. What is vital to understand is that such events in isolation do not trigger stress & anxiety, more accurately, it's completely in the way you attach definitions to them.
Remember, no problem ever goes on forever. Tempests come and subside and each situation that happens to you is not going to go on eternally. You'll lower stress & anxiety levels appreciably by knowing that the storm will subside, just as previous tempests you have faced have also died down.
A truth regarding life is that change is endless and whenever I am faced with change I declare: "No matter what occurs I will manage it." It certainly is a strong declaration to employ and it's an excellent attitude for relieving stress. There will be always a solution. ALWAYS. Have this in mind, that you're sure to uncover a solution, this will help to maintain calmness.
There is an old bill from WWII that is doing the rounds on the world wide web right now, I especially like it and I think its simple message is especially helpful in keeping stress, anxiety and depression thoroughly restrained. It's a red public notice containing white lettering that plainly affirms:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
My best friend and I speak often. Recently, we discussed the current economic situation. He said: "2010 is a year that I am merely lying low whilst getting on with life as best as is possible. Hopefully, things will improve in 2011."
Keep Calm and Carry On.
It's so important not to allocate single, unquestionable, worst-outcome, destructive explanations to either the financial circumstances or to your own situations. Such definitions leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope because they awaken the fear response and you're going to battle to, well, keep calm and carry on.
Very important: No matter what, create time to switch off, to chill-out and just indulge in the here and now. Take a time-out and listen to some music, read a good book, or make yourself something nice to eat, anything you enjoy doing to take a time-out from the everyday grind, and go for it. The world for that particular day can take a hike and wait for you rather than you rushing around to pander to the whims and demands of the outside world. Taking a small amount of exercise can help hold stress, anxiety and depression in check also, a brisk stroll for half an hour everyday is all it takes. Each of these techniques are superb for relieving stress & anxiety and they'll help you to:
Keep Calm and Carry On.
Dealing With Stress
If you're suffering from stress, depression and anxiety, you're going to encounter a myriad of stress management methods all being pushed by supposed consultants and you'll find it tough to work out who is trustworthy. As an ex-chronic sufferer myself, I know when someone who claims to be an expert in dealing with stress is actually anything but. It is vitally important to avoid techniques that actually prolong your suffering and here are three must avoid commonly promoted stress relief techniques so you don't waste your valuable time and money on snake oil.
1. Food intake and nutrition. Any individual who claims that stress and anxiety are:
Triggered by poor diet and deficient nutrition or:
Can be relieved by improving diet and nutrition
Has zero knowledge of stress, anxiety and depression and is trying to con you. Without a doubt.
Why? Ask yourself this:
Would it be true to state that each person who is stressed, anxious or depressed consumes the wrong foods and moreover, will all people whose eating habits are poor end up suffering from a stressful illness?
I've eaten the very healthy Mediterranean diet for the last fifteen years and for five of them, anxiety and depression made my life hell. My diet didn't cause my problems nor did it help in any way whatsoever with dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.
2. Upright posture and breathing deeply. If stress, anxiety or depression has blighted your life at some point, then here's something you'll know all too well: During episodes of stress, anxiety or depression, you believe that your world is crumbling, you find it so very hard to manage even the simplest of tasks, and you feel convinced that there is no solution to the problems facing you and standing tall and deep breathing are trivial by comparison. Yet "experts" and even medical professionals and counselors advise both of these as "effective stress relievers".
Look. When you're so stressed your hands shake like a leaf, you cannot sleep and you feel utterly exhausted, you can deep breathe as much as you want and walk as tall as a skyscraper but it won't help you. To treat stress and anxiety effectively, the key element involves treating the root cause and posture and breathing do not address this in any way.
If anybody ever suggests these to you to help you relieve stress, then don't pay them any attention because it is plain hogwash. Save your cash and your precious time by ignoring them completely.
3. Finally, another common "effective" stress relief technique that will fail you and could even make you feel worse. Ever heard this:
Identify circumstances that cause stress and stay clear of them.
Smart move! Shut yourself away from the world because the root cause of stressful illnesses lies in events and circumstances. Shying away from life is no answer to stress, anxiety and depression, indeed, wanting to be alone is a common symptom of them. Shying away from life and avoiding people and situations can lead to isolation which can fuel stress and anxiety and lead into an episode of depression.
Shying away from people and situations does nothing to tackle what is at the root of stress and anxiety and indeed, no event by itself can cause these problems to arise. Anyone who claims they do simply does not understand stress, anxiety and depression probably because they haven't experienced them. Don't pay attention to them, they will fail you for sure.
Steering clear of techniques that do not tackle the root cause is important in relieving stress because it will enable you to concentrate on empowering methods instead. Please use your knowledge.
1. Food intake and nutrition. Any individual who claims that stress and anxiety are:
Triggered by poor diet and deficient nutrition or:
Can be relieved by improving diet and nutrition
Has zero knowledge of stress, anxiety and depression and is trying to con you. Without a doubt.
Why? Ask yourself this:
Would it be true to state that each person who is stressed, anxious or depressed consumes the wrong foods and moreover, will all people whose eating habits are poor end up suffering from a stressful illness?
I've eaten the very healthy Mediterranean diet for the last fifteen years and for five of them, anxiety and depression made my life hell. My diet didn't cause my problems nor did it help in any way whatsoever with dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.
2. Upright posture and breathing deeply. If stress, anxiety or depression has blighted your life at some point, then here's something you'll know all too well: During episodes of stress, anxiety or depression, you believe that your world is crumbling, you find it so very hard to manage even the simplest of tasks, and you feel convinced that there is no solution to the problems facing you and standing tall and deep breathing are trivial by comparison. Yet "experts" and even medical professionals and counselors advise both of these as "effective stress relievers".
Look. When you're so stressed your hands shake like a leaf, you cannot sleep and you feel utterly exhausted, you can deep breathe as much as you want and walk as tall as a skyscraper but it won't help you. To treat stress and anxiety effectively, the key element involves treating the root cause and posture and breathing do not address this in any way.
If anybody ever suggests these to you to help you relieve stress, then don't pay them any attention because it is plain hogwash. Save your cash and your precious time by ignoring them completely.
3. Finally, another common "effective" stress relief technique that will fail you and could even make you feel worse. Ever heard this:
Identify circumstances that cause stress and stay clear of them.
Smart move! Shut yourself away from the world because the root cause of stressful illnesses lies in events and circumstances. Shying away from life is no answer to stress, anxiety and depression, indeed, wanting to be alone is a common symptom of them. Shying away from life and avoiding people and situations can lead to isolation which can fuel stress and anxiety and lead into an episode of depression.
Shying away from people and situations does nothing to tackle what is at the root of stress and anxiety and indeed, no event by itself can cause these problems to arise. Anyone who claims they do simply does not understand stress, anxiety and depression probably because they haven't experienced them. Don't pay attention to them, they will fail you for sure.
Steering clear of techniques that do not tackle the root cause is important in relieving stress because it will enable you to concentrate on empowering methods instead. Please use your knowledge.
Help With Stres
Dealing with stress effectively involves managing a variety of symptoms, too many to address in a short article. Continually going over past experiences is one symptom that many sufferers share. Today, let's look at a new stress relief technique I have created that will really help with stress and anxiety and will also be helpful for people who are suffering from depression.
Repeatedly raking over experiences from the past is a behavior pattern that will only result in emotional turmoil. Sufferers will selectively recall only those occasions where things didn't work out, went wrong, or where they made a mistake. This creates a no-win scenario and it is vital to be aware of the way this injurious behavior works.
When you're feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, the desire to replay past experiences and adopting an "if only" perspective can be compelling. What will happen is that you will blame yourself for things you did believing that you shouldn't have done them, for example:
"Quitting my last job really was a big mistake. I'd have been better off back there, leaving was a huge mistake, I'm such an idiot."
But you'll also blame yourself for things you didn't do that you believe you should have done, like this:
"I made a big mistake when I turned down the chance to buy that house instead of this one. I was so stupid to turn it down and I'm certain all of us would've been much more happy there."
Can you now recognize what is going on here and that the only outcome is emotional turmoil?
Because of the selective nature of this type of negative brooding, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Amazingly, a lot of sufferers are able to rake over past misfortunes from way back in their lives, even going back fifteen, twenty or thirty odd years to castigate themselves for actions they did or did not perform.
Just a few weeks ago, I realzed that I was raking over a number of bad experiences that happened to me about a decade ago and I created a new stress relief technique to address it that I'm sure will be of great help with stress and stressful illnesses.
At the point of realizing how I was repeatedly replaying past circumstances and that it was making me really sad, I turned to look at my face in the mirror and firmly stated:
"You can't do this anymore. Those things are done and dusted, they are gone forever and I'm not going to allow them to upset me ever again."
That's a powerful statement to make as well as being completely true, but what I said next is the most important part:
"This is just so boring. I've had enough of this drivel, it's lasted way too long and from this day on, I'll not tolerate its mind-numbingly boring presence for a second more. The time has arrived to move on to fresh, exciting experiences."
So now, each time I find myself about to brood on these events that now exist only in my own mind, I just say dismissively:
"Oh no, not that miserable bore-fest. Bored of it, I'm not interested, I've got better things to do now."
It's proven to be very effective at stopping me from brooding on the past, do please give it a go and I have no doubt that it will be a big help with stress and stressful illnesses.
Repeatedly raking over experiences from the past is a behavior pattern that will only result in emotional turmoil. Sufferers will selectively recall only those occasions where things didn't work out, went wrong, or where they made a mistake. This creates a no-win scenario and it is vital to be aware of the way this injurious behavior works.
When you're feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, the desire to replay past experiences and adopting an "if only" perspective can be compelling. What will happen is that you will blame yourself for things you did believing that you shouldn't have done them, for example:
"Quitting my last job really was a big mistake. I'd have been better off back there, leaving was a huge mistake, I'm such an idiot."
But you'll also blame yourself for things you didn't do that you believe you should have done, like this:
"I made a big mistake when I turned down the chance to buy that house instead of this one. I was so stupid to turn it down and I'm certain all of us would've been much more happy there."
Can you now recognize what is going on here and that the only outcome is emotional turmoil?
Because of the selective nature of this type of negative brooding, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Amazingly, a lot of sufferers are able to rake over past misfortunes from way back in their lives, even going back fifteen, twenty or thirty odd years to castigate themselves for actions they did or did not perform.
Just a few weeks ago, I realzed that I was raking over a number of bad experiences that happened to me about a decade ago and I created a new stress relief technique to address it that I'm sure will be of great help with stress and stressful illnesses.
At the point of realizing how I was repeatedly replaying past circumstances and that it was making me really sad, I turned to look at my face in the mirror and firmly stated:
"You can't do this anymore. Those things are done and dusted, they are gone forever and I'm not going to allow them to upset me ever again."
That's a powerful statement to make as well as being completely true, but what I said next is the most important part:
"This is just so boring. I've had enough of this drivel, it's lasted way too long and from this day on, I'll not tolerate its mind-numbingly boring presence for a second more. The time has arrived to move on to fresh, exciting experiences."
So now, each time I find myself about to brood on these events that now exist only in my own mind, I just say dismissively:
"Oh no, not that miserable bore-fest. Bored of it, I'm not interested, I've got better things to do now."
It's proven to be very effective at stopping me from brooding on the past, do please give it a go and I have no doubt that it will be a big help with stress and stressful illnesses.
Stress And Exercise
You're right, the headline is a very strange one! Taking regular exercise helps to keep us healthy and usually, there are many more advantages with exercising than disadvantages. But if you suffer from a stressful or a depressive illness, exercise can actually make you feel worse. How can this happen?
Here's something I bet you've heard many times: stressful illnesses can be relieved by taking regular exercise. This isn't quite correct. Because there are several kinds of exercises that merely make these problems worse. If sufferers perform the kinds of exercise that do help with stressful illnesses, any benefits gained will only last for a short period.
Taking brisk exercise for around 20 minutes causes the brain to release endorphins into the system, giving rise to the belief that exercise can be helpful in conquering stress, depression and anxiety. Endorphins function as neurotransmitters and are associated with happy and positive feelings.
If you're caught up in an episode of stress, anxiety or depression, you'll be aware that even if you exercise often, the torment doesn't end. Addressing the root cause of stressful illnesses - flawed thought modes - remains the only way to cure them. Your physical health will benefit greatly from exercise, but it just doesn't tackle the root cause of stressful illnesses.
Back in the year 2000 when I was suffering badly with anxiety and depression, I was exercising regularly. For 2 days, I'd perform weight-training exercises. Lifting weights is a kind of exercise that may fuel stressful illnesses as you are able to brood about the events and issues currently troubling you. Bike machines and treadmills I'd use to warm-up and warm-down. It's pretty easy to exercise on such equipment so the sufferer again can ruminate over their problems.
Circuit-training classes was another exercise I'd do often. The exercises were performed at quite a high pace with an instructor leading the session and because of the intensity, you just cannot brood over your problems. However, after the session, I again started performing the harmful ways of thinking at the root cause of stress and its related illnesses, and that is the problem here.
It didn't matter that I took regular exercise, it did not prevent me from thinking in a flawed manner.
When you exercise, pay attention to everything you're doing. If you don't have to concentrate when you're exercising, you can begin to brood on your problems. Using cross-trainers, steppers, treadmills and going for a jog are good examples. Far better is to perform exercises that are high-tempo and where you have to concentrate. I got the most benefit from circuit-training, but soccer and badminton were also good.
The idea is to give yourself a period of time where you're not thinking about your problems and worries. And of course, you'll do your body a whole heap of good too!
What is important is to be aware that exercising will only help you temporarily. Addressing the hurtful ways of thinking is the only way to find lasting relief from stressful illnesses. Also, exactly as your physical health benefits from exercise, your mental health will improve significantly by acquiring the skills that break you out of flawed thinking modes.
Here's a quote that hits the nail right on the head:
"Thought can make you; thought can break you." - Swami Sukhabodhanada
Here's something I bet you've heard many times: stressful illnesses can be relieved by taking regular exercise. This isn't quite correct. Because there are several kinds of exercises that merely make these problems worse. If sufferers perform the kinds of exercise that do help with stressful illnesses, any benefits gained will only last for a short period.
Taking brisk exercise for around 20 minutes causes the brain to release endorphins into the system, giving rise to the belief that exercise can be helpful in conquering stress, depression and anxiety. Endorphins function as neurotransmitters and are associated with happy and positive feelings.
If you're caught up in an episode of stress, anxiety or depression, you'll be aware that even if you exercise often, the torment doesn't end. Addressing the root cause of stressful illnesses - flawed thought modes - remains the only way to cure them. Your physical health will benefit greatly from exercise, but it just doesn't tackle the root cause of stressful illnesses.
Back in the year 2000 when I was suffering badly with anxiety and depression, I was exercising regularly. For 2 days, I'd perform weight-training exercises. Lifting weights is a kind of exercise that may fuel stressful illnesses as you are able to brood about the events and issues currently troubling you. Bike machines and treadmills I'd use to warm-up and warm-down. It's pretty easy to exercise on such equipment so the sufferer again can ruminate over their problems.
Circuit-training classes was another exercise I'd do often. The exercises were performed at quite a high pace with an instructor leading the session and because of the intensity, you just cannot brood over your problems. However, after the session, I again started performing the harmful ways of thinking at the root cause of stress and its related illnesses, and that is the problem here.
It didn't matter that I took regular exercise, it did not prevent me from thinking in a flawed manner.
When you exercise, pay attention to everything you're doing. If you don't have to concentrate when you're exercising, you can begin to brood on your problems. Using cross-trainers, steppers, treadmills and going for a jog are good examples. Far better is to perform exercises that are high-tempo and where you have to concentrate. I got the most benefit from circuit-training, but soccer and badminton were also good.
The idea is to give yourself a period of time where you're not thinking about your problems and worries. And of course, you'll do your body a whole heap of good too!
What is important is to be aware that exercising will only help you temporarily. Addressing the hurtful ways of thinking is the only way to find lasting relief from stressful illnesses. Also, exactly as your physical health benefits from exercise, your mental health will improve significantly by acquiring the skills that break you out of flawed thinking modes.
Here's a quote that hits the nail right on the head:
"Thought can make you; thought can break you." - Swami Sukhabodhanada
How To Cope With Financial Stress
A few weeks ago, I was searching for a few things online and I came across one more site providing information about how to cope with financial stress and anxiety that is wholly incorrect and will therefore not help sufferers to find relief. Briefly, the website made the following assertion:
"The majority of people who are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression are doing so because they are enduring difficulties with their finances. Debt is a big problem for a lot of people, and many struggle to service debts because they are on a low income. Being out of work, financial need and low self-esteem due to falling short of monetary expectations are additional issues. Money is one of the biggest causes of stress and depression in the Western world."
I've come across this sort of information in both the online and offline worlds, from health counselors and therapists to sufferers. Identifying money as being at the root cause of stressful illnesses is something you've heard too and from a variety of people, undoubtedly.
To state that the root cause of stressful illnesses lies in concerns over money is not accurate, in fact, it is completely false. Financial circumstances, no matter what they are, CANNOT cause you to become stressed, depressed and anxious. In fact, they have NOTHING to do with the root cause of these problems WHATSOEVER.
It is so easily proved it's amazing that some people believe otherwise.
Let's ask a question:
If money issues and impoverishment are the root cause of stress, depression and anxiety, then is it true to say that all people who have concerns with finances or who is at the low end of the wage scale will therefore become a sufferer of stress and related illnesses? The bottom line with this claim is that if one is poor, one must suffer from a stressful illness. Agreed?
Additionally, one can apply logic to also state:
If you are wealthy, without debt and earning a high income, you cannot be depressed, stressed or anxious because the root cause doesn't exist in your life. You have money so you don't need to know how to cope with financial stress, right?
In a nutshell: Being poor causes mental trauma. Being well off doesn't.
Reality clearly does not bear this out.
All of the people who are finding it difficult to manage their debts, are on a low income and dealing with money problems aren't suffering from a stressful illness. Indeed, many people throughout the world live in extreme poverty and yet they're happy. And, just as I have, you probably know or have known people who don't have much in life and they're happy.
And immunity from stress, depression and anxiety is not given to people who have found fame and fortune. Elton John, Marie Osmond, Mark Twain, Britney Spears to list just a few examples. When I was at my darkest point with depression, I had paid off the mortgage, was completely debt-free and had accumulated savings.
I couldn't have cared less about any of it.
That last sentence illustrates how self-esteem has nothing to do with being financially solvent. I drove a $25,000 sports car, owned two houses outright and had many investments and yet I felt life had nothing for me, that having lost everyone and everything I ever loved I'd completely ruined my life beyond repair and I just couldn't take anymore.
So you can see, financial hardship does not and cannot cause you to become stressed, depressed or anxious. And financial success doesn't mean that you'll be free from mental trauma. That's because the root cause as to why anyone enters into an episode of stress, depression and anxiety is because they perform flawed, harmful modes of thinking to make sense out of the circumstances they are faced with.
Tackle these harmful modes of thought that cause people to become stressed, depressed and anxious and you will take a major step towards eliminating these problems from your life, whether you're down to your last penny or your last million.
"The majority of people who are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression are doing so because they are enduring difficulties with their finances. Debt is a big problem for a lot of people, and many struggle to service debts because they are on a low income. Being out of work, financial need and low self-esteem due to falling short of monetary expectations are additional issues. Money is one of the biggest causes of stress and depression in the Western world."
I've come across this sort of information in both the online and offline worlds, from health counselors and therapists to sufferers. Identifying money as being at the root cause of stressful illnesses is something you've heard too and from a variety of people, undoubtedly.
To state that the root cause of stressful illnesses lies in concerns over money is not accurate, in fact, it is completely false. Financial circumstances, no matter what they are, CANNOT cause you to become stressed, depressed and anxious. In fact, they have NOTHING to do with the root cause of these problems WHATSOEVER.
It is so easily proved it's amazing that some people believe otherwise.
Let's ask a question:
If money issues and impoverishment are the root cause of stress, depression and anxiety, then is it true to say that all people who have concerns with finances or who is at the low end of the wage scale will therefore become a sufferer of stress and related illnesses? The bottom line with this claim is that if one is poor, one must suffer from a stressful illness. Agreed?
Additionally, one can apply logic to also state:
If you are wealthy, without debt and earning a high income, you cannot be depressed, stressed or anxious because the root cause doesn't exist in your life. You have money so you don't need to know how to cope with financial stress, right?
In a nutshell: Being poor causes mental trauma. Being well off doesn't.
Reality clearly does not bear this out.
All of the people who are finding it difficult to manage their debts, are on a low income and dealing with money problems aren't suffering from a stressful illness. Indeed, many people throughout the world live in extreme poverty and yet they're happy. And, just as I have, you probably know or have known people who don't have much in life and they're happy.
And immunity from stress, depression and anxiety is not given to people who have found fame and fortune. Elton John, Marie Osmond, Mark Twain, Britney Spears to list just a few examples. When I was at my darkest point with depression, I had paid off the mortgage, was completely debt-free and had accumulated savings.
I couldn't have cared less about any of it.
That last sentence illustrates how self-esteem has nothing to do with being financially solvent. I drove a $25,000 sports car, owned two houses outright and had many investments and yet I felt life had nothing for me, that having lost everyone and everything I ever loved I'd completely ruined my life beyond repair and I just couldn't take anymore.
So you can see, financial hardship does not and cannot cause you to become stressed, depressed or anxious. And financial success doesn't mean that you'll be free from mental trauma. That's because the root cause as to why anyone enters into an episode of stress, depression and anxiety is because they perform flawed, harmful modes of thinking to make sense out of the circumstances they are faced with.
Tackle these harmful modes of thought that cause people to become stressed, depressed and anxious and you will take a major step towards eliminating these problems from your life, whether you're down to your last penny or your last million.
Stress Management Tips
Being able to manage stress efficiently is among the best life-skills you can possess. If you possess effective stress management skills, you'll enjoy a better quality of life and keep yourself healthy, even if it's knowing how to cope with financial stress or having to handle the loss of loved ones, a marital split, relocation and stress with your job.
It can take a while to acquire the skills for dealing with stress efficiently but here comes three simple, highly-effective stress management tips that will enable you to reduce stress and anxiety quickly.
1. Keep An Eye On The Plates - When you're in the middle of coping with a stressful event, it is crucial to not add to the stress and take on more pressure. Adding to an already full plate will merely increase the pressure and stress levels will soar making it much more difficult to remain in control of events. Think of it like spinning plates. As more and more plates are added, it becomes harder to keep each one spinning enough and plates start to fall to the ground and smash! Give your attention to that which has to be done and resist the urge to add to the pressure. Imperative: Only decide to proceed with any life-changing decisions when you have stress or anxiety or depression thoroughly in check.
2. Indecision - Indecision is, without doubt, a contributor to stress and depression. It is an issue because hesitating about a decision draws out uncertainty. Dealing with uncertainty is very difficult if you are highly stressed, anxious or in a depressive episode. So, not only is it important to make a decision, it's also crucial that once you have made a decision, you go through with it. What techniques are useful to help with decision making? Copy each alternative onto a sheet of paper divided into 2 columns, one for the plus points, one for the minuses. Share responsibilities and obtain different points of view by consulting with family or good friends. Don't rush, take your time, as much as you need to ensure you have all the facts. Once you feel ready, make your choice and follow it through. No looking back, just focus on making your decision work. Bear in mind that if you always looked behind you when you're walking, you'd crash into things. Look forwards, not backwards and use this stress management technique with the next tip.
3. CrossOver Time - The one constant throughout life is change and as situations change - for example, relationship breakdown or losing a loved one - stress can be triggered and it is possible to enter into anxiety or depression. Expecting to adapt to your new circumstances right from the off is at the root of this because it puts a great strain on you. At such times, you can feel awkward and unsettled, and you can even start to feel like things have changed for the worse. Allowing yourself plenty of crossover time is an excellent stress management technique to help you handle major changes to your circumstances. You'll reduce stress significantly if you recognize that adapting to new situations can take a while and allocate enough crossover time so you keep stress and its related illness at bay.
Put each one of these effective stress management tips into action and they will help you to effectively handle the stress triggered by a change to your circumstances.
It can take a while to acquire the skills for dealing with stress efficiently but here comes three simple, highly-effective stress management tips that will enable you to reduce stress and anxiety quickly.
1. Keep An Eye On The Plates - When you're in the middle of coping with a stressful event, it is crucial to not add to the stress and take on more pressure. Adding to an already full plate will merely increase the pressure and stress levels will soar making it much more difficult to remain in control of events. Think of it like spinning plates. As more and more plates are added, it becomes harder to keep each one spinning enough and plates start to fall to the ground and smash! Give your attention to that which has to be done and resist the urge to add to the pressure. Imperative: Only decide to proceed with any life-changing decisions when you have stress or anxiety or depression thoroughly in check.
2. Indecision - Indecision is, without doubt, a contributor to stress and depression. It is an issue because hesitating about a decision draws out uncertainty. Dealing with uncertainty is very difficult if you are highly stressed, anxious or in a depressive episode. So, not only is it important to make a decision, it's also crucial that once you have made a decision, you go through with it. What techniques are useful to help with decision making? Copy each alternative onto a sheet of paper divided into 2 columns, one for the plus points, one for the minuses. Share responsibilities and obtain different points of view by consulting with family or good friends. Don't rush, take your time, as much as you need to ensure you have all the facts. Once you feel ready, make your choice and follow it through. No looking back, just focus on making your decision work. Bear in mind that if you always looked behind you when you're walking, you'd crash into things. Look forwards, not backwards and use this stress management technique with the next tip.
3. CrossOver Time - The one constant throughout life is change and as situations change - for example, relationship breakdown or losing a loved one - stress can be triggered and it is possible to enter into anxiety or depression. Expecting to adapt to your new circumstances right from the off is at the root of this because it puts a great strain on you. At such times, you can feel awkward and unsettled, and you can even start to feel like things have changed for the worse. Allowing yourself plenty of crossover time is an excellent stress management technique to help you handle major changes to your circumstances. You'll reduce stress significantly if you recognize that adapting to new situations can take a while and allocate enough crossover time so you keep stress and its related illness at bay.
Put each one of these effective stress management tips into action and they will help you to effectively handle the stress triggered by a change to your circumstances.
Workplace Stress Management
Work-related stress is a normal part of working life but workplace stress is especially a problem during an economic crisis such as the present one. Acquiring the life-skills to help you cope with stress when the pressure is greater than normal is crucial for maintaining optimal overall health and you're now going to discover three surefire workplace stress management tips to keep job-stress at a minimum.
Not all stress is bad, and in fact a little bit of pressure is good for you. However, too much stress is harmful as prolonged periods of stress effects both mental and physical health and your productivity levels will also be impacted.
Flawed thinking modes are at the root of severe stress. It involves many aspects, usually assigning single-outcome, catastrophic meanings to events facing you. Thinking in this way will cause you to concentrate solely on unpleasant conclusions and if you add powerful, emotionally-arousing language to the brew, you will dramatically increase your stress levels. Being under so much stress will also expose you to the risk of experiencing an unpleasant episode of anxiety or depression.
To help you keep job-related stress decidedly in check, here are three powerful, simple stress management methods:
1. Estimate. Separate the more important tasks from the less important ones and focus on what needs to be done. Ask this question: What importance does this have? One effective method is a "stress meter", whereby you assign each job a priority level ranging from one to ten, where ten denotes a job of the highest importance. When you've prioritized your workload, give the bulk of your time to the tasks that are the most important and if possible, ditch as many of the less important ones as you can.
2. Various meanings. It is vitally important that you refrain from allocating a single catastrophic meaning to any problem confronting you. Levels of stress will soar sky-high if you indulge it. Constantly assigning various meanings and explanations to all the problems you face is one of the most powerful stress reduction techniques there is.
3. Word-watch. Try to resist using highly-emotional phrases as the words you use to describe events can increase stress. E.g. Phrases that involve words like useless, everything, ruined and always:
"I always get it wrong, I've ruined everything, I'm useless."
Powerful, emotionally-arousing phrases like that will do nothing except increase your stress levels. Here's an example showing how you can use moderate language instead:
"OK most of my job is going well except this but I'll keep working on it until it's sorted out."
Do you see how less emotionally-arousing that is? A very powerful stress relief technique.
Not all stress is bad, and in fact a little bit of pressure is good for you. However, too much stress is harmful as prolonged periods of stress effects both mental and physical health and your productivity levels will also be impacted.
Flawed thinking modes are at the root of severe stress. It involves many aspects, usually assigning single-outcome, catastrophic meanings to events facing you. Thinking in this way will cause you to concentrate solely on unpleasant conclusions and if you add powerful, emotionally-arousing language to the brew, you will dramatically increase your stress levels. Being under so much stress will also expose you to the risk of experiencing an unpleasant episode of anxiety or depression.
To help you keep job-related stress decidedly in check, here are three powerful, simple stress management methods:
1. Estimate. Separate the more important tasks from the less important ones and focus on what needs to be done. Ask this question: What importance does this have? One effective method is a "stress meter", whereby you assign each job a priority level ranging from one to ten, where ten denotes a job of the highest importance. When you've prioritized your workload, give the bulk of your time to the tasks that are the most important and if possible, ditch as many of the less important ones as you can.
2. Various meanings. It is vitally important that you refrain from allocating a single catastrophic meaning to any problem confronting you. Levels of stress will soar sky-high if you indulge it. Constantly assigning various meanings and explanations to all the problems you face is one of the most powerful stress reduction techniques there is.
3. Word-watch. Try to resist using highly-emotional phrases as the words you use to describe events can increase stress. E.g. Phrases that involve words like useless, everything, ruined and always:
"I always get it wrong, I've ruined everything, I'm useless."
Powerful, emotionally-arousing phrases like that will do nothing except increase your stress levels. Here's an example showing how you can use moderate language instead:
"OK most of my job is going well except this but I'll keep working on it until it's sorted out."
Do you see how less emotionally-arousing that is? A very powerful stress relief technique.
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