Stress-Proofing Yourself
Hyla Cass,
MD
December 7, 2001
Many of us have felt varying degrees of emotional
upset since the events of September 11th. On top of this, there
is seasonal holiday stress, and for some people, a tendency toward
depression this time of year (seasonal affective disorder). You
may find yourself feeling spacey, having difficulty concentrating,
crying more easily, being irritable, having trouble sleeping, worrying
a lot about bad things happening to you and your loved ones, and
just feeling more vulnerable than usual. These are all normal reactions
to trauma, modern day aspects of the age-old 'stress response'.
Also called the ‘fight or flight’ response, it stimulates
humans and many other species to ‘fight’ or ‘flee’ when
confronted with danger.
While this evolved as a key to our survival, being
in a constant state of stress is unhealthy. Not only does it interfere
with our productivity and efficiency, but it can negatively affect
everything from our blood pressure to our digestion, cholesterol
levels, and even our immune function (i.e. our ability to fight
infection). It has serious emotional effects as well: it keeps
us from enjoying ourselves, strains our relationships, and above
all, just makes us feels bad!
Long-term or chronic emotional stress can also
turn into 'post traumatic stress disorder' (PTSD). You may be familiar
with 'shell-shocked' veterans who, years after their wartime experiences,
may become panicked at the sound of a car backfiring, a reminder
of the guns of war. They may be irritable and moody for no apparent
reason, and often experience difficulties in many areas of their
lives – suffering marital and job problems, or addictions
to drugs and alcohol. They appear to have never got over their
original responses to wartime trauma.
This is not unlike what we are seeing and experiencing
after the events of 9/11. There has been a great increase in the
incidence of PTSD, even in those who did not lose someone directly.
People have not only been traumatized by the tragedy of the actual
events, but many watched the scenes of destruction and death over
and over on television, imprinting the horror in their minds. For
many, too, it evoked memories of past traumas. And the frightening
events didn’t end that day. We now live with an ever-present
fear for our safety—fed by threats of bioterrorism and other
unpredictable attacks. On top of that, many are threatened with
job loss, and economic reverses. No wonder we're troubled!
Solutions
While caution and vigilance may be sensible in
the face of these new realities, there are ways to recognize and
deal effectively with your emotions, so they no longer damage your
health and well-being. Before rushing to take antidepressant and
anti-anxiety prescriptions, with their side effects including possible
addiction, try one of the many safe, effective natural remedies
such as St. John’s Wort or Kava. Techniques such as meditation
can also be extremely effective. Here are some helpful tips to
stress-proofing yourself:
1. St. John’s Wort can relieve depression
and even resolve sleep problems. Also, with the winter season
approaching, those prone to SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
can become depressed, even without the weight of current events.
St John’s Wort or bright light therapy – or both
in combination, have proven successful natural remedies. (Details
in St John’s Wort: Nature’s
Blues Buster).
2. Kava, a root used for centuries in the South
Seas, has its own magic, helping to control anxiety while promoting
muscle relaxation. In lower doses, you can actually concentrate
better, while higher doses are great for sleep. Many herbal formulas
will combine kava with valerian, passion flower, hops or lemon
balm, for relaxation and sleep. In Kava:
Nature's Answer to Stress Anxiety and Insomnia, we describe
the stress response and PTSD in detail, and show you how to use
natural products such as kava to deal with the symptoms.
3. Be careful not to indulge in such addictions
as alcohol, drugs, or overeating. Beyond their effects on blood
sugar and mood, drugs and alcohol also have toxic effects on
the brain, liver, and other systems of the body. Don’t
substitute food for drugs: excessive sugar and simple carbs will
only make matters worse, playing havoc with your blood sugar
levels, upsetting your mood, and draining your energy.
4. Eat healthy, regular meals to avoid rapid
fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Stress uses up many
of the nutrients that we need to be fully functional emotionally
and physically. These nutrients should be included in the diet
and even taken as supplements. You can cover all bases by taking
a high potency multi-vitamin and mineral combination, that includes
Vitamin B complex, vitamin C magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium,
and manganese. Essential fatty acids in the form of fish, fish
oil, and flax oil are also important buffers against stress.
5. Deep relaxed breathing is an excellent anxiety
and stress reducer, and overall tension reliever. Try it. You
won’t be able to both breathe deeply and feel anxious or
tense at the same time! Regular meditation practice takes this
a step further. Try 10 minutes twice a day. There are many excellent
books and courses – or simply sit quietly and focus on
your breath. Your mind and body will naturally settle into a
quiet, restorative state.
6. Make sure to get enough sleep, since sleep
deprivation alone can make all these responses much worse. If
you can’t sleep, take kava or valerian combined with deep
breathing. You can add some specific muscle relaxation exercises
as well: in sequence, clench each muscle of your body for 10
seconds as you inhale, then release as you exhale to the count
of 15. Again, avoid using prescription sleeping medications.
They can be addictive, and lead to rebound insomnia when you
try to quit.
7. Monitor your moods and feelings. If you’re
feeling down or worried, spend time with your friends and family
rather than being alone. Take care of yourself.
8. And take care of each other. Be supportive
toward your friends and family. Keep a careful eye on their moods
and feelings, too. This is a time to be understanding, helpful
and communicative. In fact, helping others is a great remedy
for anxiety and depression. Don’t forget hugs — natural,
safe, free, and mutually beneficial!
9. Children are particularly vulnerable both
emotionally and physically, and require special attention to
reassure them that they are safe and loved. They also require
healthy food -- no junk! A good multivitamin will help restore
nutrients lost by stress—or simply not present in their
diet. A wonderful organization called Vitamin Relief USA/Children
First is supplying thousands of underprivileged children daily
with a basic multivitamin (www.vitaminrelief.org).
If you are looking for a cause to support, I can’t think
of a better one!
10. There are a variety of specific brief and
simple techniques that effectively deal with PTSD and anxiety,
some that you can do on your own, such as Gary Craig's EFT (www.emofree.com). A powerful tool, it
combines positive imagery and specific pressure points on the
body to reverse negative thoughts and feelings.
11. It is often helpful to see a therapist or
counselor to assist you in dealing with your emotions. A common
problem is that your mind gets "stuck" on recent traumatic
events and you can’t adequately process the feelings, especially
if you have had prior trauma (and who hasn't?). An outstanding
technique called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
uses rapid eye movements (or tapping on alternate sides of the
body, such as on alternate knees) to help the two sides of your
brain synchronize. This allows negative feelings of fear, pain,
and anger to move through, and be released. EMDR helps to put
you back in your emotional driver's seat (www.EMDR.org)!
12. You can use positive thinking to reprogram
your mind. Add some visualization – picturing and sensing
how you would like life to be, and of peace in the world. Research
has shown this to be a very powerful way to create change in
yourself and the world around you.
13. Prayer can provide healing not only for
you, but for those you pray for, as well. Dr. Larry Dossey has
done some fascinating research in this area. (see his book, Prayer
Is Good Medicine)
You can combine prayer, meditation, and breathing
techniques. This, plus a healthy combination of good nutrition,
exercise, adequate sleep, and emotional clearing, will provide
an excellent buffer against stress, while restoring mind, body
and spirit.
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