How do you manage Stress?

I didn't think psychological problems like stress cause physical problems until I had palpitations. I had a few palpitations in the past. I am scared of them. I thought something is wrong in my heart like coronary artery disease because I am not young and had borderline diabetes and high blood cholesterol although they were solved at that time. I visited my primary care doctor. The ECG(electrocardiogram) didn't show any abnormality. He referred me to a cardiologist. She is my friend's wife. what a coincidence! I had stress test, Holter monitoring, and special heart recording. Stress test is to monitor ECG and real time echocardiogram while walking on the treadmill. Holter monitoring is to monitoring ECG for 24 hours by wearing a small ECG equipment. The special heart recording is to record heart beats using a small recorder by putting it on the heart when feeling abnormal heart beats for 2 week. As she was pregnant and needed bed rest because of premature labor, her husband who is also a cardiologist and one fiend of mine saw me and told me the result. He said no problem in my heart. At that time, I was studying hard for US medical license exams. I think the stress and anxiety caused my palpitations. It is amazing, but most likely true. To make the long story short, emotional problems cause physical ones.

Like me, you may not notice your stress. I researched about stress management. I will write things here I agreed. The most source is helpguide.org.

First, I will tell you symptoms of stress.

Feelings

* Anxious.

* Scared.

* Irritable.

* Moody.

Thoughts

* Low self-esteem.

* Fear of failure.

* Inability to concentrate.

* Embarrassing easily.

* Worrying about the future.

* Preoccupation with thoughts/tasks.

* Forgetfulness.

Behavior

* Stuttering and other speech difficulties.

* Crying for no apparent reason.

* Acting impulsively.

* Startling easily.

* Laughing in a high pitch and nervous tone of voice.

* Grinding your teeth.

* Increasing smoking.

* Increasing use of drugs and alcohol.

* Being accident prone.

* Losing your appetite or overeating.

Physiology

* Perspiration/sweaty hands.

* Increased heart beat.

* Trembling.

* Nervous ticks.

* Dryness of throat and mouth.

* Tiring easily.

* Urinating frequently.

* Sleeping problems.

* Diarrhea/indigestion/vomiting.

* Butterflies in stomach.

* Headaches.

* Premenstrual tension.

* Pain in the neck and/or lower back.

* Susceptibility to illness.

If you have symptoms of stress above, you need to identify the sources of stress in your life. It is not as easy as you think. It is important to think carefully about your habits, attitude, and excuses to look for your true sources of stress. For an example, you are always worried about deadlines at work. But the true cause to lead to deadline stress is not the actual job demands, but your putting off to a future time. Other examples are as follows:

* You think away stress as temporary even though you can't remember the last time you tool a breather.

* You think stress is an integral part of your life or a part of your personality.

* You blame your stress on other people, outside events, or think it as absolutely normal and exceptional.

Your stress will be out of control until you recognize the role you play in creating or maintaining stress. To identify the cause of your stress, it helps to write down the following every time you feel stressed.

* Guess what caused your stress.

* How you felt, both physically and emotionally.

* How you acted in response.

* What you did to make yourself feel better.

Don't cope with your stress in the following ways. They will give you more damages in the future.

* Smoking.

* Drinking too much.

* Overeating or undereating.

* Losing concentration for hours in front of the TV or computer.

* Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities.

* Using pills or drugs to relax.

* Sleeping too much.

* Put off doing something.

* Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems.

* Taking out your stress on others like lashing out, angry outbursts, and physical violence.

How do you need to manage your stress? There are six good ways to try. But if they don't work for you, professionals such as social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists can help you manage your stress. Also various support groups are available.

1. Avoid unnecessary stress: Learn how to say "no"; Avoid people who stress you out; Take control of your environment; Avoid hot-button topics; Cut down your to-do list.

2. Change the situation: Express your feelings instead of restraining them; Be willing to compromise if you ask someone to change their behavior; Be more assertive; Manage your time better.

3. Adapt to the stressor: Reframe problems; Look at the big picture; Adjust your standards; Focus on the positive.

4. Accept the things you can't change: Don't try to control the uncontrollable; Look for the upside; Share your feelings; Learn to forgive.

5. Make time for fun and relaxation: Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule; Connect with others; Do something you enjoy every day; Keep your sense of humor. For examples, go for a walk; spend time in nature; call a good friend; sweat out tension with a good workout; write down your stress; take a long bath; light scented candles; savor a warm cup of coffee or tea; play with a pet; work in your garden; get a massage; curl up with a good book; listen to music; watch a comedy.

6. Adopt a healthy lifestyle: Exercise regularly; Eat a healthy diet; Reduce caffeine and sugar; Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs; Get enough sleep.