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Techniques For Coping With Stress

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There are a wide variety of time tested techniques listed below which help cope with stress and anxiety. It is worth taking the time to read about each technique and think about which one(s) may work best for you. There is no limit to the number of techniques you can use at the same time.

This is one area where it cannot hurt to experiment to see which technique(s) work best for you.  

  • Acupressure
  • Be creative. 
    • Consider writing about whatever is stressing you ort hat you anxious about..
    • Remember the adage: "A picture's worth a thousand words." This doesn't mean that you have to draw. Tap into your creative side and explore ways to communicate by doing something you enjoy. Painting (even if it's the house), photography, pottery, piano playing, and cooking can all be ways of communicating your thoughts and feelings.
  • Biofeedback
    • Biofeedback is a complementary therapy in which a machine measures bodily processes which indicate stress/anxiety such as blood pressure and heart rate. 
    • The objective of biofeedback is that ultimately you will be able to control your reponse to stress by evoking your relaxation response without depending on the machine.
    • Biofeedback gives you results in real time so you can see how you respond to various stimuli. You can then practice changing your response. 
    • If you want to try biofeedback, ask your doctor or his/her staff for a referral. Check the person's experience and credentials. For example, certification from the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance.  offsite linkTo find a practitioner who has such certification, go to the Alliance's website offsite link. Click on "Find A Practitioner"
  • Change or eliminate stressful situations.  
    • Look around to see if you are experiencing stress that isn't related to your health condition, but is perhaps compounded by it. There are truly some things that you have no control over and will need to learn to make peace with, and there are those that you can change. Keep the difference in mind.
    • For instance:
      • If you experience stress due to your morning commute, consider changing it. Would going to work a little earlier or a little later be beneficial? Is car pooling an option? Can you take mass transit, instead of driving? Would different work hours make your commute easier? (If so, see whether this can be a workplace accommodation.)
      • If your job is the problem, what about finding a new one? Your diagnosis does not lock you into your job. (To learn more, see: Changing Jobs).
      • If you are having difficulty with finances, do whatever you can to reduce or eliminate the problem. While this may seem like stating the obvious, have you made a budget? Are there additional deductions you could take on your taxes as a result of your diagnosis? Are you fully utilizing all of your resources? (see New Uses Of Assets) Have you examined the possibility of assistance from all outside resources? To learn more, see How To Deal With A Financial Crunch.
  • Change your expectations
    • Changing your expectations or thinking can be difficult but can be well worth trying. 
    • Accept your circumstances as they are, not as they used to be or as you would like them to be.
    • The following two examples may help:
      • If the intersection of Main and Elm causes stress every morning because of traffic, begin to expect it. When you think it through, there's really no reason to be stressed about something that occurs over and over again. Unless you consider changing the timing of your commute, expecting traffic at Main and Elm will give you joy on that rare morning when it doesn't occur, as opposed to stress every morning that it does.
      • If you lose your luggage, instead of thinking of it as a calamity, respond with humor: "Has my luggage gone somewhere interesting? Is it having a good time?"
    • Overall, it helps to expect to make choices you don't want to make under conditions in which you don't want to make them.
  • Consider Complementary Therapies 
    • You don't have to get massages from a professional. You can exchange massages with your partner or a friend. In addition to helping cope with stress, massage releases muscle tension, enhances the immune system, and suppresses pain.
    • Acupuncture, meditation, and guided imagery are also recognized methods to help cope with stress and anxiety. They can also be used to help you relax.
    • These techniques have become so accepted by the medical community that they are often covered by health insurance. 
    • A good source for understanding the effects of meditation and other relaxation techniques is a book called The Relaxation Response by Dr. Herbert Benson (Harper Collins, 2002)
    • Be sure to let your doctor know about any complementary therapies you use.
    • For information about complementary therapies, click here.
  • Decorate in optimistic colors
    • Research shows that you can change your mood by the colors with which you surround yourself.
    • For example, the color blue has been found to be relaxing.  According to Leatrice Eiseman, author of Colors For Your Every Mood, blue is the color of sky and water which we associate with stress-free activities.
    • Yellow (a "sunny shade") can be even more positive than blue, perhaps because it is associated with the sun, blooming flowers and summer.
    • You don't have to repaint a room or a wall to get the benefit. Even colored objects can give you benefits - such as a curtain or throw pillows.
  • Deep breathing  
  • Define your fears
    • Define your fears specifically. Once you focus on what you fear, you can come up with solutions so you don't feel so powerless and frightened by them.
  • Distract yourself  Distractions take your mind off whatever is causing stress or anxiety. What is distracting depends on the individual. For example, any of the following activities can be distracting:
    • Reading an involving book
    • Watching a movie.  You don't have to leave home thanks to pay-per-view on cable, online sites such as Netflix.com offsite link, and mobile apps
    • Watching television
    • Doing puzzles 
    • Shopping
    • Any other activity that engages your attention to the degree that time passes without your noticing..
  • Eat a healthy balanced diet  
    • In general, the healthier your diet, the better your body will be able to handle the effects of stress hormones released into your system. Since stressors can harm the immune system, the better your diet, the better your chances of resisting additional ailments such as a cold or flu.
    • Caffeine is a stimulant which can make the "fight or flight" response worse. Consider cutting back or eliminating your caffeine intake. Don't forget that in addition to coffee and tea, caffeine is also in chocolate and many colas.
    • You may also find a benefit to cutting back on fried foods and junk foods.
    • Don't Panic - you can make changes in your diet gradually unless your doctor indicates otherwise.
    • NOTE: A healthy diet also helps maximize your body's ability to fight illness.
    • To learn more, see: Nutrition 101, How To Choose A Nutritionist
  • Educate yourself
    • Stress and anxiety can result from a fear of the unknown. Learning about that “unknown” can be a powerful way to reduce the stress associated with it.
    • If stress and/or anxiety is the result of your diagnosis, find out as much information as you can about the condition. Be sure to consider all available sources of knowledge including your doctor or nurse, a national or local disease specific non-profit organization, or community group, a support group, literature or the internet, therapists and counselors, family and friends.
    • Learning about your condition will also help maximize your time with your doctor, and make you better educated when it comes time to make medical decisions.
    • For additional information, see: Medical Research On The Internet, Medical Research Services
  • Email and text message break  
    • A constant 24/7 barrage of emails and text messages can be stressful.
    • Take an electronic break for several hours a day. If people expect an immediate reply, you can set your email system to send an automatic response letting people you will not be checking e-mails until a specified time.
  • Exercise regularly
    • Studies show that exercise reduces anxiety, releases tension and spurs the brain to pump out endorphins, chemicals that create a sense of well being.
    • How exercise reduces stress
      • Stress is the result of your body being flooded with adrenaline which provides energy for the "fight or flight" response. Exercise becomes a good way to burn off some of this energy. Regular exercise helps keep excess energy under control. Endorphins released during exercise can counteract adrenaline's negative effects. Endorphins relax muscles and dilate vessels.
    • Exercise that reduces stress
      • Exercise doesn't have to be done at the moment you're experiencing a stressful event and it doesn't have to be done in a gym. Just about any physical activity can reduce stress. A 20 minute brisk walk outdoors, minimum of three times a week, can be helpful.
      • While not necessary, gyms are a good place to exercise because:
        • There is equipment available for different types of exercise.
        • There is supervision which may be necessary when you start and helpful to keep you exercising correctly.
        • There are usually classes available which can make exercise more fun than exercising on your own.
        • On the downside, gyms are a breeding ground for germs. (To learn how to stay safe in a gym, click here.)
      • If finances are a problem, look for a community gym or pool -- or perhaps you can make an arrangement with your local "Y" or other non-profit organization.
      • Exercise is easier to maintain if you set a schedule you can keep to. It may be easier if you find a buddy to exercise with.
    • Talk with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
      • Your doctor can:
        • Clear you for exercise physically and emotionally.
        • Check your medications to alert you to exercises you should avoid or symptoms to watch for.
        • Give you ideas about an exercise program that is right for you.
    • For more information, including about how to painlessly incorporate exercise into your daily life and waht to look for in a gym, click here.
  • Expectations (change your expectations) 
    • Changing your expectations or thinking can be difficult but can be well worth trying. Accept your circumstances as they are, not as they used to be or as you would like them to be.
    • The following two examples may help:
      • If the intersection of Main and Elm causes stress every morning because of traffic, begin to expect it. When you think it through, there's really no reason to be stressed about something that occurs over and over again. Unless you consider changing the timing of your commute, expecting traffic at Main and Elm will give you joy on that rare morning when it doesn't occur, as opposed to stress every morning that it does.
      • If you lose your luggage, instead of thinking of it as a calamity, respond with humor: "Has my luggage gone somewhere interesting? Is it having a good time?"
    • Overall, it helps to expect to make choices you don't want to make under conditions in which you don't want to make them.
  • Forgiveness (practice forgiveness)  
  • Guided imagery
    • Guided imagery is like directed daydreaming. It basically involves imagining a pleasant experience that you've had, for example a walk on a beach or watching a sunset.
    • Guided imagery is safe. Studies have found that guided imagery works for managing stress and anxiety. It has also been found to be helpful reducing the side effects of surgery, chemtherapy and radiation therapy.
    • Guided imagery ideally uses all the senses: vision, smell, taste, touch and hearing.
    • Pleasant experiences are totally personal. So is the image that works for any particular person. The more senses involved in recalling the experience, the better.
    • The basis of guided imagery is that the body doesn't discriminate between images and experiences that are recalled and those that are experienced in real time. Pleasant experiences result in relaxation and the lessening or elimination of stress and other tension.
    • Guided imagery can be practiced individually, in a group or with a guide.
    • Finding a guided imagery that helps you is as individual as the imagery itself.
    • You can find a guide online through sites such as YouTube (www.YouTube.com offsite link). Type "guided imagery" into the search engine. Try a variety of guides until you find the one or ones that work for you. Bookmark the video so you can return to it.
    • You can also find a guide through CDs which are also available online. Try to listen to the guide before buying a CD.
  • Hobby (take up a hobby)   
    • Any activity that's pleasurable to you, and so involves your concentration that you lose track of time, helps lower your blood pressure and reduce stress.
  • Humor (keep humor in your life)
  • Journal (Write in A)
  • Let it out. Talk. Consider writing.   
    • Communication can be an essential element of controlling or eliminating stress or anxiety. Talk about the stressful event, and your emotions.You can "let it out" with:
    • Let stress out.
      • Talk
      • Laugh
      • Get angry.
      • Break something you can afford to lose (David keeps a set of inexpensive plates in his home so he can throw a plate or two when he gets angry).
      • Cry.
    • You can let it out with:
      • Family and friends.
      • A professional counselor. A counselor can also be beneficial if you work and are considering stopping work and going on disability. To learn more, see Planning For Disability.
      • Support groups. If the support group is composed of other people with your health condition, you may also learn some practical tips while you're at it.
      • Other people in a situation similar to yours. Who better to understand what you're experiencing
    • Writing about stress:
      • May help lessen the intensity of the stress.
      • Helps identify your feelings as well as the causes of stress in your life if they are not readily apparent.
      • Can be a good first step toward communicating those thoughts to others.
      • You can write in prose or poetry, separate sheets or in a diary, or whatever form works for you.
    • Listen to the gentle, natural sound of rain. For instance, see: RainFor.me offsite link or record rain on your mobile device.
  • Live in the moment  
    • Focus on what you are doing and where you are. 
    • Activities you enjoy help keep people in the moment. So do small escapes such as movies and television.
  • Meditation
  • Music - Listen to or Play   
    • Music can relieve stress and/or anxiety..
    • Some music which has been known to be particularly calming includes the following. Look for this music in your online music store or YouTube:
      • Halpern, Steven:                        Radiance
      • Handel, George Frideric:           Water Music
      • Handel, George Frideric:           Largo, also known as Ombra Mai Fu from the opera, Xerxes
      • Pachelbel, Johann:                   Canon (also known as: Canon and Gigue in D for Three Violins and Basso Cintinuo)
      • Rowland, Mike:                         Solace
      • Rowland, Mike:                         Fairy Ring
      • Vivaldi, Antonio:                        The Four Seasons
  • Pet (get a)  - yes, a pet. It doesn't have to be a dog or a cat.
  • Positive Attitude (work on keeping a positive attitude) 
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
  • QualityTime  
    • Spend some quality time with people you care about.
    • Spend time with your spouse or significant other, unless of course, they are the current cause of your stress. This can be easier said than done when living a harried life, but even five minutes cuddling on the couch can have tremendous benefit.
    • Sneak in and watch the kids as they lie sleeping- you'll remember why you love them.
    • If you have a pet, curl up with Fido or Fifi -- they may have no idea what's going on in your life, but unconditional love can be a powerful thing! (To learn more, see: Pets).
    • If you live alone, spend some extra time with family or friends.
  • Rest and relaxation (R & R) - including sleep
    • R&R includes both making sure that you get enough sleep, and taking some time for yourself every day.
    • Getting the proper amount of sleep may help reduce the harmful effects of stress on the body.  To learn techniquees to help with sleep difficulties, click here.
    • When it comes to relaxation, there's no right or wrong way to relax, just what works for you. Be creative and do what works for you. For instance:
      • Take a little time for yourself each day (which can also be beneficial to your physical health). Taking time for yourself can be as simple as sitting in the park for five minutes during your lunch break or on the way home from work, or shooting some baskets in the backyard.
      • If you have vacation time coming and there's a great deal on a vacation spot, don't rule it out simply because of your diagnosis. (To learn more, see Travel).
      • IIf you find it relaxing to practice putting, get out that tin can and go to it.
  • Stretching.
    • Elements that are common to stretching exercises:
      • Step 1. Choose 3 -- 5 different stretches that are easy for you to do.
      • Step 2. Do each one slowly in rotation. As you do a stretch, focus on the stretch and how it feels in your body. Continue to breathe.
      • Step 3.Repeat the cycle 3 -- 5 times.
      • For example, if you're standing, stretch your arms over year head several times, then out at your sides, then up and down. Repeat the movements 3 to 5 times.
    • To learn about stretches that may work for you, type "stretches" in your favorite search engine. If you are looking to stretch a particular body part, type in the name of that part as well. There are also stretches for particular problems.
    • If there is a question about whether a particular stretch could affect your health condition or treatment, contact your doctor.
  • Visualization.
  • Create your own technique. For Example, Iron Naked
    • We have a report from a career woman with breast cancer that when stress starts to get to her, she pulls out the ironing -- and irons naked.
    • Please share your stress reducing techniques by e mail to: Survivorship A to Z.

If a situation is stressful, consider taking a break and doing something that helps relieve the stress. For example, call a friend, take a brisk walk for a few minutes, or reach for a non-alcoholic drink that you find soothing, such as a cup of tea.

If it would be helpful to work through stress techniques in a group setting, ask your medical team. At the least, a local medical center is likely to have stress mangement programs.

Last, but not least, consider professional counseling. If you have health insurance, policies have to provide treatment for mental health conditions to the same extent as physical conditions. If you have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at work, your employer may provide mental health counseling. All contacts with EAP personnel has to be kept confidential under law.

NOTE: For information about avoiding unnecessary stress, click here.

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