Stress Management and Resilience Building

How many times have overheard (or been a part of) conversations that involve the word 'stress'

"I'm so stressed"

"She is stressing me out"

"I can't take it, I am way too stressed”

Stress is an inevitable occurrence in most everyday, modern life - but HOW to manage it? Never has there been a more important time to address and take care of stress management than now.

According to mental health foundation,

74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope

• 81% of women said this compared to 67% of men

• 83% of 18-24 year-olds said this compared to 65% of people aged 55 and over

Millions of us around the UK are experiencing high levels of stress, impacting our everyday living and health. Stress is one of the great public health challenges of our time and as we progress in technology amd other areas of life we are left with more stress than ever.

Stress is a significant factor in mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. It is also linked to other health problems like heart disease, problems with our immune system, insomnia and digestive problems.

How stress can impact our body ?

The body produces two hormones under stress – adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenaline increases your heart rate, blood pressure and boosts energy, on the other hand cortisol increases blood sugar levels.  Cortisol also can shift the function of the immune system responses and suppresses the digestive and reproductive systems.

Once the stress calms down the hormone levels drop, and your body returns to its normal state.  However, chronic stress can disrupt the normal body’s processes.  Furthermore, anxiety , increased sugar intake and pressure at home or work can impact the adrenal glands in which causes high levels of cortisol; which than can lead to depression, exhaustion, headaches, insomnia and brain fog.  Chronic stress has been associated with increase the risk of strokes, diabetes and heart attacks.

Recognising the onset of stress is a crucial moment to recognise in order to prevent chronic stress. It is important to identify the trigger or the moment when stress takes over our neutral state. We have choices in the moment of stress - allow it to build bigger and take control over us. Or, recognise what is happening and take control of it.

Anyone who has ever suffered from stress will know that it can have a devastating effect on your life. The symptoms for some can be so severe that it totally disrupts their lives and stops them from doing many things.

Physical symptoms of stress may include:

• Aches and pains.

• Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.

• Exhaustion or difficulty sleeping.

• Headaches, dizziness or shaking.

• High blood pressure (hypertension).

• Muscle tension or jaw clenching.

• Stomach or digestive problems.

• Reduce Libido

• Trouble concentrating

• Irritated and anxious

How can Stress be Managed?

CBT (cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy) is an evidence-based approach to therapy which is used by clinical psychologists to help develop healthy ways of thinking and to develop strategies to better manage stress.

CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected and can influence each other.

CBT tools are effective for managing stress because they can help you identify and change negative thought patterns that contribute to stress. Clinical Psychologists can help you identify and shift unhealthy thoughts and behaviours that reduces stress levels.

Here are some of the CBT techniques that Clinical Psychologist can help you to better manage stress:

Tool 1: Identify and Address unhealthy Thoughts

Identifying unhealthy thoughts is the first step in managing stress with CBT. Unhealthy thoughts can contribute to feelings of anxiety, worry, and stress, which can make it harder to cope with difficult situations

Tool 2: Reframing to Shift your Perspective:

Reframing is a technique used in CBT to help people change their perspective on a situation. When we’re stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of a situation and overlook the positive. Reframing helps us look at the situation in a more positive and productive way. Here’s how to practice reframing:

Tool 3: Use Problem-Solving to Identify Source of Stress:

Problem-solving is a common CBT technique that can be particularly helpful for managing stress related to specific problems or situations. Here’s how it works:

Tool 4: Practice Relaxation Techniques:

Relaxation techniques are an important part of managing stress, and can help to calm the mind and reduce physical tension in the body. Here are some relaxation techniques that are commonly used in CBT to manage stress:

Tool 5: Set Realistic Goals for a Sense of Achievement:

Setting realistic goals is an important CBT technique for managing stress. When we set goals that are too ambitious or unrealistic, we can become overwhelmed and stressed when we don’t achieve them. Here’s how you can set realistic goals to manage stress:

How can I help?

If you are experiencing symptoms of stress and would like to receive one-to-one therapy , including help to build your own CBT-based stress management toolkit please contact me at drshariri@gmail.com