Stress and AnxietyStress Stress has many definitions dependent upon the context in which it is used. People will become over stressed whenever the demands being made on them are greater than their capacity to cope. Stress comes from any situation in which we feel frustrated, angry or anxious.The last thing that most people who are suffering from excessive stress will admit to is the fact that they are suffering from stress, or that they cannot handle stress. They tend to view it as a weakness to even admit to having stress in their lives. For example, they may be afraid that their boss will see it as a sign of weakness, and / or a sign that they cannot do their job properly. This puts extra worry and stress on the nervous system, making an already poor situation even more intolerable. Stress affects men and women from all walks of life, no matter what their job, or even if they have no job. At times of stress our adrenal glands release into the bloodstream the ‘stress’ hormones, very powerful stimulating chemicals which affect almost every organ in our body. The release of these stimulating chemicals is essential to us in times of danger; they give us the extra energy to help us to run away, or stay and fight. (Fight / Flight). Unfortunately, in this modern age we generally have nowhere to run to; nor do we have the opportunity to fight the danger, even if we could see or understand what it is. Because of this we have generated a new response to danger - we freeze, both mentally and physically. It is our modern day action for survival. However, when we go into Freeze mode, our body finds it difficult to dispel the excessive build up of the stress hormones creating any of the following symptoms: BehavioursAccident prone, drug taking, crying, eating too much, eating too little, excessive drinking, excessive smoking, incoherent speech, nervous laughter, trembling, acting out of character.FeelingsAnxious, aggressive, apathetic, bored, tired, depressed, frustrated, guilty, irritable, lacking in confidence, lonely, paranoid, tense, nervous, worried.ThoughtsDifficulty in making decisions, difficulty in solving problems, forgetfulness, hypersensitivity to criticism, difficulty in concentration.HealthAches & joint pain, asthma, chest & back pain, colds, diarrhoea, eczema, faintness and dizziness, headaches, migraine, nightmares, insomnia, psychosis, skin disorders, mouth & stomach ulcers, loss of libido (sex drive)The body and mind become more vulnerable to further stress, general health declines, and we enter a vicious downward spiral. This is why it is not healthy to live constantly under stress. Relaxation is very effective in helping the body clear the stress hormones, which is why hypnotherapy is such a powerful tool and can be used to help make necessary behaviour and emotional changes. It is extremely successful in dealing with stress and stress related issues by providing coping strategies and techniques to aid relaxation and deal with stress and anxiety in a productive way It can identify the root causes which, for some, involves exploring their past to identify and address the deeper issues of their neuroses. Anxiety Emotionally, anxiety causes a sense of dread or panic. It primarily creates feelings of fear and apprehension and makes us want to avoid certain situations.Anxieties can develop into fears & phobias with equally debilitating effects. We can feel anxiety when we are subjected to long term stress, or when we feel threatened by something or someone. We can also experience anxiety when we are not even aware of what we are feeling anxious about. Some anxiety in our lives is a normal instinctual response; it aids survival and teaches us to avoid dangerous situations, but this response can sometimes get ‘distorted’ and then it will affect our whole being, our emotions, our behaviour and our physical health. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with a person’s life, producing more of the physical symptoms described below:
Hypnotherapy can help to identify the root cause of the anxiety, for some this involves exploring their past to identify and address the deeper issues of their neuroses. Therapy also covers coping strategies, anxiety management and relaxation techniques. Hypnotherapy is a very effective tools in helping people feel better about themselves. |
