3 Steps Towards Beating Stress

Stress can get to us in several ways, you might have a stressful job, maybe you and your significant other are not getting along, or maybe your dog won't stop peeing on the couch. Regardless of where your stress is coming from, life is stressful and we often forget how much stress can effect our bodies in a negative way. Stress is probably the most common illness these days. There are a lot of factors that could lead to stress and stress could also lead to other related disorders or diseases – depression, chronic fatigue, migraines, cardiovascular diseases, and anxiety. A great way to get relief from stress and prevent the onset of these more serious illnesses is 1) to keep a healthy mental attitude and 2) to get help from a certified professional.

1 – Mindfulness Meditation

There is at least one very good reason why you shouldn’t stress yourself out any further if you already are physically drained and/or have an emotional burden. Whining and worrying won’t do you any good, and in fact it would only even make things worse.

Elizabeth Hodge, M.D. of Harvard Medical School explains that when you worry too much and imagine bad things will happen, you will experience a surge of erratic thoughts and emotions and physical reactions. You will experience these even if nothing bad has actually happened. You can learn how to (peacefully) watch your thoughts though – without getting your mind and body to over-react. Practice mindfulness and meditation. You can visit mentalworkout.com/store/ to access Mindfulness Meditation™ program.

2 – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Another technique to beat stress, depression, and anxiety is through A.C.T. or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This is all about keeping a positive outlook in life even if you are stressed or over-fatigued. Don’t focus on your problems, and instead think about all the good things you care about. This simply means learning to live with it all, no matter what condition you are in. You can go to contextualpsychology.org/act_for_the_public to learn more about A.C.T.

3 – Seek Help from an Expert (Cognitive Behavioral Therapist)

One of the worse things that could happen when you are not able to take charge of your stress level is that it could lead to a severe anxiety disorder. If your incessant worrying and lack of concentration is already interfering with your job or family/personal life, then it probably is the best time to seek help from a professional.

Undergoing CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will help you confront your distorted thoughts, calm your responses, and gradually help you adjust to your emotions and fears. Your therapist may also suggest that you take antidepressant medications and you shouldn’t worry. These days the first typical options are not habit-forming drugs like Valium or Xanax.

You can perform a self-screening test at adaa.org/ to know whether you already need a CBT. (You can also find a therapist thru the site.) You can also visit abct.org/shbooks/ to grab a book or books about CBT.