Stress Management

Hypnosis for Stress Management is another very popular request for the practicing hypnotherapist. Using hypnotherapy for stress and using hypnosis techniques are a truly effective means of stress management.

 

We all know what stress is, because we have probably experienced it in one form or another. Yet 'stress' is a bit of a blanket term that covers a wide range of phenomena from mild irritation to more severe problems that could result in an actual breakdown of mental and physical health.

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So what is stress, and what are its effects on our body and mind?

People experience stress, or see things as threatening, when they do not think that they can cope with obstacles (stimuli, people, situations, etc.). When we think the demands being placed on us exceed our ability to cope, we then perceive stress. Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even healthy.  Positive stress helps improve athletic performance.

Positive stress helps improve athletic performance.

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It also plays a factor in motivation, adaptation, and reaction to the environment. Excessive amounts of stress however, may lead to many problems in the body that could be harmful. The region in the brain known as the hypothalamus triggers the release of powerful hormones such as cortisol, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. This raises the blood pressure and places extra strain on the heart as the heart rate increases. Simultaneously, normal bodily functions such as digestion are suppressed. Chronic stress can even elevate the risk of stroke or heart attack and seriously compromise the immune system.

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Stress can be external and related to the environment, but we may also create internal perceptions that cause us to have anxiety or other negative emotions surrounding a situation, such as pressure, discomfort, etc., which we then deem stressful.

One thing we tend to overlook, is the positive aspect of stress, Positive psychological stress can lead to motivation and challenge instead of anxiety. Eustress comes from the Greek root “eu” which means good as in euphoria. Eustress is when a person perceives a stressor as positive. The effects of experiencing eustress, which is positive stress, as opposed to distress, which is negative stress, are significant. While generally we lump them together, these types of stress should be treated as separate. Distress causes a slowing of working pace while eustress can lead to motivational states such as flow. Distress stems from the Latin root “dis” as in dissonance or disagreement. Distress is a threat to the quality of life. It is when a demand vastly exceeds a person’s capability.