Stress Management Series IV (parts #41 - #64)
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John Parle
Jul 9, 2013, 1:40:16 PM7/9/13
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--Stress Management, part #41
Handling Holiday Stress
Two mental health experts have come up with the list below on how to
handle all the stresses that come with the holiday season. Here it is
for those of us who might otherwise get frazzled in the upcoming three
weeks.
Tips for Managing Holiday Stress
1. Talk to someone whom you can trust.
2. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
3 Exercise
4. Take a break—get away from it all for a while
5. Recreation—have fun.
6. Laugh
7. Sleep well.
8. Write in a journal.
9. Recognize trigger points in advance and have a strategy in place
for responding.
10. Avoid excessive drinking, which doesn’t eliminate the problem and
may cause more.
11. Recognize that there are no perfect people or perfect families, so
don’t be bummed that yours isn’t one.
12. Avoid the pressure to spend beyond your means.
These experts further recommend that one seek professional help if the
stresses interfere with sleep, eating, work, relationships or other
aspects of life.
SOURCE: Dr. Melvin McInnis (director of the Depression Center at the
University of Michigan), and Daniel Greenberg (psychology professor at
Michigan State University)
============================
--Stress Management, part #42
Relieving Stress through Creativity
Some research suggests that stress can be reduced by creativity.
Intuitively this can make sense. Let’s say you are ruminating about a
problem that isn’t so big but is causing you stress anyway. In other
words, you are thinking about it and thinking about it, and it is
making you frazzled. Stress is getting the best of you.
Let’s say further, that you decide to start working on some creative
project instead of ruminating. As your mind becomes absorbed in the
creative effort, you focus less on the problem, you worry less, and
eventually you aren’t frazzled anymore. Creativity will have relieved
you of stress.
Creative efforts come easiest when your mind is in a state of mind
called “flow.” During flow, a person “becomes completely unaware of
self, loses track of time, and is totally absorbed in what he or she
is doing.”
During this state of flow, it is easy to imagine that all those little
neurotic problems we worry about would fade away. The kind of “bent
out of shape” stress they cause us would dissipate.
The really neat thing about this state of mind called flow is what is
happening in your brain while you are in it. When you are in flow
your brain releases dopamine. This is a brain chemical that produces
feelings of well-being. So as you are being creative, you are getting
little bursts of dopamine. The reward system in your brain is making
you feel good as you proceed through the creative process.
Instead of being stressed, you’re having feelings of well-being.
Learning to be more creative can be an exercise in “novelty seeking.”
In pursuing new experiences, we are building new cell pathways in the
brain that can help us. And as we develop these new brain cells, it’s
becomes easier to tap into a reliable means to reduce stress and feel
better.
SOURCE: Some data from the Harvard Medical Advisor news column—
November 2010
==================================
--Stress Management, part #43
More Anger Management Material
We keep adding to our information pool on handling stress as new
information emerges. This week there is more information on Anger
Management.
A book called "Defusing Angry People," by Kevin Fauteux, has been
published. It has several anger management tips.
Fauteux talks about learning your own “onset symptoms” of anger in
tense situations. What are the types of things that “push your
buttons?” How easy is it for someone to push your buttons? Answering
these questions involves getting to know and understand yourself
better. And it can help you maintain a calm and cool head the next
time you might otherwise get angry--so says Fauteux.
Fauteax suggests three main things--
-Strategize constructive methods
-Look at your past
-Find role models
To add a little more info to these ideas, Fauteax gives these
suggestion:
-Strategize--Come up with a number of calm and constructive ways that
you can react to angry people or someone who pushes your buttons a
lot.
-Look at your past--Remember times from your own past when you've
handled heated moments really well. Add these behaviors to your
methods for dealing with tense situations.
-Find role models--Think of other people you've seen handle tense
situations well. Think of their specific behaviors and how it helped
them keep their cool. Consider adding their methods to your repertory
of behaviors of anger management.
SOURCE: USA Weekend, Dec. 24, 2010
=====================
--Stress Management, part #44
Another Look at Anger Management
I want to keep publishing anger management hints as they are published
by experts in the field. Folks who don't get angry may just want to
pass on this article. But the 99 percent of the rest of us who do get
angry may find something helpful in these kinds of ideas.
Bill Miles. a counselor with a master's in social work from Wayne
State University in Michigan, says that anger management is sort of a
oxymoron. He says that you really can't manage the emotion of anger.
The management really comes in the way we respond to the emotion. The
emotion will just happen. How we process it and behave is up to us.
The first step is not to yell, says Miles. Yelling only escalates
things. We yell to make a point, but in fact it's pointless--because
the other person is now all geared up in emotion and is tuning us out.
The added thing is that angry people don't listen. We interrupt, make
assumptions and presumption about the other person's point of view,
and we don't get the true meaning of what he or she is trying to say
to us. Tantrums, tirades, and rants only make this communication
disconnect worse.
A lot of times, says Miles, we are operating with our own sense of
expectations about how things should be. The anger can arise when our
expectations aren't met. Sometimes we get the idea that the universe
has ordained that our expectations should be fulfilled. Except that
other people don't see it that way. Then anger happens. Maybe our
expectations are expendable, and we'd end up feeling less angry
without some of them.
Miles says that a big thing in making anger go away is to Take a
Pause. Stepping back from an anger-producing situation gives us a
chance to let our human rational and thinking processes to kick in.
We'll be less at the mercy of our own irrational tirades. When we take
a pause and retreat from provocation, we don't need to feel defeated.
In fact, we are the ones who are being responsible and mature for not
letting the anger get out of control. We are defusing an angry
situation by our own initiative.
One of Miles's clients, a grocery store manager, feels that this sort
of anger management helps him feel good, not frustrated. Being angry
feels lousy. And he wants to feel peace in his life by not letting
anger win the day.
SOURCE: Journal Register Newspapers
=========================
--Stress Management, part #45
The Karmanos Cancer Institute has produced a good summary fact sheet
on stress. Here are some of the summary points--
Stress is how our body and mind respond to change or difficult events.
Signs that the negative side of stress is hitting you to some degree
can be:
-Fast heartbeat or breathing
-Higher blood pressure
-Stomach discomfort or ulcers
-Poor sleep
-Worry, and others
Here are some major ways to help against stress:
-Deep breathing
-Exercise
-Imagery
-Journaling
-Meditation
-Music relaxation
-Positive self talk
-Progressive muscle relaxation.
Here are some additional tips and suggestions
-Lower your standards and expectations
-Plan ahead about scheduling and about basic necessities (so you won't
run late or run out of things)
-Do one thing at a time
-Organize your living space better
-Stay away from negative people
-Practice good sleep habits
-Eat nutritious diet
-Seek counseling if necessary.
These little tip sheets remind us of the basics, and it it easy to
forget the basics when stress pops up.
SOURCE: Karmanos Cancer Institute (2006)
===============================
--Stress Management, part #46
Laughter as a Stress Buster
More on humor as a way of beating stress. Comes this statement from
Lee Berk, DrPH at Loma Linda University in California:
"Stress can be deadly. And laughter suppresses stress hormones--it
really is the best medicine."
Loma Linda University was involved in a study of laughter as it
affected diabetic patients, who have a natural susceptibility to heart
disease. One group was given medication plus a daily dose of humor--30
minutes of a favorite sitcom or humorous video. Another control group
got the medication but not the humor "treatment." It appeared that
those who got their funny bone tickled got beneficial health results
with reduction in heart risk. The "humor group" had a 26 percent
increase in HDL "good" cholesterol, compared to only a 3 percent
increase in the control group. The levels of C-reactive protein, a
measure of heart-risk inflammation, went down by 66 percent among the
humor group, compared to a 26 percent decrease in the control group.
According to Time magazine: "Sustained mirthful laughter--the kind
stimulated by, say, the Marx Brothers--has been shown to provide
benefits that include improving blood flow, lowering levels of stress
hormone cortisol and boosting the immune system."
A new mind-body therapy has developed to help people get into
laughter. It's called "laughter yoga," and there are 400 clubs across
the country teaching these techniques. The only connection with
traditional yoga, is that the laughter yoga has breathing exercises
and a wind-down period at the end of class.
At laughter yoga the focus is creating fake laughter--laughing for no
apparent reason. They get together in a group, begin clapping in
rhythm, and uttering out loud--"Ho ho ho! Ha ha ha! They keep doing
this and soon everyone just breaks out laughing. The laughter become
infectious, according to observers.
Participants report all sorts of stress reduction benefits. Really
good scientific studies have not been done on the laughter yoga
groups. But Dr. Berk at Loma Linda University says that intuitively
it makes sense that they could work--"I think it's reasonable. Fake
laughter certainly has the same physical, aerobic affect. But there
has been no peer-reviewed proof on laughter yoga. I think the claims
need to be validated."
Still, people keep reporting that laughter reduces their stress. As
the Time correspondent said: "Proof or no proof, that's nothing to
laugh at."
SOURCES: Readers Digest (July 2009) and Time magazine (Sept. 13, 2010)
==============================
--Stress Management, part #47
Dean Ornish on Exercise
So much is written about how exercise helps reduce stress. I don't
have that much experience at this one, but one of the nation's experts
on healthy living has a few words to offer on exercise. He is Dean
Ornish, M.D.
Ornish breaks down the "exercise spectrum," as he calls it, into five
suggestions. They are:
1. Choose exercise activity that you enjoy.
2. Listen to your body.
3. Be consistent.
4. Be flexible.
5. Make exercise part of your daily routine.
Here's some additional points Ornish writes on these five ideas.
1. Choose exercise activity that you enjoy. You'll be more likely to
be adherent to your exercise schedule if you are doing something you
enjoy.
2. Listen to your body. Don't overdo it. Learn the difference between
pain and soreness. If it hurts, stop doing it.
3. Be consistent. Consistency is more important that duration. Try
doing the same schedule over time.
4. Be flexible. Stuff happens. If something comes up and you are
unable to exercise, just add a little the next day.
5. Make exercise part of your daily routine. Try exercising with
someone you like. It adds social support, and makes it more likely
you'll make it a daily activity.
SOURCE: Readers Digest (Oct. 2009)
===================================
--Stress Management, part #48
Goal-setting as a Stress-buster
Parade magazine had a neat article on stress a while back, focusing on
a book called Stress Less by author Thea Singer. The article had a
well-worded beginning--
"There's no way around it: We're living in exceedingly stressful
times. And stress doesn't just do a number on your mood; research
shows it can also have a detrimental effect on your health. But there
is a way to manage it."
The article suggests goal-setting and attainment as a way of beating
stress. The idea is each week make a list of attainable goals for the
next seven days. Then each day work to attain those goals. The author
feels that as these goals are attained, we will get a better sense of
control over our lives, despite the stress. And by doing this our
perception of the stressful stuff will be altered. The hopeful idea is
that we could cope better even though the stress is still around.
The author also brings up the idea that some stress can be good, like
if it is revving up your mind to solve problems--in which case your
brain cells can grow.
The bad deal is when stress is chronic, and produces a whole lot of
the stress hormone cortisol. Lots of lousy stuff in the body can
happen. We can even gain more weight, because the cortisol make one
crave fatty, sweet, salty foods. The author says these foods work as a
kind of tranquilizer--for a short period of time. They produce a short-
term calm--hence they are called comfort foods. But, the effect wears
off and we keep wanting to gobble these tranquilizing foods. The
author thinks it's a better idea to exercise to stress-proof your
brain, as she puts it.
Two other familiar ideas are offered in the article--
* Keeping a gratitude record of things you are thankful for.
* Try being mindful via concentration for ten minutes each day.
SOURCE: Parade magazine (Dec. 12, 2010), article by Emily Listfield
====================================
--Stress Management, part #49
Reducing Stressful Social Interactions
Being around people can be so stressful. There are social skills
needed to have initial interactions (stuff I'm not too good at). Then
there are the even more difficult things like tough conversations,
where there may be disagreements. Some kind of emotional intelligence
is needed in these situations. Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves have
written a book about this, entitled aptly--Emotional Intelligence 2.0.
USA Weekend magazine a while back discussed the stress management
ideas found in this area of social interaction.
The authors give six tips for handling stressful tough conversations.
They are:
1. Focus on agreement.
2. Listen well.
3. Resist your urge to rebuttal.
4. When it's your turn, explain your side.
5. Keep the conversation flowing and open.
6. Keep in touch to check progress.
Related to the above, the authors state that it helps if the
discussion seeks out common ground. The other person's point of view
is important in the discussion, and it is important to understand it
while managing your own feelings. When an opposing viewpoint is
presented, the discussion will break down if you pop out a counter-
argument before the person has had a chance to explain himself or
herself. Say the authors: "Direct your attention to the person in
front of you--especially if you feel yourself getting defensive."
Explain yourself and your perspective, along with your discomfort,
fears, and the reasons behind your ideas. Keep talking and trying to
find more common ground. Work towards resolution, and keep
communication lines open for feedback.
These ideas are very much like the concepts presented by the Harvard
Negotiation Project, and found in the book Getting to Yes, by Roger
Fisher and William Ury. This is really pretty advanced stuff in
social skills. The kind of thing it could take someone like me a very
long time to learn. But it does sound better than a shouting match or
trying a reach agreement during anger bursts. So much awful stress
piles up when the anger thing takes over. Maybe this is a way around
it.
SOURCE: USA Weekend (Dec. 10, 2010), article by Christine J. Kim
=======================================
--Stress Management, part #50
Stressed and Stuck on Anxiety?
Newsweek recently ran a story about anxious people who unconsciously
cultivate anxiety. This seems hard to believe, and the research
evidence stated in the article did not identify just how widespread
this is. But apparently this does happen.
For instance, the article mentions that there are some folks who get
bored when things are calm and quiet, and they cook up things that
will create anxiety. Create some excitement, it sounds like. Like
they have a need for tension or something like that.
A university study in Israel produced results that suggested that
"feeling nervous" is useful to some as a way to get them up and solve
problems.
At the University of Denver a study suggested that folks can almost
choose to be anxious because that is what they are used to, and don't
know any other way.
One of the ideas in the article is that some end up with an addiction
to anxiety. They have chronic anxiety, and then latch to anything
around them that can help them explain their anxiety.
The study at the University of Denver had a cool categorization that
they put their 139 test subjects into. Based on answers, the subjects
were put into one of three "trait emotions." These were "trait fear,"
"trait anger," or "trait happy." Further explained:
Trait Fear--chronically angry, irritated, or annoyed folks
Trait Fear--anxious, worried, or nervous folks
Trait Happy--cheerful and joyful folks
In wondered if there might be a fourth trait emotion--"trait sad."
This might include folks who are inclined to be depressed or doleful.
Anyway, it is still unclear how widespread any trait of wanting to be
anxious is. Further research would need to make this more clear.
SOURCE: Newsweek (Feb. 14, 2011)
======================================
--Stress Management, part #51
Americans Still Stressed from Recession
Recent studies indicate that Americans are still very stressed-out
from this Great Recession of the economy that we have been in.
Newsweek did a recent public opinion poll on this subject. Some of
the answers to the survey questions are striking. For instance, when
Americans were asked:
* Generally speaking, are you anxious because of your economic
situation?
48 percent answered Yes to this question.
* How upset are you about the rising price of gas and other
commodities?
89 percent said they were upset about these things
* Are you nervous about your retirement?
70 percent said they were nervous about this.
* Have you lost sleep because of anger about your economic situation?
56 percent said they lost sleep on this all or some of the time
Further, one in three is now anxious about the prospect of getting
married, starting a family, or buying a home. And most people say
their relationships have been damaged by the recession.
I guess this is all by way of saying that if you feel stressed out
now, this is not peculiar to you. A really big chunk of the country
is also stress out. The Newsweek article on this does give a note of
encouragement though about this whole situation. We'll discuss that
in the next issue of the S.A. eLetter.
SOURCE: Newsweek (June 6, 2011)
=============================
--Stress Management, part #52
Americans Still Stressed from Recession, part #2
As identified in the last edition of the S.A. eLetter, a whole lot of
people in this country are still feeling the pain of the Great
Recession in the form of stress. Right now, nearly one in five men
between ages 25 and 54 is without a job. Folk are getting frustrated
and angry, a lot of the time. Talk of inchoate fury and Days of Rage
is popping up in the public print. A Case Western Reserve University
study even reports that two-thirds of Americans are angry at God.
But in all of this chaotic and stressful stuff happening in our heads,
there is a point of moderation that can emerge.
A whole lot of underlying dissatisfaction comes from heightened
expectations. We have developed real grand ideas since our Founding
Fathers talked about the pursuit of happiness. The New Yorker magazine
writes that we had become "a nation of unhappy lottery winners,"
having it all but still burning for more (as Newsweek magazine adds).
Maybe our expectations went ridiculously into orbit, where everyone
thinks they deserve a million dollar sweet sixteen party. Now we have
a chance at this moment to think about what human needs really are, as
opposed to bloated desires.
Expectations have another saving grace, as Newsweek reports. Americans
have a deep idea buried in some protected part of their brain that
somehow things will get better. This ray of hope in our heads spurs us
to keep working at it. Just not giving up. Todd Gitlin is an expert
of social movements at Columbia University. He has an interesting view
on this subject. His idea goes something like this:
Americans keep a two sets of books. One is a record of life as it
really is; the other is how life will be once we get past this present
difficulty. And once we get past this difficulty, things will be
better. Gitlin sees this conviction as something that shapes our
culture.
The stress won't last forever. It’s the normal pattern for stress to
calm down eventually. Making it through the present difficulty is the
challenge that will eventually bring relief. This is the idea seems to
get us through each time.
SOURCE: Adapted from Newsweek (June 6, 2011)
==============================
--Stress Management, part #53
The Stresses of Multitasking and Continuous Partial Attention
We all hear the stories of the people who drive automobiles while
talking on their cell phone. Modern technology has given us all these
little machines that can keep us doing two things at once for a whole
long time of the day. The folks at Microsoft came up with a term for
this--"continuous partial attention." Right now I'm at the computer
writing, while watching a movie on TV (captions with the sound off),
while listening to jazz on my little radio. Plus I'm eating Thai
chicken from the microwave. So, I'm doing four things at once. The
deal though is that information from these different things is
getting lost because I'm trying to do all four things. Continuous
partial attention has its costs.
The other thing about multitasking is that it is stressful. When you
have work that requires multiple attention streams of important things
(not a movie, jazz, or Thai food) it can leave you frazzled. Examples
are the stressed out multitaskers doing air traffic control work, as
well as the stressed multitaskers at Houston ground control during
NASA space flights. A more practical example are the people who have
multiple responsibilities that are demanding their attention all at
once.
Media multitasking has added a new dimension to this. Young people now
spend 7 hours a day on the various media machines, as reported in a
Kaiser Family Foundation study--texting, surfing, and tweeting. An odd
thing has happened. You would think that folks who are engaged at
continuous partial attention from the little technology machines would
be really good at multitasking. But that is not the case. A study
done by Stanford University suggests that people who are wrapped up in
the media technology tend to be sensitive to distracting information
and taken away by extraneous stuff. They have lower accuracy scores on
mulitasking tests.
There are two types of attention, say the experts. There's "top down
focus"--needed to concentrate on things. Then there's "reactive
attention"--that comes to play when something new or novel pops in.
In order to survive well in the various situations we arrive in, we
need to have both types of attention.
The problem with the media technology is that when we get a message or
a text, our "dopamine reward circuits" get activated because the
desire for social connection is sort of wired into our brains. It's a
"Hey, there's another text!" thing. But this constant distraction and
craving for connectivity gets in the way of focus. And problems that
require concentration get messed up. Then things can get stressful.
All those little machines are really really interesting. But maybe
we're getting frazzled by the little machines.
Still, I have not turned off the TV, or jazz radio station, and I'm
about to get seconds on the Thai chicken. Hmmmm.
SOURCE: Info from Time magazine (Feb. 22, 2011)
=========================================
--Stress Management, part #54
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Many assume that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) happens only to
men coming back from war. But any person may be so stressed out from a
traumatic event such that PTSD can happen. It's the event that brings
on the disorder. Examples of such events are car accidents,
robberies, hurricanes, floods, and others things like this.
People with PTSD often have flashbacks, a hyperactive startle reflex,
and are emotionally drained. Descriptions below--
Flashbacks--vivid memories of the traumatic event, where one almost
relives it.
Hyperactive startle reflex--an experience of being "jumpy" at small
things. An example is being startled when a balloon pops.
Emotional drained--being aloof or disengaged because one is drained
from being "amped up" by the traumatic event.
People with PTSD require professional help. It is not an easy
disorder to treat. Self-help books on this don't usually do the job.
Stress management and medical help at a high level is needed.
Recognizing that one has the symptoms connected with a traumatic event
can move one towards getting help.
SOURCE: Info and some of the wording from USA Weekend (Sept. 10,
2010), article by Tedd Mitchell, M.D.
===========================================
--Stress Management, part #55
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, part two
A local mental health care agency has compiled a to do list for those
affected by a traumatic event. Here are the hints, paraphrased--
-Get more rest
-Maintain a normal schedule, if possible.
-Expect that you may have reactions, like flashbacks and dreams.
-Talk to people. Reach out. Spend time with others.
-Avoid substance abuse behaviors.
-Eat well-balanced meals.
-Help other affected people by checking out how they are doing.
-Keep a journal of your feelings.
-Do some feel-good things.
-Don't make big life changes now.
-Make daily decisions as best as possible, to keep control over your
life.
-Make a list of things that make your situation safe.
-If the symptoms from the traumatic event persist longer than six
weeks, seek professional counseling.
SOURCE: These were paraphrased from a handout provided by Common
Ground Sanctuary.
================================
--Stress Management, part #56
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, part three
There is a new treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
that shows promise. It's a combination of a medication called
prazosin plus a talk therapy called "dream revision."
The logic goes like this: Recurrent nightmares are very common in
PTSD, often related in some way with the traumatic event that spawned
the disorder. The idea is that if one can take away the nightmares,
the symptoms go away also.
The medication used, prazosin (Minipress), is an antihypertensive
medication. One of the things the medication can do is eliminate all
nightmares, even recurrent nightmares. The talk therapy component is
called dream revision or imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT). The dream
revison technique has four parts:
1. Write down the nightmare, as text.
2. Rescript the nightmare--give it a new script with a happy or
satisfying outcome or conclusion. Keep revising the script of the
nightmare until a happy outcome seems to work in a satisfactory way.
3. Memorize the revised nightmare script until it is fully in place
in your memory.
4. Go to sleep and see what happens. According to the expert named
below, one can usually find a dream revision that works.
One advantage of this technique is that a PTSD patient does not have
to be in direct contact with the trauma source, as is often the case
in the desensitization methods often used.
It is not stated in the article whether this technique is widely
available or if any peer-reviewed scientific research has been done on
the technique. One wonders though if it might help some folks with
this disorder, which experts admit is hard to treat. The medication
used is apparently affordable in its generic form.
SOURCE: Info and some wording from NAMI Advocate (Fall 2011),
publication of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill; article by
Bruce Dow, M.D.
==========================================
--Stress Management, part #57
Dr. Oz on Stress Management
Felt Stressed Lately?
Check out these data--
-40 percent of Americans say they lie awake at night because of stress.
-70 percent of Americans are stressed about work.
-$300 billion is the annual cost to businesses due to employee stress.
-76 percent of baby boomers are worried about money.
-56 percent of Americans are worried about their health.
Looks like a whole lot of people around you are stressed too.
The well known TV doctor--Dr. Oz-- recently published an article on
stress. He admitted that he still had "pre-game jitters" before the
taping of every program show. Dr. Oz reports that stressors around us
lead to a rush in our bodies of the stress hormone adreneline. This
adreneline then leads to the overproduction of another stress hormone
cortisol. Chronic stress, with the onslsught of massive amounts of
cortisol, go on to put an enormous starin on the heart.
There's more. Cortisol can make havoc with the brain. Recearch
recently pointed to the likelihood that cortisol negatively impacts of
the brain area called the hippocampus. This makes things particularly
difficult in that the hippocampus helps us respond to anxiety-filled
situations. And too, it appears that cortisol may supress
neurogenisis, the brain's capacity to generate and sustain new brain
cells.
So how do you turn off the cortisol?
Dr. Oz suggests a couple of methods, and one of them is exercise. The
exercise results in a short term increase on cortisol, but over time
it goes down and decreases anxiety and boosts neurogenesis.
People with exercise plans sometimes say "I need to get out and
exercise so that my endorphins will kick in." This works to get them
motivated on days they'd rather not exercise. Maybe they can also say
now--"I need to get out and exercise to shut down the cortisol that
all the stressful stuff is causing me; I don't want to deal with all
the lousy effects of the cortisol, so I'll break it up by jogging."
SOURCE: AARP Magazine (Sept. 2011), article by Dr. Mehmet Oz;
publication of the American Association of Retired Persons.
========================================
--Stress Management, part #58
--Hans Selye's Work on Stress
The next three editions will have description of three major research
scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the field of
stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter Cannon
(1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Hans Selye was born in Central Europe and did his groundbreaking work
at McGill University in Montreal and at the University of Montreal. He
was an endocrinologist in the field of biology, and was considered the
first person to demonstrate the existence of biological stress. He
did this with a research team of 40 assistants and laboratory work on
15,000 lab animals.
Selye developed the concept of the general adaptive syndrome and
introduced the idea of stress within it--stress being a term used
earlier in the field of engineering. What Selye saw in his lab animals
was that when noxious agents were introduced, the animals began a
syndrome of change--swelling of the adrenal cortex, atrophy of the
thymus, and gastric ulcers. The animals eventually died under these
continuous conditions. Selye called the noxious agents by the name
of stressors. Also, Selye began looking at the biological data on
human beings and concluded that this syndrome that existed in lab
animals also applied to people.
In the general adaptive syndrome, the presence of stressors produce
three steps in a row--the alarm state, the resistance state, and the
exhaustion state. Selye called negative stressors "distress" and
positive stressors "eustress." The body copes with stress through the
HPA aixs--the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. A pathological
state occurs when stress is unrelieved. These concepts were described
by Selye in his research. He also worked on the idea of reservoirs of
stress resistance and stress energy.
Hans Selye was nominated for the Nobel Prize and wrote two well-known
popular books on his work: The Stress of Life (1956) and Stress
without Distress (1974).
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikepedia
=======================================
--Stress Management, part #59
Walter Cannon's Work on Stress
In these three editions we are describing the work of three major
research scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the
field of stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter
Cannon (1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Walter Cannon was born in Wisconsin and did key work in the
physiology of stress at Harvard University, particularly in the area
of the "fight or flight response" when confronted with a stressor.
Once he arrived at Harvard as a student in the 1890s, he immediately
began working as a research assistant in the biology lab. He worked
there the rest of his life. After he graduated from Harvard, he was
hired to teach in the physiology department there--and as his career
there progressed he became the chairman of that department. He
published his first research paper in the very first edition of the
American Journal of Physiology .in the late 1890s.
He described his work until the age of 60 in four
categories--digestion studies (the same starting point as Hans Selye),
the bodily effects of emotional excitement, wound shock
investigations, and stable states of organisms.
In 1915, Cannon coined the term "fight or flight response" to describe
an animal's response to a threat. When a lab animal was confronted
with a stressor, it either ran from it or put up some resistance.
Cannon measured the bodily changes in these situations. Over time,
stress researchers came to the conclusion that human beings also have
such a fight or flight response to stressors. Also he was interested
in why people feel emotions and then take action based on them.
Cannon became deeply interested in the area of systems homeostasis in
the physiology of people and animals over periods of life. He was
interested in the functions that lead to s steady-state and a sense of
stable constancy in people. He was interested in how organized
self-government of one's life can lead to stability. He used the terms
sympathetic nervous system and autonomic nervous system common today
in the writings of stress experts.
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikipedia
========================================
--Stress Management, part #60
Herbert Benson's Work on Stress
In these three editions we are describing the work of three major
research scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the
field of stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter
Cannon (1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Herbert Benson, M.D., is a professor at the Harvard Medical School.
He developed a set of simple relaxation techniques that he called the
relaxation response. This method has become a major stress-buster and
a tool against anxiety..
Benson has become a pioneer in mind/body medicine, and was one of the
first Western physicians to see a role of spirituality and healing as
a having a place in medicine.
In the late 1960s, Benson was a medical researcher at Harvard. Some
folks with a background in mediation asked him to do physiological
research on them while meditating--to verify their claims that
profound peacefulness and reductions in body stress occurred during
meditation. Benson said okay, and to his great surprise, the claims
of stress reduction during meditation really were found to be true.
Heart rates and blood pressure went down. Peaceful alpha waves in the
brain went up. Respiratory rates went down. Muscle tension went down.
Sweat production went down. These could all be verified through the
wire hook-ups from the meditating research subjects and the
measurement machines in the Harvard labs.
Benson reported his results in the professional medical journals, but
took it a step further. He wrote a popular book called The Relaxation
Response, which let the public know about these findings and taught a
simple method of meditating. This method became known as an early
form of relaxation techniques. It is now a staple in the field of
stress management.
Over 5 million copies of Herbert Benson's books have been sold. The
relaxation response method is taught in most mental health and stress
reduction programs.
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikipedia
========================
--Stress Management, part #61
More on Mindfulness Meditation
The former editor of O,the Oprah Magazine, Amy Gross, has written a
powerful endorsement article for mindfulness meditation in a recent
edition of Newsweek. She calls mindfulness meditation a "prescription
to end suffering," "a path to personal nirvana," a method that enables
one to be "less afraid of your own inner storms," and become a "little
saner, lighter, less entangled."
We've discussed mindfulness meditation as a stress management
techniques before here. I find secular and prayerful meditation
helpful, but mindfulness meditation is something I've never gotten the
hang of. It involves keeping a strong focus on the everyday things and
activities of life. Many people have reported amazing results with
this.
Ms. Gross now teaches mindfulness meditation in a program called
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, designed by pioneering biologist
Jon Kabat-Zinn. She reports that a majority of chronic pain sufferers
in an eight week meditation program were able to have reduction in
medications and fewer limits on their activities. She reports that
this form of meditation can be applied for both physical and emotional
pain.
Patients when they are by themselves can sit quietly and peacefully--
then some jerky thought pops into their heads, causing anger. The
patient's inner world then breaks into a riot. The meditators train
themselves to break down this anger. They focus on the sensations of
the anger and how lousy it feels. They stop telling themselves the
story about the thing that produced the anger. The anger then runs
out of fuel. This spells Relief! And, according to Ms. Gross, the
non-anger feels so good.
For folks who can get this method to work, the stress reduction
benefits would be terrific. Obviously.
SOURCE: Newsweek--Jan. 9, 2012
=======================
--Stress Management, part #62
Stress Overload from Modern Living
Andrew Weil, M.D., a well-known university-based health expert,
presented an article recently suggesting that the stresses connected
with modern-day living are a cause of much of today’s incidence of
clinical depression. He produces two bits of evidence. First
depression rates are much lower in less developed countries that do
not have the demands of modern living. Second, even in this country,
the Amish have much lower rates of depression--they live withour
modern conveniences and expectations.
Martin Seligman, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, was
studied the Old Order Amish. It turns out that they have a clinical
depression rate that is one tenth of that of other Americans. Says
Seligman--"There seems to be something about modern life that creates
a fertile soil for depression."
Stephen Ilardi, professor at the University of Kansas, states, "The
more 'modern' a society's way of life, the higher its rate of
depression. It may seem baffling, but the explanation is simple: the
human body was never designed for the modern postindustrial
environment."
Dr. Weil feels that its the unprecedented demands of modern life that
is resulting in this level of stress. He suggests five tips for
dealing with the stresses of modern life--
1. Mindfulness training--a type of mediation that increases a sense of
focus and concentration.
2. Sleep well and in complete darkness.
3. More social interaction--make it a priotity.
4. Avoid disturbing sounds--choose to listen to things that have a
positive effect on the mood; try to cultivate silence.
5. Reduce information overload--the computer and twitter-living may
need to be limited in order to well attend to the rest of your life.
Dr. Weil also suggests exercise, eating fish for omega-3 fatty acids,
and not dwelling on negative thoughts.
SOURCE: Newsweek--Nov. 7, 2011
===============================
--Stress Management, part #63
Stress and Introversion
People generally know the difference between introverts and
extroverts. There is also a middle ground called ambiverts.
Researchers report that introverts make up about 30 percent of the
population, the remaining 70 percent of the temperament spectrum are
extroverts and ambiverts. So a minority of people are really deeply
inward.
It turns out that introverts tend to be highly reactive to events
around them. It's much easier for them to seek quiet environments.
Stressful stuff seem to bother them more. Also it appears the the
introvert temperament appears to be inborn or inherited.
An interesting study came out of Harvard in 1989, by researcher Jerome
Kagan. Some 500 infants about 4 months old were exposed to loud
noises, the smell of alcohol, bright colors, and so on. About 20
percent of the infants reacted strongly to the stimuli--crying and
pumping their arms. About 40 percent of the infants were pretty quiet,
and the other 40 percent fell in between. Those who had the strong
reaction were categorized as "highly reactive." Kagan brought these
study subjects back into the lab many years later and discovered that
the highly reactive babies largely turned into more inhibited,
introverted teenagers.
One expert has suggested that introverts tend to have a lower
threshold for stimulation. Many respond by limiting their exposure.
Some call it "shutting down." Whereas, the extroverts often seek out
excitement and more stimuli--some are almost addicted to commotion.
The original highly reactive subjects in the Harvard study were later
given brain imaging experiments, where they were shown pictures of
unfamiliar faces. When contrasted to the extroverts, the introverts
had brain images in which their amygdale lit up. The amygdale is part
of the brain that processes fearful feelings. This might suggest that
the brain is involved in an introvert reaction of caution and guarded
response.
One can easily speculate that introverts just want less stress.
Inversely, extroverts often run towards unstable situations. An
introvert might really like books, while an extrovert might be bored
to death at even the thought of a book. Different reactions to
stress?
SOURCE: Time magazine, Feb. 6, 1012
=======================
--Stress Management, part #64
Stress and Introversion, part two
About 30 percent of folks are introverts, inward sort of people.
Introverts, along with being more quiet, are often more cautious,
inhibited, and fearful. Stressful situations can bring these traits on
noticeably. Not good? Well, sometimes these traits are really kind of
helpful. Extroverts are bigger risk-takers--which is often more
exciting to them, but also leaves them more open to difficulties or
collateral damage. Northwestern University scientists have found that
there may even be a dopamine-regulating gene in our system that comes
to play in this willingness to take risks. Introverts are more
inclined in stressful situations to be circumspect and lower their
damage exposure.
Researchers at Florida State University have found that deliberate
practice in solitude is key to achieving a transcendent skill.
Introverts are better at this kind of thing. Learning to play a
musical instrument is this way. Virtuosity comes from solitary
practicing with the instrument
Another matter of stress and introversion has to do with office
environments. According to Time magazine, 70 percent of office workers
work in open office plans. This mean cubicles and the like. Very
little separation for folks. Introverts would find this less
comfortable, on average. And too, since 1970 the cubicle areas have
been getting smaller--reducing from 500 sq. feet per person to the 200
sq. feet for person space of today. More stress for introverts, who
are more private.
Harvard psychologists have come up with a concept called Free Trait
Theory, to help understand how introverts and extroverts navigate
their local worlds in getting what they want. An introvert, for
instance, may act out of character to achieve a personal goal.
According to the theory, we have "fixed bits of personality" and we
work with three different personal identities. We all have wishes,
desires, and goals. We all have things that stand in the way of
getting these sorts of wants. We balance our identities to move
towards our goals.
The three identities are our biological identity, our sociogenic
identity, and our ideogenic identity. The biological identity is our
inborn traits like looks, intelligence, or introversion vs.
extroversion. The sociogenic identity is the expectations on us
presented by our culture, family, and religion. Our ideogenic identity
is our combination of desires and sense of what matters. An introvert
might decide that he wants to spend the rest of his life in a
university environment. But to do this, he may have to learn enough
public speaking skills to stand in front of a class and teach the
material he has mastered. A balancing act of identities can occur in
situations like this. Goal-seeking can be stressful.
SOURCE: Time magazine (2-6-12)
Handling Holiday Stress
Two mental health experts have come up with the list below on how to
handle all the stresses that come with the holiday season. Here it is
for those of us who might otherwise get frazzled in the upcoming three
weeks.
Tips for Managing Holiday Stress
1. Talk to someone whom you can trust.
2. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
3 Exercise
4. Take a break—get away from it all for a while
5. Recreation—have fun.
6. Laugh
7. Sleep well.
8. Write in a journal.
9. Recognize trigger points in advance and have a strategy in place
for responding.
10. Avoid excessive drinking, which doesn’t eliminate the problem and
may cause more.
11. Recognize that there are no perfect people or perfect families, so
don’t be bummed that yours isn’t one.
12. Avoid the pressure to spend beyond your means.
These experts further recommend that one seek professional help if the
stresses interfere with sleep, eating, work, relationships or other
aspects of life.
SOURCE: Dr. Melvin McInnis (director of the Depression Center at the
University of Michigan), and Daniel Greenberg (psychology professor at
Michigan State University)
============================
--Stress Management, part #42
Relieving Stress through Creativity
Some research suggests that stress can be reduced by creativity.
Intuitively this can make sense. Let’s say you are ruminating about a
problem that isn’t so big but is causing you stress anyway. In other
words, you are thinking about it and thinking about it, and it is
making you frazzled. Stress is getting the best of you.
Let’s say further, that you decide to start working on some creative
project instead of ruminating. As your mind becomes absorbed in the
creative effort, you focus less on the problem, you worry less, and
eventually you aren’t frazzled anymore. Creativity will have relieved
you of stress.
Creative efforts come easiest when your mind is in a state of mind
called “flow.” During flow, a person “becomes completely unaware of
self, loses track of time, and is totally absorbed in what he or she
is doing.”
During this state of flow, it is easy to imagine that all those little
neurotic problems we worry about would fade away. The kind of “bent
out of shape” stress they cause us would dissipate.
The really neat thing about this state of mind called flow is what is
happening in your brain while you are in it. When you are in flow
your brain releases dopamine. This is a brain chemical that produces
feelings of well-being. So as you are being creative, you are getting
little bursts of dopamine. The reward system in your brain is making
you feel good as you proceed through the creative process.
Instead of being stressed, you’re having feelings of well-being.
Learning to be more creative can be an exercise in “novelty seeking.”
In pursuing new experiences, we are building new cell pathways in the
brain that can help us. And as we develop these new brain cells, it’s
becomes easier to tap into a reliable means to reduce stress and feel
better.
SOURCE: Some data from the Harvard Medical Advisor news column—
November 2010
==================================
--Stress Management, part #43
More Anger Management Material
We keep adding to our information pool on handling stress as new
information emerges. This week there is more information on Anger
Management.
A book called "Defusing Angry People," by Kevin Fauteux, has been
published. It has several anger management tips.
Fauteux talks about learning your own “onset symptoms” of anger in
tense situations. What are the types of things that “push your
buttons?” How easy is it for someone to push your buttons? Answering
these questions involves getting to know and understand yourself
better. And it can help you maintain a calm and cool head the next
time you might otherwise get angry--so says Fauteux.
Fauteax suggests three main things--
-Strategize constructive methods
-Look at your past
-Find role models
To add a little more info to these ideas, Fauteax gives these
suggestion:
-Strategize--Come up with a number of calm and constructive ways that
you can react to angry people or someone who pushes your buttons a
lot.
-Look at your past--Remember times from your own past when you've
handled heated moments really well. Add these behaviors to your
methods for dealing with tense situations.
-Find role models--Think of other people you've seen handle tense
situations well. Think of their specific behaviors and how it helped
them keep their cool. Consider adding their methods to your repertory
of behaviors of anger management.
SOURCE: USA Weekend, Dec. 24, 2010
=====================
--Stress Management, part #44
Another Look at Anger Management
I want to keep publishing anger management hints as they are published
by experts in the field. Folks who don't get angry may just want to
pass on this article. But the 99 percent of the rest of us who do get
angry may find something helpful in these kinds of ideas.
Bill Miles. a counselor with a master's in social work from Wayne
State University in Michigan, says that anger management is sort of a
oxymoron. He says that you really can't manage the emotion of anger.
The management really comes in the way we respond to the emotion. The
emotion will just happen. How we process it and behave is up to us.
The first step is not to yell, says Miles. Yelling only escalates
things. We yell to make a point, but in fact it's pointless--because
the other person is now all geared up in emotion and is tuning us out.
The added thing is that angry people don't listen. We interrupt, make
assumptions and presumption about the other person's point of view,
and we don't get the true meaning of what he or she is trying to say
to us. Tantrums, tirades, and rants only make this communication
disconnect worse.
A lot of times, says Miles, we are operating with our own sense of
expectations about how things should be. The anger can arise when our
expectations aren't met. Sometimes we get the idea that the universe
has ordained that our expectations should be fulfilled. Except that
other people don't see it that way. Then anger happens. Maybe our
expectations are expendable, and we'd end up feeling less angry
without some of them.
Miles says that a big thing in making anger go away is to Take a
Pause. Stepping back from an anger-producing situation gives us a
chance to let our human rational and thinking processes to kick in.
We'll be less at the mercy of our own irrational tirades. When we take
a pause and retreat from provocation, we don't need to feel defeated.
In fact, we are the ones who are being responsible and mature for not
letting the anger get out of control. We are defusing an angry
situation by our own initiative.
One of Miles's clients, a grocery store manager, feels that this sort
of anger management helps him feel good, not frustrated. Being angry
feels lousy. And he wants to feel peace in his life by not letting
anger win the day.
SOURCE: Journal Register Newspapers
=========================
--Stress Management, part #45
The Karmanos Cancer Institute has produced a good summary fact sheet
on stress. Here are some of the summary points--
Stress is how our body and mind respond to change or difficult events.
Signs that the negative side of stress is hitting you to some degree
can be:
-Fast heartbeat or breathing
-Higher blood pressure
-Stomach discomfort or ulcers
-Poor sleep
-Worry, and others
Here are some major ways to help against stress:
-Deep breathing
-Exercise
-Imagery
-Journaling
-Meditation
-Music relaxation
-Positive self talk
-Progressive muscle relaxation.
Here are some additional tips and suggestions
-Lower your standards and expectations
-Plan ahead about scheduling and about basic necessities (so you won't
run late or run out of things)
-Do one thing at a time
-Organize your living space better
-Stay away from negative people
-Practice good sleep habits
-Eat nutritious diet
-Seek counseling if necessary.
These little tip sheets remind us of the basics, and it it easy to
forget the basics when stress pops up.
SOURCE: Karmanos Cancer Institute (2006)
===============================
--Stress Management, part #46
Laughter as a Stress Buster
More on humor as a way of beating stress. Comes this statement from
Lee Berk, DrPH at Loma Linda University in California:
"Stress can be deadly. And laughter suppresses stress hormones--it
really is the best medicine."
Loma Linda University was involved in a study of laughter as it
affected diabetic patients, who have a natural susceptibility to heart
disease. One group was given medication plus a daily dose of humor--30
minutes of a favorite sitcom or humorous video. Another control group
got the medication but not the humor "treatment." It appeared that
those who got their funny bone tickled got beneficial health results
with reduction in heart risk. The "humor group" had a 26 percent
increase in HDL "good" cholesterol, compared to only a 3 percent
increase in the control group. The levels of C-reactive protein, a
measure of heart-risk inflammation, went down by 66 percent among the
humor group, compared to a 26 percent decrease in the control group.
According to Time magazine: "Sustained mirthful laughter--the kind
stimulated by, say, the Marx Brothers--has been shown to provide
benefits that include improving blood flow, lowering levels of stress
hormone cortisol and boosting the immune system."
A new mind-body therapy has developed to help people get into
laughter. It's called "laughter yoga," and there are 400 clubs across
the country teaching these techniques. The only connection with
traditional yoga, is that the laughter yoga has breathing exercises
and a wind-down period at the end of class.
At laughter yoga the focus is creating fake laughter--laughing for no
apparent reason. They get together in a group, begin clapping in
rhythm, and uttering out loud--"Ho ho ho! Ha ha ha! They keep doing
this and soon everyone just breaks out laughing. The laughter become
infectious, according to observers.
Participants report all sorts of stress reduction benefits. Really
good scientific studies have not been done on the laughter yoga
groups. But Dr. Berk at Loma Linda University says that intuitively
it makes sense that they could work--"I think it's reasonable. Fake
laughter certainly has the same physical, aerobic affect. But there
has been no peer-reviewed proof on laughter yoga. I think the claims
need to be validated."
Still, people keep reporting that laughter reduces their stress. As
the Time correspondent said: "Proof or no proof, that's nothing to
laugh at."
SOURCES: Readers Digest (July 2009) and Time magazine (Sept. 13, 2010)
==============================
--Stress Management, part #47
Dean Ornish on Exercise
So much is written about how exercise helps reduce stress. I don't
have that much experience at this one, but one of the nation's experts
on healthy living has a few words to offer on exercise. He is Dean
Ornish, M.D.
Ornish breaks down the "exercise spectrum," as he calls it, into five
suggestions. They are:
1. Choose exercise activity that you enjoy.
2. Listen to your body.
3. Be consistent.
4. Be flexible.
5. Make exercise part of your daily routine.
Here's some additional points Ornish writes on these five ideas.
1. Choose exercise activity that you enjoy. You'll be more likely to
be adherent to your exercise schedule if you are doing something you
enjoy.
2. Listen to your body. Don't overdo it. Learn the difference between
pain and soreness. If it hurts, stop doing it.
3. Be consistent. Consistency is more important that duration. Try
doing the same schedule over time.
4. Be flexible. Stuff happens. If something comes up and you are
unable to exercise, just add a little the next day.
5. Make exercise part of your daily routine. Try exercising with
someone you like. It adds social support, and makes it more likely
you'll make it a daily activity.
SOURCE: Readers Digest (Oct. 2009)
===================================
--Stress Management, part #48
Goal-setting as a Stress-buster
Parade magazine had a neat article on stress a while back, focusing on
a book called Stress Less by author Thea Singer. The article had a
well-worded beginning--
"There's no way around it: We're living in exceedingly stressful
times. And stress doesn't just do a number on your mood; research
shows it can also have a detrimental effect on your health. But there
is a way to manage it."
The article suggests goal-setting and attainment as a way of beating
stress. The idea is each week make a list of attainable goals for the
next seven days. Then each day work to attain those goals. The author
feels that as these goals are attained, we will get a better sense of
control over our lives, despite the stress. And by doing this our
perception of the stressful stuff will be altered. The hopeful idea is
that we could cope better even though the stress is still around.
The author also brings up the idea that some stress can be good, like
if it is revving up your mind to solve problems--in which case your
brain cells can grow.
The bad deal is when stress is chronic, and produces a whole lot of
the stress hormone cortisol. Lots of lousy stuff in the body can
happen. We can even gain more weight, because the cortisol make one
crave fatty, sweet, salty foods. The author says these foods work as a
kind of tranquilizer--for a short period of time. They produce a short-
term calm--hence they are called comfort foods. But, the effect wears
off and we keep wanting to gobble these tranquilizing foods. The
author thinks it's a better idea to exercise to stress-proof your
brain, as she puts it.
Two other familiar ideas are offered in the article--
* Keeping a gratitude record of things you are thankful for.
* Try being mindful via concentration for ten minutes each day.
SOURCE: Parade magazine (Dec. 12, 2010), article by Emily Listfield
====================================
--Stress Management, part #49
Reducing Stressful Social Interactions
Being around people can be so stressful. There are social skills
needed to have initial interactions (stuff I'm not too good at). Then
there are the even more difficult things like tough conversations,
where there may be disagreements. Some kind of emotional intelligence
is needed in these situations. Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves have
written a book about this, entitled aptly--Emotional Intelligence 2.0.
USA Weekend magazine a while back discussed the stress management
ideas found in this area of social interaction.
The authors give six tips for handling stressful tough conversations.
They are:
1. Focus on agreement.
2. Listen well.
3. Resist your urge to rebuttal.
4. When it's your turn, explain your side.
5. Keep the conversation flowing and open.
6. Keep in touch to check progress.
Related to the above, the authors state that it helps if the
discussion seeks out common ground. The other person's point of view
is important in the discussion, and it is important to understand it
while managing your own feelings. When an opposing viewpoint is
presented, the discussion will break down if you pop out a counter-
argument before the person has had a chance to explain himself or
herself. Say the authors: "Direct your attention to the person in
front of you--especially if you feel yourself getting defensive."
Explain yourself and your perspective, along with your discomfort,
fears, and the reasons behind your ideas. Keep talking and trying to
find more common ground. Work towards resolution, and keep
communication lines open for feedback.
These ideas are very much like the concepts presented by the Harvard
Negotiation Project, and found in the book Getting to Yes, by Roger
Fisher and William Ury. This is really pretty advanced stuff in
social skills. The kind of thing it could take someone like me a very
long time to learn. But it does sound better than a shouting match or
trying a reach agreement during anger bursts. So much awful stress
piles up when the anger thing takes over. Maybe this is a way around
it.
SOURCE: USA Weekend (Dec. 10, 2010), article by Christine J. Kim
=======================================
--Stress Management, part #50
Stressed and Stuck on Anxiety?
Newsweek recently ran a story about anxious people who unconsciously
cultivate anxiety. This seems hard to believe, and the research
evidence stated in the article did not identify just how widespread
this is. But apparently this does happen.
For instance, the article mentions that there are some folks who get
bored when things are calm and quiet, and they cook up things that
will create anxiety. Create some excitement, it sounds like. Like
they have a need for tension or something like that.
A university study in Israel produced results that suggested that
"feeling nervous" is useful to some as a way to get them up and solve
problems.
At the University of Denver a study suggested that folks can almost
choose to be anxious because that is what they are used to, and don't
know any other way.
One of the ideas in the article is that some end up with an addiction
to anxiety. They have chronic anxiety, and then latch to anything
around them that can help them explain their anxiety.
The study at the University of Denver had a cool categorization that
they put their 139 test subjects into. Based on answers, the subjects
were put into one of three "trait emotions." These were "trait fear,"
"trait anger," or "trait happy." Further explained:
Trait Fear--chronically angry, irritated, or annoyed folks
Trait Fear--anxious, worried, or nervous folks
Trait Happy--cheerful and joyful folks
In wondered if there might be a fourth trait emotion--"trait sad."
This might include folks who are inclined to be depressed or doleful.
Anyway, it is still unclear how widespread any trait of wanting to be
anxious is. Further research would need to make this more clear.
SOURCE: Newsweek (Feb. 14, 2011)
======================================
--Stress Management, part #51
Americans Still Stressed from Recession
Recent studies indicate that Americans are still very stressed-out
from this Great Recession of the economy that we have been in.
Newsweek did a recent public opinion poll on this subject. Some of
the answers to the survey questions are striking. For instance, when
Americans were asked:
* Generally speaking, are you anxious because of your economic
situation?
48 percent answered Yes to this question.
* How upset are you about the rising price of gas and other
commodities?
89 percent said they were upset about these things
* Are you nervous about your retirement?
70 percent said they were nervous about this.
* Have you lost sleep because of anger about your economic situation?
56 percent said they lost sleep on this all or some of the time
Further, one in three is now anxious about the prospect of getting
married, starting a family, or buying a home. And most people say
their relationships have been damaged by the recession.
I guess this is all by way of saying that if you feel stressed out
now, this is not peculiar to you. A really big chunk of the country
is also stress out. The Newsweek article on this does give a note of
encouragement though about this whole situation. We'll discuss that
in the next issue of the S.A. eLetter.
SOURCE: Newsweek (June 6, 2011)
=============================
--Stress Management, part #52
Americans Still Stressed from Recession, part #2
As identified in the last edition of the S.A. eLetter, a whole lot of
people in this country are still feeling the pain of the Great
Recession in the form of stress. Right now, nearly one in five men
between ages 25 and 54 is without a job. Folk are getting frustrated
and angry, a lot of the time. Talk of inchoate fury and Days of Rage
is popping up in the public print. A Case Western Reserve University
study even reports that two-thirds of Americans are angry at God.
But in all of this chaotic and stressful stuff happening in our heads,
there is a point of moderation that can emerge.
A whole lot of underlying dissatisfaction comes from heightened
expectations. We have developed real grand ideas since our Founding
Fathers talked about the pursuit of happiness. The New Yorker magazine
writes that we had become "a nation of unhappy lottery winners,"
having it all but still burning for more (as Newsweek magazine adds).
Maybe our expectations went ridiculously into orbit, where everyone
thinks they deserve a million dollar sweet sixteen party. Now we have
a chance at this moment to think about what human needs really are, as
opposed to bloated desires.
Expectations have another saving grace, as Newsweek reports. Americans
have a deep idea buried in some protected part of their brain that
somehow things will get better. This ray of hope in our heads spurs us
to keep working at it. Just not giving up. Todd Gitlin is an expert
of social movements at Columbia University. He has an interesting view
on this subject. His idea goes something like this:
Americans keep a two sets of books. One is a record of life as it
really is; the other is how life will be once we get past this present
difficulty. And once we get past this difficulty, things will be
better. Gitlin sees this conviction as something that shapes our
culture.
The stress won't last forever. It’s the normal pattern for stress to
calm down eventually. Making it through the present difficulty is the
challenge that will eventually bring relief. This is the idea seems to
get us through each time.
SOURCE: Adapted from Newsweek (June 6, 2011)
==============================
--Stress Management, part #53
The Stresses of Multitasking and Continuous Partial Attention
We all hear the stories of the people who drive automobiles while
talking on their cell phone. Modern technology has given us all these
little machines that can keep us doing two things at once for a whole
long time of the day. The folks at Microsoft came up with a term for
this--"continuous partial attention." Right now I'm at the computer
writing, while watching a movie on TV (captions with the sound off),
while listening to jazz on my little radio. Plus I'm eating Thai
chicken from the microwave. So, I'm doing four things at once. The
deal though is that information from these different things is
getting lost because I'm trying to do all four things. Continuous
partial attention has its costs.
The other thing about multitasking is that it is stressful. When you
have work that requires multiple attention streams of important things
(not a movie, jazz, or Thai food) it can leave you frazzled. Examples
are the stressed out multitaskers doing air traffic control work, as
well as the stressed multitaskers at Houston ground control during
NASA space flights. A more practical example are the people who have
multiple responsibilities that are demanding their attention all at
once.
Media multitasking has added a new dimension to this. Young people now
spend 7 hours a day on the various media machines, as reported in a
Kaiser Family Foundation study--texting, surfing, and tweeting. An odd
thing has happened. You would think that folks who are engaged at
continuous partial attention from the little technology machines would
be really good at multitasking. But that is not the case. A study
done by Stanford University suggests that people who are wrapped up in
the media technology tend to be sensitive to distracting information
and taken away by extraneous stuff. They have lower accuracy scores on
mulitasking tests.
There are two types of attention, say the experts. There's "top down
focus"--needed to concentrate on things. Then there's "reactive
attention"--that comes to play when something new or novel pops in.
In order to survive well in the various situations we arrive in, we
need to have both types of attention.
The problem with the media technology is that when we get a message or
a text, our "dopamine reward circuits" get activated because the
desire for social connection is sort of wired into our brains. It's a
"Hey, there's another text!" thing. But this constant distraction and
craving for connectivity gets in the way of focus. And problems that
require concentration get messed up. Then things can get stressful.
All those little machines are really really interesting. But maybe
we're getting frazzled by the little machines.
Still, I have not turned off the TV, or jazz radio station, and I'm
about to get seconds on the Thai chicken. Hmmmm.
SOURCE: Info from Time magazine (Feb. 22, 2011)
=========================================
--Stress Management, part #54
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Many assume that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) happens only to
men coming back from war. But any person may be so stressed out from a
traumatic event such that PTSD can happen. It's the event that brings
on the disorder. Examples of such events are car accidents,
robberies, hurricanes, floods, and others things like this.
People with PTSD often have flashbacks, a hyperactive startle reflex,
and are emotionally drained. Descriptions below--
Flashbacks--vivid memories of the traumatic event, where one almost
relives it.
Hyperactive startle reflex--an experience of being "jumpy" at small
things. An example is being startled when a balloon pops.
Emotional drained--being aloof or disengaged because one is drained
from being "amped up" by the traumatic event.
People with PTSD require professional help. It is not an easy
disorder to treat. Self-help books on this don't usually do the job.
Stress management and medical help at a high level is needed.
Recognizing that one has the symptoms connected with a traumatic event
can move one towards getting help.
SOURCE: Info and some of the wording from USA Weekend (Sept. 10,
2010), article by Tedd Mitchell, M.D.
===========================================
--Stress Management, part #55
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, part two
A local mental health care agency has compiled a to do list for those
affected by a traumatic event. Here are the hints, paraphrased--
-Get more rest
-Maintain a normal schedule, if possible.
-Expect that you may have reactions, like flashbacks and dreams.
-Talk to people. Reach out. Spend time with others.
-Avoid substance abuse behaviors.
-Eat well-balanced meals.
-Help other affected people by checking out how they are doing.
-Keep a journal of your feelings.
-Do some feel-good things.
-Don't make big life changes now.
-Make daily decisions as best as possible, to keep control over your
life.
-Make a list of things that make your situation safe.
-If the symptoms from the traumatic event persist longer than six
weeks, seek professional counseling.
SOURCE: These were paraphrased from a handout provided by Common
Ground Sanctuary.
================================
--Stress Management, part #56
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, part three
There is a new treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
that shows promise. It's a combination of a medication called
prazosin plus a talk therapy called "dream revision."
The logic goes like this: Recurrent nightmares are very common in
PTSD, often related in some way with the traumatic event that spawned
the disorder. The idea is that if one can take away the nightmares,
the symptoms go away also.
The medication used, prazosin (Minipress), is an antihypertensive
medication. One of the things the medication can do is eliminate all
nightmares, even recurrent nightmares. The talk therapy component is
called dream revision or imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT). The dream
revison technique has four parts:
1. Write down the nightmare, as text.
2. Rescript the nightmare--give it a new script with a happy or
satisfying outcome or conclusion. Keep revising the script of the
nightmare until a happy outcome seems to work in a satisfactory way.
3. Memorize the revised nightmare script until it is fully in place
in your memory.
4. Go to sleep and see what happens. According to the expert named
below, one can usually find a dream revision that works.
One advantage of this technique is that a PTSD patient does not have
to be in direct contact with the trauma source, as is often the case
in the desensitization methods often used.
It is not stated in the article whether this technique is widely
available or if any peer-reviewed scientific research has been done on
the technique. One wonders though if it might help some folks with
this disorder, which experts admit is hard to treat. The medication
used is apparently affordable in its generic form.
SOURCE: Info and some wording from NAMI Advocate (Fall 2011),
publication of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill; article by
Bruce Dow, M.D.
==========================================
--Stress Management, part #57
Dr. Oz on Stress Management
Felt Stressed Lately?
Check out these data--
-40 percent of Americans say they lie awake at night because of stress.
-70 percent of Americans are stressed about work.
-$300 billion is the annual cost to businesses due to employee stress.
-76 percent of baby boomers are worried about money.
-56 percent of Americans are worried about their health.
Looks like a whole lot of people around you are stressed too.
The well known TV doctor--Dr. Oz-- recently published an article on
stress. He admitted that he still had "pre-game jitters" before the
taping of every program show. Dr. Oz reports that stressors around us
lead to a rush in our bodies of the stress hormone adreneline. This
adreneline then leads to the overproduction of another stress hormone
cortisol. Chronic stress, with the onslsught of massive amounts of
cortisol, go on to put an enormous starin on the heart.
There's more. Cortisol can make havoc with the brain. Recearch
recently pointed to the likelihood that cortisol negatively impacts of
the brain area called the hippocampus. This makes things particularly
difficult in that the hippocampus helps us respond to anxiety-filled
situations. And too, it appears that cortisol may supress
neurogenisis, the brain's capacity to generate and sustain new brain
cells.
So how do you turn off the cortisol?
Dr. Oz suggests a couple of methods, and one of them is exercise. The
exercise results in a short term increase on cortisol, but over time
it goes down and decreases anxiety and boosts neurogenesis.
People with exercise plans sometimes say "I need to get out and
exercise so that my endorphins will kick in." This works to get them
motivated on days they'd rather not exercise. Maybe they can also say
now--"I need to get out and exercise to shut down the cortisol that
all the stressful stuff is causing me; I don't want to deal with all
the lousy effects of the cortisol, so I'll break it up by jogging."
SOURCE: AARP Magazine (Sept. 2011), article by Dr. Mehmet Oz;
publication of the American Association of Retired Persons.
========================================
--Stress Management, part #58
--Hans Selye's Work on Stress
The next three editions will have description of three major research
scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the field of
stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter Cannon
(1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Hans Selye was born in Central Europe and did his groundbreaking work
at McGill University in Montreal and at the University of Montreal. He
was an endocrinologist in the field of biology, and was considered the
first person to demonstrate the existence of biological stress. He
did this with a research team of 40 assistants and laboratory work on
15,000 lab animals.
Selye developed the concept of the general adaptive syndrome and
introduced the idea of stress within it--stress being a term used
earlier in the field of engineering. What Selye saw in his lab animals
was that when noxious agents were introduced, the animals began a
syndrome of change--swelling of the adrenal cortex, atrophy of the
thymus, and gastric ulcers. The animals eventually died under these
continuous conditions. Selye called the noxious agents by the name
of stressors. Also, Selye began looking at the biological data on
human beings and concluded that this syndrome that existed in lab
animals also applied to people.
In the general adaptive syndrome, the presence of stressors produce
three steps in a row--the alarm state, the resistance state, and the
exhaustion state. Selye called negative stressors "distress" and
positive stressors "eustress." The body copes with stress through the
HPA aixs--the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. A pathological
state occurs when stress is unrelieved. These concepts were described
by Selye in his research. He also worked on the idea of reservoirs of
stress resistance and stress energy.
Hans Selye was nominated for the Nobel Prize and wrote two well-known
popular books on his work: The Stress of Life (1956) and Stress
without Distress (1974).
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikepedia
=======================================
--Stress Management, part #59
Walter Cannon's Work on Stress
In these three editions we are describing the work of three major
research scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the
field of stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter
Cannon (1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Walter Cannon was born in Wisconsin and did key work in the
physiology of stress at Harvard University, particularly in the area
of the "fight or flight response" when confronted with a stressor.
Once he arrived at Harvard as a student in the 1890s, he immediately
began working as a research assistant in the biology lab. He worked
there the rest of his life. After he graduated from Harvard, he was
hired to teach in the physiology department there--and as his career
there progressed he became the chairman of that department. He
published his first research paper in the very first edition of the
American Journal of Physiology .in the late 1890s.
He described his work until the age of 60 in four
categories--digestion studies (the same starting point as Hans Selye),
the bodily effects of emotional excitement, wound shock
investigations, and stable states of organisms.
In 1915, Cannon coined the term "fight or flight response" to describe
an animal's response to a threat. When a lab animal was confronted
with a stressor, it either ran from it or put up some resistance.
Cannon measured the bodily changes in these situations. Over time,
stress researchers came to the conclusion that human beings also have
such a fight or flight response to stressors. Also he was interested
in why people feel emotions and then take action based on them.
Cannon became deeply interested in the area of systems homeostasis in
the physiology of people and animals over periods of life. He was
interested in the functions that lead to s steady-state and a sense of
stable constancy in people. He was interested in how organized
self-government of one's life can lead to stability. He used the terms
sympathetic nervous system and autonomic nervous system common today
in the writings of stress experts.
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikipedia
========================================
--Stress Management, part #60
Herbert Benson's Work on Stress
In these three editions we are describing the work of three major
research scientists of the 20th century who had key impacts on the
field of stress management. They are Hans Selye (1907-1982), Walter
Cannon (1871-1945), and Herbert Benson (1935-present).
Herbert Benson, M.D., is a professor at the Harvard Medical School.
He developed a set of simple relaxation techniques that he called the
relaxation response. This method has become a major stress-buster and
a tool against anxiety..
Benson has become a pioneer in mind/body medicine, and was one of the
first Western physicians to see a role of spirituality and healing as
a having a place in medicine.
In the late 1960s, Benson was a medical researcher at Harvard. Some
folks with a background in mediation asked him to do physiological
research on them while meditating--to verify their claims that
profound peacefulness and reductions in body stress occurred during
meditation. Benson said okay, and to his great surprise, the claims
of stress reduction during meditation really were found to be true.
Heart rates and blood pressure went down. Peaceful alpha waves in the
brain went up. Respiratory rates went down. Muscle tension went down.
Sweat production went down. These could all be verified through the
wire hook-ups from the meditating research subjects and the
measurement machines in the Harvard labs.
Benson reported his results in the professional medical journals, but
took it a step further. He wrote a popular book called The Relaxation
Response, which let the public know about these findings and taught a
simple method of meditating. This method became known as an early
form of relaxation techniques. It is now a staple in the field of
stress management.
Over 5 million copies of Herbert Benson's books have been sold. The
relaxation response method is taught in most mental health and stress
reduction programs.
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica online edition 2011 and Wikipedia
========================
--Stress Management, part #61
More on Mindfulness Meditation
The former editor of O,the Oprah Magazine, Amy Gross, has written a
powerful endorsement article for mindfulness meditation in a recent
edition of Newsweek. She calls mindfulness meditation a "prescription
to end suffering," "a path to personal nirvana," a method that enables
one to be "less afraid of your own inner storms," and become a "little
saner, lighter, less entangled."
We've discussed mindfulness meditation as a stress management
techniques before here. I find secular and prayerful meditation
helpful, but mindfulness meditation is something I've never gotten the
hang of. It involves keeping a strong focus on the everyday things and
activities of life. Many people have reported amazing results with
this.
Ms. Gross now teaches mindfulness meditation in a program called
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, designed by pioneering biologist
Jon Kabat-Zinn. She reports that a majority of chronic pain sufferers
in an eight week meditation program were able to have reduction in
medications and fewer limits on their activities. She reports that
this form of meditation can be applied for both physical and emotional
pain.
Patients when they are by themselves can sit quietly and peacefully--
then some jerky thought pops into their heads, causing anger. The
patient's inner world then breaks into a riot. The meditators train
themselves to break down this anger. They focus on the sensations of
the anger and how lousy it feels. They stop telling themselves the
story about the thing that produced the anger. The anger then runs
out of fuel. This spells Relief! And, according to Ms. Gross, the
non-anger feels so good.
For folks who can get this method to work, the stress reduction
benefits would be terrific. Obviously.
SOURCE: Newsweek--Jan. 9, 2012
=======================
--Stress Management, part #62
Stress Overload from Modern Living
Andrew Weil, M.D., a well-known university-based health expert,
presented an article recently suggesting that the stresses connected
with modern-day living are a cause of much of today’s incidence of
clinical depression. He produces two bits of evidence. First
depression rates are much lower in less developed countries that do
not have the demands of modern living. Second, even in this country,
the Amish have much lower rates of depression--they live withour
modern conveniences and expectations.
Martin Seligman, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, was
studied the Old Order Amish. It turns out that they have a clinical
depression rate that is one tenth of that of other Americans. Says
Seligman--"There seems to be something about modern life that creates
a fertile soil for depression."
Stephen Ilardi, professor at the University of Kansas, states, "The
more 'modern' a society's way of life, the higher its rate of
depression. It may seem baffling, but the explanation is simple: the
human body was never designed for the modern postindustrial
environment."
Dr. Weil feels that its the unprecedented demands of modern life that
is resulting in this level of stress. He suggests five tips for
dealing with the stresses of modern life--
1. Mindfulness training--a type of mediation that increases a sense of
focus and concentration.
2. Sleep well and in complete darkness.
3. More social interaction--make it a priotity.
4. Avoid disturbing sounds--choose to listen to things that have a
positive effect on the mood; try to cultivate silence.
5. Reduce information overload--the computer and twitter-living may
need to be limited in order to well attend to the rest of your life.
Dr. Weil also suggests exercise, eating fish for omega-3 fatty acids,
and not dwelling on negative thoughts.
SOURCE: Newsweek--Nov. 7, 2011
===============================
--Stress Management, part #63
Stress and Introversion
People generally know the difference between introverts and
extroverts. There is also a middle ground called ambiverts.
Researchers report that introverts make up about 30 percent of the
population, the remaining 70 percent of the temperament spectrum are
extroverts and ambiverts. So a minority of people are really deeply
inward.
It turns out that introverts tend to be highly reactive to events
around them. It's much easier for them to seek quiet environments.
Stressful stuff seem to bother them more. Also it appears the the
introvert temperament appears to be inborn or inherited.
An interesting study came out of Harvard in 1989, by researcher Jerome
Kagan. Some 500 infants about 4 months old were exposed to loud
noises, the smell of alcohol, bright colors, and so on. About 20
percent of the infants reacted strongly to the stimuli--crying and
pumping their arms. About 40 percent of the infants were pretty quiet,
and the other 40 percent fell in between. Those who had the strong
reaction were categorized as "highly reactive." Kagan brought these
study subjects back into the lab many years later and discovered that
the highly reactive babies largely turned into more inhibited,
introverted teenagers.
One expert has suggested that introverts tend to have a lower
threshold for stimulation. Many respond by limiting their exposure.
Some call it "shutting down." Whereas, the extroverts often seek out
excitement and more stimuli--some are almost addicted to commotion.
The original highly reactive subjects in the Harvard study were later
given brain imaging experiments, where they were shown pictures of
unfamiliar faces. When contrasted to the extroverts, the introverts
had brain images in which their amygdale lit up. The amygdale is part
of the brain that processes fearful feelings. This might suggest that
the brain is involved in an introvert reaction of caution and guarded
response.
One can easily speculate that introverts just want less stress.
Inversely, extroverts often run towards unstable situations. An
introvert might really like books, while an extrovert might be bored
to death at even the thought of a book. Different reactions to
stress?
SOURCE: Time magazine, Feb. 6, 1012
=======================
--Stress Management, part #64
Stress and Introversion, part two
About 30 percent of folks are introverts, inward sort of people.
Introverts, along with being more quiet, are often more cautious,
inhibited, and fearful. Stressful situations can bring these traits on
noticeably. Not good? Well, sometimes these traits are really kind of
helpful. Extroverts are bigger risk-takers--which is often more
exciting to them, but also leaves them more open to difficulties or
collateral damage. Northwestern University scientists have found that
there may even be a dopamine-regulating gene in our system that comes
to play in this willingness to take risks. Introverts are more
inclined in stressful situations to be circumspect and lower their
damage exposure.
Researchers at Florida State University have found that deliberate
practice in solitude is key to achieving a transcendent skill.
Introverts are better at this kind of thing. Learning to play a
musical instrument is this way. Virtuosity comes from solitary
practicing with the instrument
Another matter of stress and introversion has to do with office
environments. According to Time magazine, 70 percent of office workers
work in open office plans. This mean cubicles and the like. Very
little separation for folks. Introverts would find this less
comfortable, on average. And too, since 1970 the cubicle areas have
been getting smaller--reducing from 500 sq. feet per person to the 200
sq. feet for person space of today. More stress for introverts, who
are more private.
Harvard psychologists have come up with a concept called Free Trait
Theory, to help understand how introverts and extroverts navigate
their local worlds in getting what they want. An introvert, for
instance, may act out of character to achieve a personal goal.
According to the theory, we have "fixed bits of personality" and we
work with three different personal identities. We all have wishes,
desires, and goals. We all have things that stand in the way of
getting these sorts of wants. We balance our identities to move
towards our goals.
The three identities are our biological identity, our sociogenic
identity, and our ideogenic identity. The biological identity is our
inborn traits like looks, intelligence, or introversion vs.
extroversion. The sociogenic identity is the expectations on us
presented by our culture, family, and religion. Our ideogenic identity
is our combination of desires and sense of what matters. An introvert
might decide that he wants to spend the rest of his life in a
university environment. But to do this, he may have to learn enough
public speaking skills to stand in front of a class and teach the
material he has mastered. A balancing act of identities can occur in
situations like this. Goal-seeking can be stressful.
SOURCE: Time magazine (2-6-12)
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