What ways to deal with stress are there? Let's figure it out together with a psychotherapist

What criteria indicate that a person is experiencing stress?

American futurist Raymond Kurzweil, in his book “The Singularity is Near,” writes that the surge in technological development that we have seen in recent decades has caused an acceleration of progress in all areas.
The world is becoming less and less predictable. Technological breakthroughs have also occurred in medicine. For example, neurophysiology has ceased to be exclusively an area of scientific interest and is rapidly becoming part of clinical practice. The tasks of medicine in the modern world have also changed. A modern person wants to be physically and psychologically healthy, wants to maintain a high quality of life and the ability to enjoy life, be flexible, cope with stress, quickly comprehend complex problems and make decisions in conditions of uncertainty. Adaptive medicine combines modern diagnostic techniques, preventive and therapeutic measures to increase a person’s adaptive capabilities and control stress. STRESS IS A NATURAL NON-SPECIFIC REACTION OF THE ORGANISM TO ANY EVENT THAT COME INTO OUR LIFE. THIS REACTION IS OFTEN CALLED GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME.

The body adapts to stress factors, trying to restore and maintain internal balance - a whole cascade of physiological processes occurs that combat the stressor. Stress reactions help us cope with difficulties every day and are very useful.

However, everything has its limits. Resources for adaptation to a stressful environment are depleted when the body is exposed to a stressor for too long or the stressor is too intense. The consequences of excessive stress affect almost the entire body, primarily the central nervous system, neuroendocrine and immune systems, and specific target organs of stress (digestive, cardiovascular system, and others).

For example, X-Clinic has a quick diagnostic procedure that will help you determine the state of the systems involved in the reaction to a stressor - “neuroenergometry”, or stress resistance research. In five minutes we get a computer analysis of heart rate variability and brain DC potential (direct current potential - constant slow-wave activity).

The scope of the examination must be determined together with your doctor. In modern conditions, it is optimal to undergo annual check-up programs, which allow you to assess the condition of all organs and systems and timely identify changes in condition. We offer a comprehensive basic and advanced program for men and women.

Of the laboratory methods for identifying high levels of stress, first of all, it should be noted the determination of the level of steroid hormones contained in saliva - cortisol and DHEA, which take part in the neuroendocrine mechanisms of the development of stress, as well as reflecting the stages of its course and the adaptive capabilities of the body. In addition, it is very important to identify an imbalance of neurotransmitters (adrenaline, norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine) - special substances that regulate our behavior, mood, activity, libido, ability to relax and provide good quality sleep. The vitamin and antioxidant profile and the level of amino acids, the most important components involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, hormones and signaling molecules, are also examined.

How does stress develop?

But when stress occurs too often or exceeds the body’s capabilities, it begins to weaken and lose strength.
It can even lead to serious illness. three phases in the development of stress :

mobilization of the body's defenses and resources to combat the stress factor. At this stage, hormones are released that give a boost of energy;
confrontation - searching for a way out of the situation. The body tries to return to normal functioning due to hormonal changes;
exhaustion – with prolonged exposure to traumatic circumstances, the body loses the ability to resist, adapt and becomes vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.

The severity of each stage depends on the individual characteristics of the person, his state of health, type of temperament, character.

How do you know when to see a doctor?

The goal of the stress response is to adapt to life events and return, physiologically and psychologically, to its original state. If usually it was enough for you to change your environment for a couple of days, add spa treatments or massages, streamline your sleep, but now this does not help, your performance decreases or new symptoms appear, your mood changes, anxiety appears, sleep is disturbed, your appetite decreases or increases, If your resistance to colds decreases, if you have problems with the cardiovascular or digestive systems, or if any other symptoms appear, you should definitely consult a doctor. However, it is important to note that in modern conditions it is inappropriate to test the strength of your adaptation systems and wait for them to become exhausted and for complaints to appear. The goal of adaptive medicine is to increase resistance to stress factors, identify maladaptive reactions, and prevent the formation of stress-related disorders. Talk to your doctor and find your own program to keep your stress response systems in optimal condition.

Relieving stress: advice from a psychologist

In order to relieve stress, you need to be able to recognize, accept and deal with its causes:

Try to react less to minor irritants.
Look at the problem as a challenge, a way to become better, more experienced.
Accept the things you cannot control.
Surround yourself with people with a positive attitude who look at the glass and claim it is half full.
Breathe more in the fresh air, do yoga, read a motivational book.
Go in for sports, then you will not have time for bad thoughts, plus improve your memory and health.
Get enough sleep, listen to rhythmic music and spend time with loved ones.
Give yourself a hobby.

What methods of dealing with stress are used in clinics?

Modern science has a whole arsenal of neurotherapeutic techniques to normalize the body’s condition, reduce anxiety and restore internal balance.
To combat stress, clinics often use water procedures, baths, and thalassotherapy. All this, of course, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, but often this is not enough. In cases where all non-drug treatment options have been exhausted (bioacoustic correction, audiovisual stimulation, low-frequency vibration therapy, nutritional correction of deficiency conditions, herbal medicine, psychotherapeutic techniques, and so on), doctors prescribe medications to normalize the psycho-emotional state.

There are intravenous cocktails of drugs that improve cerebral circulation, optimize metabolic processes in the brain, increase energy production in its cells, improve the conductivity of nerve fibers, which improves the condition of the brain and helps correct stress conditions.

With the help of biofeedback, you can learn to control the state of your brain - neurofeedback training is carried out for this. Or the method of audiovisual stimulation is a technology for synchronizing brain rhythms with an audiovisual signal to relax, improve sleep or, conversely, stimulate creativity and increase activity.

Xenon therapy (inhalation of a mixture of medical xenon with oxygen) has shown its effectiveness in treating anxiety conditions and chronic pain syndromes, as well as in increasing the resistance of the central nervous system to stress.

Transcranial electrotherapy techniques are very effective - electrosleep, transcranial or mesodiencephalic modulation. It is important to understand that the listed neurotherapeutic techniques are selected individually by the doctor and must be combined with body procedures - massage, cryotherapy and, if indicated, drug therapy.

Signs of the effects of stressful situations

The influence of stress manifests itself in many ways. It is important to identify them in time to prevent the condition from worsening.

Sudden local pain in the abdomen or head.
Influxes of weakness, apathy and depression.
Increased emotional arousal, inability to calm down quickly.
Frequent smoking and drinking alcohol.
Memory impairment and slow reactions.
The need to go to the toilet frequently.

These points indicate that stress is already having too much of a negative impact on you. If you have such signs, you should think about how to get rid of the tension that has arisen. Moreover, this must be done quickly, avoiding complications at the psychological level.

What other procedures affect the state of the brain?

The brain is the central control system.
The first and fastest link in any stress response is the perception and assessment of the threat by the brain, which determines the type of response to the stressor. Once the brain has identified a situation as threatening, it takes direct control of the endocrine, immune, cardiovascular and digestive systems through complex communication networks: hormones, neurotransmitters, chemicals associated with the immune system. Chronic post-stress disorders are associated primarily with dysregulation of the central nervous system (CNS), which occurs after stress and leads to changes throughout the body. A stable, but no longer capable of adaptation, system is formed with a central link in the central nervous system and peripheral links in other organs.

What is stress and where does it come from?

We are accustomed to perceiving stress as something negative, but in fact it is simply a reaction of the body, a response to overstrain, strong emotions, both positive and with a negative connotation. In this condition, the hormone adrenaline is actively produced, forcing a person to think about the situation and look for a way out of it. Causes of stress can be :

conflicts with colleagues, relatives, friends;
dissatisfaction with yourself, your achievements or appearance;
constant lack of money, debts;
routine lifestyle without vacation, proper rest;
illness or death of a loved one;
job loss;
loneliness.

Recently, stressful conditions have often developed against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. This is caused by a constant fear of getting sick, a strong concern for loved ones, and the inability to maintain the usual way of life.

Diagnostics and therapeutic procedures

That is why modern medical anti-stress programs must necessarily include diagnostic techniques and a set of therapeutic procedures to restore the state of the brain. You should always start with diagnosis - it is important to determine what kind of dysregulation of the central nervous system a person has. The rapid development of neuroscience (primarily neurophysiology) has made it possible to study deep physiological mechanisms, explaining from a scientific perspective the formation of stress-related disorders.

Genetics

Scientists have proven that stress resistance is transmitted to a person at the genetic level. Some can easily get out of any situation, while remaining almost completely calm. Others are thrown into panic even by the simplest situation. Such differences make it impossible for all people to use the same stress management techniques.

Some gene variants suggest that destructive consequences develop too quickly. People with this heredity should avoid irritants at all costs. The functioning of our nervous system depends entirely on the genes that we inherited from our ancestors.

Brain mapping

For these purposes, we use advanced functional brain mapping, which allows us to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain and create a 3D map of the most significant changes. In some cases, especially if sleep disorders come to the fore, it is necessary to conduct a computer somnography, that is, to study night sleep. Based on the results of the diagnostics, the doctor will select an individual neurotherapeutic recovery program. At X-Clinic we have selected the best methods that have been created in the world to restore the psycho-emotional state and increase resistance to stress.

Symptoms and signs of stress

There are a number of symptoms that
appear in most people who find themselves in a state of stress. Physiologically this manifests itself in:

a sharp drop or, conversely, an increase in pressure;
attacks of chills or fever;
increased sweating;
dizziness;
digestive disorders;
significant weight gain or loss;
muscle hypertonicity and tremor (shaking).

Headaches, pain in the stomach and back often occur, and rashes similar to allergic ones may appear. Stress is accompanied by loss of sleep and appetite .

Do the oxygen capsules that are so popular in Japan really work?

Such capsules were first created in Japan, but now they are appearing all over the world - not only in medical institutions, but even in fitness centers.
The procedure is called normobaric oxygenation. A higher concentration of oxygen is created in the oxygen capsule - 30% (oxygen content in atmospheric air is almost 21%) with a minimal increase in pressure (1.1–1.5 ATA). During the session, organs and tissues are enriched with oxygen. According to modern research, 30 minutes in such a capsule is equal to 24 hours in a pine forest. The procedure has a powerful neuroprotective effect, helps neutralize the effects of hypoxia of various natures, including after a Covid-19 infection, and increases the body’s adaptive capabilities.

Types of reactions to stressful situations

There are several types of reactions to stressful situations:

aggressiveness, fits of anger;
causeless irritability;
panic attacks;
sleep problems;
touchiness, tearfulness, self-pity.

Stressors trigger a range of emotional and physical responses in the body. Long-term experiences have a detrimental effect on human health; they turn into depression, apathy, and neurosis. A safe way out of stress is to show emotions, but some situations require the intervention of a specialist.

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The accumulation of negative experiences manifests itself on the physical level:

headache;
fatigue;
chest pain;
dry mouth;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
increased or decreased appetite;
nervous tics, stuttering.

When external manifestations of stress dissipate, then all physical indicators return to a stable level. And with prolonged exposure, they develop into chronic conditions and form diseases.

Is there a special diet to combat stress?

There is such a thing as “stress eating,” and most often the choice falls on not the healthiest food.
However, knowing which foods can reduce stress levels, we can protect ourselves from extra pounds or other related problems. Such products are meat, seaweed, chicken eggs, seafood (clams, mussels, oysters), fatty fish, herbs and vegetables (chard, parsley, garlic, broccoli) and berries such as blueberries. Herbal teas will also help reduce stress levels - chamomile (calms and improves sleep) and matcha (contains L-theanine, an amino acid with powerful anti-stress properties).

Evening yoga for stress

If you like yoga, two simple poses will allow you to achieve complete relaxation and help you calm down after a busy day.

Pose 1 . Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Place your hands on your knees. Try to focus all your attention on the pose you have taken. The base of the spine should be as close to the floor as possible, and the head should be raised high. Imagine that your spine is stretching.
Pose 2 . Lying on your back with your legs wide apart, place your hands, palms up, about 15 cm from your torso. Slowly rotate your limbs, first outward, then inward. Turn your head from side to side. Imagine that your legs are separated at the knee joints, that your head is separated from your shoulders. Breathe with your stomach, imagine that you are being pressed to the floor by the force of gravity and with each inhalation it becomes stronger and stronger.

How to get out of anxiety on your own?

In cases of panic and anxiety, breathing exercises are widely used—most often, experts recommend diaphragmatic breathing, square breathing, or four-count breathing. These are all different options for breathing exercises that allow you to reduce anxiety and tension here and now. It is advisable to practice breathing before a stressful situation occurs. The mechanism is simple: deeper and rarer breathing allows you to normalize signals coming from peripheral organs to the brain and interrupt the acute stress reaction.

Speaking of other daily exercises that help reduce anxiety, let's analyze how much physical activity has decreased recently. Remote work, cars and other types of transport, online communication - all this makes us less mobile every day. Moreover, any physical activity has a whole list of beneficial effects - from switching attention and distraction to training the cardiovascular system and normalizing the psycho-emotional state (for example, due to the release of dopamine). Incorporating moderate-intensity physical activity, preferably one that you enjoy, is a good way to increase your resistance to stress. In this context, it doesn’t matter what you choose - dancing, cycling or the gym - all this with regular exercise (at least three to four times a week) will give the desired effect.

Source: https://www.glamour.ru/story/kakie-sposoby-borby-so-stressom-sushestvuyut-razbiraemsya-vmeste-s-vrac…

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Exercises to relieve stress

These exercises help relieve muscle tension and improve your emotional state. Thanks to this, they promote restful and sound sleep. And good sleep is the key to good morning well-being, good health and beauty.

Exercise 1 . Sit on the floor with your legs wide apart. Look at your left foot. Place the palm of your right hand on your left side. Taking a deep breath, raise your left hand, exhaling, move it to the right. Repeat the exercise with your right hand.
Exercise 2 . Bend one leg under you. Exhaling, bend towards the extended leg, trying to reach its foot as much as possible. Repeat the exercise, changing legs.
Exercise 3 . Lying on your back, pull your legs bent at the knees to your chest, clasping them with both hands. To better stretch and relax your muscles, gently rock back and forth.
Exercise 4 . Lying on your back, cross your left leg bent at the knee over your right and press it to the floor with your right hand. Repeat the exercise, changing legs.

Rehabilitation after prolonged stressful situations

In order to calm down after a stressful situation on your own, you need to bring more vivid emotions into your life, change your way of thinking, and try to look for the positive around you. Even unfavorable events can be the beginning of something new and good:

Healthy lifestyle . Physical activity, walks in the fresh air, proper sleep and nutrition, regulation of stress at work and at home, healthy relationships in the family - all this is the key to internal comfort, health of body and spirit.
Vitamins. Proper food implies a sufficient amount of nutrients, microelements and vitamins. You need to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. On store shelves you can now find a lot of superfoods that promote proper metabolism and improve the body’s protective functions. In a healthy body, the psyche is more protected from adverse influences and is resistant to stress.
Rest. Alternating periods of work and relaxation is extremely important. It is necessary to change activities. Rest will help relieve excess stress. The main thing is not to think about work during rest, just as you should not think about home during the work process. It is important to remember that hard work does not bring benefits, as does absolute inaction. Excessive physical fatigue leads to psychological fatigue, which is already fraught with stress. Everything should be in moderation.
Full sleep . Nothing restores strength like healthy sleep. It is important to go to bed before 23:00. At this time, hormones necessary for the normal functioning of the body are produced, growth and restoration of cells and tissues occurs. Lack of night rest negatively affects the functioning of all organs. Healthy sleep is the key to vigor, energy, and physical health.
Hobbies. It is important for a person to do what he loves. It relaxes, brings pleasure, helps to organize thoughts, get rid of problems, and find inner balance, even though you need to spend time on a hobby. It is a rested brain that will quickly find solutions to existing problems and tell you how to get rid of negativity.
Physical exercise . Systematic physical activity will relieve adrenaline and allow you to relax. Outdoor sports activities will help normalize breathing and enrich internal organs with oxygen. A morning jog in nature will ensure the production of happiness hormones and will have a positive effect on your mood and energize you.

Get rid of things that waste your time

Can you list the five things that take up the most time during the day? Do you know why you are doing these things in the first place? For example, if you are “surfing on the Internet,” then think about the reason. Perhaps you are trying to cope with anxiety or boredom? Do you constantly check email to feel the need?

Perhaps you find it difficult to concentrate on the work you are doing because it is too difficult? Or is surfing the Internet generally pointless? Maybe you're looking in the wrong places when trying to make meaningful connections on social media? If so, try to find a way to satisfy such basic needs in a more constructive way, or limit the time you spend on them.

Treatment of chronic stress

To get rid of the manifestations of chronic stress, the patient, as a rule, goes through a long journey. The success of a set of treatment measures is guaranteed only with the participation of a psychiatrist. Getting rid of this problem on your own is very difficult, and in most cases, impossible.

Treatment of symptoms of chronic stress and all consequences of the disease is achieved by:

drug influence. The medications must be selected by a doctor. Depending on the prevailing complaints, therapy can be carried out with a group of antidepressants. These drugs are indicated in the treatment of chronic stress and depression. Insomnia and anxiety with fears are removed with tranquilizers. In a later period, CNS stimulants are indicated. It is important that all prescriptions are made by the doctor, and that the patient strictly and strictly follow them;
An effective and proven method of acupuncture is based on the impact of special needles in the area of bioactive points. It causes reflex reactions that have a healing effect on the central nervous system. This result can be achieved with more modern laser treatment of points, electropuncture.
psychotherapy. This type of treatment can be called basic. It should be used at all stages of therapeutic intervention.

Initially, when removing patients from severe conditions, the emphasis is on hypnotherapy, in which the active participation of the patient is minimal. As healing progresses, psychiatrists use methods that require the active work of the person being healed. Methods of rational mental therapy gradually break established pathological connections, allowing the recovering person to reassess past and current events and look at them in a new way. A person gets the opportunity to see his own psychological mistakes and methods for self-elimination. This form of psychotherapy is very effective. An obligatory component of psychotherapy is teaching the patient techniques of auto-training (self-hypnosis). Especially the skills of relaxation and self-soothing. They will be useful to him for preventive purposes, preventing the development of a stress reaction.

Treatment of chronic stress should be accompanied by physical (sports) exercise. The basic rule is a gradual increase in the rhythm and strength of the exercises, as well as their regularity. All these activities necessarily lead a person to healing from the illness that oppresses him.

The text was checked by medical experts: Head of the socio-psychological service of the Alkoklinik MC, psychiatrist-narcologist L.A. Serova.

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Useless Beliefs

Often the cause of our mistakes is our fixed thoughts and beliefs. For example, you have been told all your life that you need to work in your specialty. One fine day, you stopped questioning this thought, believed in it, and now stick to a job you don’t like because it fits your belief.

Steady thoughts often work in tandem with controlling emotions. In a work situation, this could be a fear of helplessness or loneliness. The brain builds a logical chain: “If I quit, I won’t be able to find a new job, I’ll be poor, lonely and useless.”

If you notice that your actions are guided by a categorical statement (you cannot argue with your elders, even if they are wrong; you need to start a family before the age of 30, etc.), first of all, think about where it came from. Why did you believe him? Does it benefit or harm you? How would your life be different if this belief changed?

Try to “reprogram” yourself - instead of “you need to work in your specialty,” say “it’s nice to work in an area where I’m good.” Sometimes this alone is enough to decide to learn a new profession and radically change the type of activity.

Do it right the first time

How many times after a meeting have you thought that you were given clear objectives, only to find out that you did not do what was expected of you? It's annoying! Try the following method. Get the instructions you need before you walk out the door. First, imagine the measures you will need to take when you return to your workplace. Then ask questions that you think you will encounter as you complete the assignment.

Sometimes managers do not very clearly formulate the tasks that they set for their subordinates. For example: Does your manager require concise or detailed data analysis? By year or by month? Who else should I send a copy of the report to? Before you dive headfirst into your work, take stock of everything you've heard and think about how you plan to complete the task at hand. Then ask for confirmation. This will help you prepare everything you need and avoid unnecessary work.

Does your manager or clients have seven Fridays a week? Then you can do the following. Help them think about the situation and “play out” several options for its development. This way they won’t have to come back to think about it later and change their mind. You can, for example, say: “We tried this last time, and it turned out like this... Perhaps this time we should try a different method to avoid such unintended consequences?”

Tame your email

People often complain that too much email sucks up their time and mental energy. I turned to Claire Dolan, vice president of Oracle Corporation, for advice. She revolutionized the way her company used email, helping her employees achieve significant clarity in their thinking when completing work tasks.

Dolan explained, “Most people can't function at their best if they receive 100 emails a day. I asked my employees to remember that email is just another method of communication, in other words, it is not “the work itself”! My team responded to my announcement by being more selective with their email communications. They began to communicate with each other and discuss solutions to problems without clogging up their email inbox. After this, our productivity increased, and our employees themselves now experience less stress.”

Unless you're in a customer service role where your responsibilities involve responding to emails in real time, set aside regular time to check your inbox instead of making email your default screen. Let everyone know what time you check your email and when they can expect a response from you.

We discussed several ways to improve efficiency. You can try using one of the presented strategies for about a week until you get the hang of it, or choose the ones that appeal to you most (don’t try to remember and implement everything at once).

Plan and prepare for meetings

How do you schedule meetings?
Basically, is there any free time left in your work schedule? This approach cannot be called targeted. The following tips may be helpful whether you plan the meeting yourself or have it planned for you. If you need to have a meeting, stop for a moment and ask yourself a few questions. For example: what should my contribution be? Who else will participate and who can help prepare it? If the meeting is not directly related to your goals, consider whether you should decline the invitation or simply ask for a summary of the agenda and decisions made.

Clarify whether the meeting is dedicated to various topics or only to issues within your area of expertise. In the first case, find out if you can attend only the part of the meeting that directly concerns your work. Find out if you can use a conference call or send someone else to the meeting instead of you.

When you schedule a meeting in your work schedule, immediately set aside time to prepare for it and then review the results. When you are leading a meeting, you must have a clear agenda: you must understand the purpose of each participant's presence and end the meeting as soon as the goals have been achieved.

Negative emotions

If your behavior is triggered by a strong negative emotion (fear of becoming helpless, losing control of the situation, etc.), it is best to seek help from a specialist. It will help solve the problem in just two or three sessions. But if this is not possible, then it’s worth working on your own.

Knowing what emotion drives your behavior can help you understand how to change it. At the same time, you cannot ignore your feelings or suppress them - the consequences will be more serious than at the start. The thing is that our brain is excellent at masking a problem and finding convenient rational arguments for it.

For example, a jealous husband in his heart completely justifies his behavior by the fact that his wife behaves too uninhibitedly and herself gives reasons for jealousy. But in reality, he is driven by the fear of loneliness and helplessness. He is afraid of feeling hurt in the future and being abandoned, so he tries to gain maximum control over his partner.