Stress Less

[Alastair]

PainSupport eNewsletter

Stress-Less

Stress! How often do we say "I'm stressed out" ?! Or "I can't take the stress any longer"?!

I'm sure we have all experienced stress from time to time - often because it goes hand-in-hand with pain. When the pain increases or when we become anxious or concerned about our situation, we become stressed. The stress increases muscle tension and floods your body with adrenaline which, unfortunately, increases your pain levels even more. And so we get into a vicious circle situation -

Pain>Anxiety>Stress Symptoms>More Pain....

The physical symptoms of stress can be unpleasant as well as exhausting. The symptoms can be weak feelings in your legs, increased pain, headaches, churning stomach, skin rashes, palpitations, shortness of breath, lack of energy, general feelings of being unwell.

Worst of all stress saps your energy and reduces your ability to cope with the pain and your life.

You can see from this just how important it is to have a
few 'Tool Box� tips to reduce stress and muscle tension.
These techniques will help to reduce your pain, and for you to feel more
comfortable and in control.

Stress Triggers
Stress isn't only caused by pain. We all have our own personal triggers which cause the adrenaline of the stress response to be released. Think back and find out what your stress triggers are. They can be anything at all, for example:

Being late for an appointment.
Losing something.
Upsetting or breaking something.
Having an argument.
Children misbehaving.
Getting anxious, angry, depressed, jealous, regrets about the past/future.
Pain flare-ups.
Your computer playing up.
The telephone - ringing, or not ringing.
Etc. etc...

Stress-reducing Techniques
There are many ways to reduce stress, such as...

Smiling!
Correct diaphragmatic breathing.
Relaxation sessions.
Visualisation.
Meditation.
Learning to replace negative thinking with more positive, constructive thoughts.
Having fun, being happy.
Exercising.
Learning to accept the situation that causes the stress - or finding new ways to deal with it.
Being involved in interesting activities and projects.
Appreciating nature.
Playing with your children or pets.


Try this now to reduce stress immediately...

Stop what you're doing. Breathe gently, but deeply, right down into your abdomen. On the out-breath, say to yourself,
"Be calm. Be peaceful."
Repeat a couple of times until you feel calmer.

When you're rushed, say to yourself,
"There's plenty of time. Be calm."

When things don't go your way, say to yourself something along the lines of,
"Everything is happening perfectly. It will all work out for the best. There will be plenty more opportunities. Thinking calmly and rationally about it will help me to think of new ideas and ways forward."

and/or

"OK, you feel bad at the moment, but it will pass."



Remember the PainSupport motto...

Focus on what you can do not what you can't.



TOOL KIT - If you liked this idea why not keep it in your Tool Kit notebook or folder of self-help pain relief methods. If you haven't started one yet, why not keep a special notebook or folder as your Tool Kit to remind you of techniques and skills for coping with pain. Your Tool Kit is especially useful when pain flares up. It will help prevent panic and fear and give you constructive ideas to focus upon.



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WORDS OF WISDOM
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"Don't cry because it's over...smile because it happened."
--- Author Unknown

"If you don't like something change it. If you can't
change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
-- Maya Angelou, Author


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AND FINALLY...
More doctor jokes
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Man goes to the doctor with a strawberry growing out of his head. The doctor says: "I'll give you some cream to put on it."

A man goes to the doctor and says "Doctor, there's a piece of lettuce sticking out of my bottom." The doctor asks him to drop his trousers and examines him. The man asks, "Is it serious, doctor?" and the doctor replies, "I'm sorry to tell you but this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice?"

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Keep smiling!

I hope you find the above ideas useful. If you would like more information on any of the items above plus more ideas for pain relief, please go to the website below or contact me for details of my CDs, tapes and books which contains many more methods for relaxation, pain and stress relief.

Jan at PainSupport
www.painsupport.co.uk

Please note that stress symptoms are also similar to some of the symptoms of some other illnesses, so it's always best to have yourself checked out by a doctor.