| 1. | Changing the actual situation |
 | a) getting help
b) letting go and doing less
c) re-organising
d) avoiding the stressful situation |
 | Think of a situation where this could help – and write down an example. |
2. |
Changing perception of demands and coping ability |
| a) Positive self talk (I am clever, good, happy, not bothered, do I care? etc – do this for long enough and your brain will believe it. |
| b) Awaiting 'catastrophes'. If the worst really happens – so what? What is the most awful thing that could result. Would it be the end of the world if it did happen? |
| c) Avoiding 'shoulds', 'musts' and 'oughts'. We just put extra pressure on ourselves. We do our best – we are not perfect. |
| d) Combine self-righteousness. The 'it couldn't happen to me – I'm too good'. Because when it does, the fall is terrible. The 'there but for fortune goes I' approach to others is much less stressful. Why build up a person of perfection – none of us are. All of us have problems and skeletons in the cupboard that we would rather others did not know about. |
| Think of a situation where looking at life from another angle could help. Can you write this down. |
3. |
Changing behaviour |
| · Healthy eating (no more comfort eating (except the odd choccie bar for old times sake!) eat fresh produce, fruit salads, veggies and drink pints of water to make your body feel better and de-toxed. |
| · Cut down on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. A real catch 29 situation thus as we feel that we need to drink or a cigarette to cope. But, actually, for the larger term this is making things worse. Cut down – don't necessarily stop – but let your body take control of itself again. |
| · Taking enjoyable exercise. Always a problem when we feel too wretched and ill to move from the house. Any exercise and dancing madly to music, running up and down stairs, walking briskly to steps will help relieve your body of stress. |
| · Have enough rest. Lack of sleep is destructive – it makes us feel that we cannot cope. Sleep when you can and rest properly when you can't. |
| · Having creative hobbies and interests. Take your mind off yourself and think of something else. Then your body will stop being so paranoid that it is about to be launched into a crisis. The less you think about yourself – the better you will feel. So – do something where you can just enjoy yourself. |
| · Practising relaxation – now here's a good idea. It is possible to fool both body and brain into thinking that danger has passed and that all is well – even when it isn't. This is done through relaxation. |
4 |
Benefits of Relaxation |
| · A simple and effective way of reducing the stress response |
| · Increases self awareness of effects of stress on body and mind |
| · Reduces fatigue by increasing awareness of inappropriate muscle tension |
| · Increases confidence in ability to deal with feelings of anxiety, stress and panic |
| · Can improve personal relationships |
| · Helps promote sleep |
| · Provides an alternative to drugs (prescribed and non-prescribed) |
| Think of how you could change your behaviour in order to help manage stress. Which of the above would you choose, and why. How will you go about making the changes do you need help and support or can you do it yourself. Do you know where to go?
Write down your thoughts on all of this. |