How to cope with your chronic stress in a natural way

Unlike ordinary stress, chronic stress is a dangerous condition that can affect the health of your mind and body. The most ideal way to deal with chronic stress is to address its underlying cause. When a person starts experience sickness because of too much or longstanding stress it is imperative for him to go to a doctor as soon as possible. There are specific treatments to treat stress and the conditions it causes. However, if you know how to handle your stress by adapting new reactions to stressful situations, you may attain peace of mind and be able to live a happier, healthier and, god-willing, longer life. Counseling can do wonders in helping alleviate stress and help the person calm down and relax. Medications such as Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, Elavil and Effexor XR among others may also prove helpful but opting for alternative and natural remedies such as acupuncture may prove a much better solution than these drugs.

The treatment of chronic or episodic acute stress may involve a number of interventions usually needing professional help. The course of treatment may take months to complete and since the harmful kinds of stress accumulate over time, the treatment may also take time to complete. Some behaviors you may have that causes you to easily stress need to be modified.  Some of the most commonly used types of stress management strategies can involve a combination of the following:

Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to remove stress in the body and mind.  You can do an aerobic exercise regularly, which may simply entail a brisk walk to lower the stress hormone levels in your blood. You can exercise half an hour a day or pace yourself by doing two 15-minute sessions each day. You need not do it everyday but at least three times a week. Start slowly and when your body gets used to it you can slowly add more minutes and routines to your exercise.  You need not jog; walking is good enough exercise when dealing with stress.

Lifestyle
The cure for stress definitely includes a sweeping appraisal of your lifestyle especially regarding your financial conditions, study or work, family and social life.  A person burdened with stress needs to identify the stressors in his life and endeavor to resolve them. 

Lifestyle changes can be as simple as giving yourself more free time, pampering your body with massage or traditional Chinese medicine options like herbal remedies and acupuncture, eating nutritious foods and exercising. Meditation can also be an excellent method for relaxation. Some useful tips to avoid stress include:

Stop taking stimulants
Believe in yourself more (more self optimism)
Stop worrying about things that are beyond your control
Do not over commit or over schedule
Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet
Get adequate sleep
Build up healthy friendships
Participate in hobbies, social events or sports
Prepare for stressful events
Rectify conflicts with other people
Set reachable and targets at work and at home
Be a proactive problem solver
Always view changes in life as for the good and as a normal part of life rather than a threat
Deem problems and setbacks as temporary and doable

Psychotherapy

One of the conventional methods of stress therapy in the West involves psychotherapy or professional counseling whose foundation is grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy.  Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a reliable way to transform negative behavior patterns and responses into desirable ones. It is very important that you go to a professional psychotherapist who will teach you cognitive-behavioral coping skills that will help you easily identify your stressors in life and help you properly manage these stressors. Some of the things you learn during CBT include:

Modifying your responses to stress
Knowing activities that lower your stress level during the day
Knowing the things that help balance the stressors that cannot be eliminated
Restructuring your priorities
Knowing the sources of stress

Relaxation techniques

One of the best ways to "kill" stress is to do or undergo certain activities that help stimulate the production and release of natural chemicals in the body responsible for calmness and relaxation. These chemicals called endorphins among others provide the body’s natural antidote to stress. This is called the relaxation response and it is the body’s way to give you soothing calmness and a great sense of well-being. The body can produce endorphins through simple breathing exercises and these exercises can come in handy when you’re in the midst of stressful situations.  You need to give time to help your body and mind relax with activities that are enjoyable and calming.  These can be bathing to relax your body, spending time with your pet, indulging in a hobby or reading a good book. Listed below are a few of the suggested techniques that can help you feel calm, happy and relaxed:

Acupuncture
Visualization
Passive stretches
Muscle relaxation
Meditation
EMG or electromyographic biofeedback
Deep and slow breathing
Yoga