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The Science of Stress Management

www.StressManagementCoaching.co.uk

What is Stress?Response to external threatPicked up by sensesFight or Flight responseRelease of adrenalin and cortisolShut down of non essential functions

Chronic StressContinuation of stress response after threat subsidesPhysiological damage: ulcers, diabetes, heart disease, brain damageShortens life span – damage of telomeres

Roll-on EffectsRelationship difficultiesAddiction difficultiesCareer difficultiesEconomic difficulties

Statistics on StressUK adults spend 2 hours per day worrying45% admitted stress had affected their health13.7 million working days lost to stress & anxiety p/aCost to UK business: £14 billion p/aPresenteeism (work less productive than normal) costs businesses 105 time more than sickness absence

Source: Aviva

Biggest ‘causes’ of StressHigh cost of livingFeeling out of shapeMounting debtGetting oldJob security Relationships

Source: Benenden Health

It’s all in the Head

“Patient’s emotional state is responsible for the chemical activity in the spinal chord that signals pain between body and brain. Positive emotion diminishes the perception of pain, while negative emotion keeps the floodgates open.”

Source: Melzack & Wall

It’s all in the Head“We looked at those people who were the most persistent, most hard-working, most involved, and achieved the most success (and often that meant the most stress) those were the people who stayed healthier and lived the longest. The people who said, ‘I don’t stress, I take it easy, I retire early,’ were the people who tended to die at a younger age.”

Source: Terman & Friedman

So who’s the culprit now?Which ‘cause’ of stress applies to you all of the time?

My children Being overweightGetting old Worried about financesLow energy levelsJob security

My dietKeeping the house cleanSex lifeDeadlinesMy partnerA family rift

There’s no such thing as StressStress is the physical reaction to the senses, it’s a self created response and, as the research points to, it’s actually ‘all in the head’.

The New Approach to Stress

A simple understanding of how stress is created in the first place - the real source of stress, is proving extremely successful

The New Approach to StressUsed in:US Penal SystemBusiness: BAE SystemsAmerican MilitaryAddiction counsellingStress Reduction

The New Approach to Stress

Our thinking creates the physical effect in the bodyUnderstanding ‘thought’ is the key to understanding the effectsNew approach is ‘upstream’ of traditional methods

The New Approach to StressEvery thought is linked to a feelingIf you think a sad thought, you’ll feel sadIf you think a happy thought, you’ll feel happyIf you have a stressful thought, you’ll feel stressed

The New Approach to Stress

We are always in the feeling of our thinking

The New Approach to StressLook, not at what’s being created (stress), but at what’s doing the creating (thought) Understand the process

Stress: the ProcessEvent occursRecognised by sensesProcessed in brainThought = Feeling

Stress: the ProcessAll living beings use 3 Principles to do this1. We’re alive2. We’re conscious3. We think

Stress: the ProcessThrough this process, reality happens ‘for us’

INSIDE OUT

Stress Relief: the ProcessA realisation of this process leads to an insight:

“When we see that the feelings of stress are created by us,

we’re less likely to keep it up.”

Stress Relief: the ProcessA realisation of this process leads to an insight:

“If we see that we’re the ones doing it, not the circumstances, we’re less likely

to carry on doing it”

Stress Relief: the ProcessA realisation of this process leads to an insight:“Like hitting yourself on the head with a frying pan. You see you’re the one doing it, you stop.

There’s nothing for you to do, other than… stop”

Stress Relief: the Process

1. See that you are doing the creating (via thought)2. Realise that this is ‘just’ thinking3. Wait for new thought

Find out more:

If you would like to know more about the science of stress and how to deal with it, please contact me

damian@stressmanagementcoaching.co.uk or call 07714 853294