Stressmanagementlongisland’s Blog

What is stress?

Stress involves the changes that take place both in the mind and in the body in response to actual or perceived threatening events.  Stress is anything that you must adapt to.  You are stressed any time you are required to make a change.  A stressor can be a negative event such as an injury, breakup, traffic, a death or it can be a positive event such as getting married, having a baby, getting a new job, or buying a home.  With all of these events, a person must adapt and face a change.  A stressor can be environmental (an external event) such as noise, financial problems, or managing a difficult boss.  It can also be psychological (an internal event) such as a fear that something will happen, feelings of inadequacy, or excessive competitiveness.  Believe it or not, stress is not always a bad thing.  It can even be desirable, as it can motivate you to achieve, cope, and get things accomplished.  It is actually essential for life and growth!   What is so interesting is that the same event may cause some people to be excited or motivated and others to feel anxious and overwhelmed.  This is good news!  This means that it is not the event itself, but how one interprets and reacts to an event that determines whether or not it will be perceived as stressful. Here lies the power of learning stress management techniques.  It is up to you to decide how to respond to the stressors in your life.  You have a choice!  Now that you know this very important key, all you need to do is learn the stress management “tools” so you can pull them out of your “toolbox” whenever you need them.

Why bother learning stress management techniques?

When you encounter a stressor and become “stressed” your body undergoes a reaction called the “fight or flight response.“   This produces several changes in the body in order to meet the “danger,” such as an increase in adrenaline, heart heart, and blood pressure.  This reaction is adaptive when needed to fight for your life or run from danger when confronted by a wild animal in the forest, for example.  However, such physical threats are less likely today, yet the same fight or flight response is triggered, with no outlet for the release of this extra energy.  This becomes problematic when the stress response occurs numerous times per day in response to daily hassles such as deadlines, rushing from place to place, concerns over paying bills, or parenting issues.  Let’s face it, on Long Island today, who isn’t constantly pressured by these factors?

The repeated triggering of the stress reaction causes wear and tear on the body, which can cause or aggravate serious illness.  Examples of conditions that are known to be caused or made worse by stress include: headaches, insomnia, chronic back pain, ulcers, colitis, Crohn’s Disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, dermatitis, anxiety disorders, depression, and even cancer.  High levels of stress can actually weaken your immune system.

It is time to end the stress cycle and learn the basic techniques that can dramatically improve your health, happiness, and the quality of your life.  You are worth it!

For additional information about group or one-on-one sessions, please contact Lauren Altchiler, Ph.D. at 516.377.2747 or send us your contact information (below) and we will promptly get back to you.