Stress is a normal part of
daily life. In fact, without a small amount of stress, our bodies wouldn't
function. Yes, our lives actually depend on stress! If stress is good for us,
how do we know how much is enough - and how much is too much?
Stress is so normal that we
actually come to depend on it to help us with the everyday activities of our
lives. For example, if people didn't feel some stress and anxiety about their
grades, they would not be motivated to perform well in school. Likewise, without
being a little anxious about paying bills, eating, and housing, people would not
be concerned about getting employment or doing their jobs well.
Too much stress, however can
be damaging to our health and relationships. Excessive worrying can cause a
person's body to produce chemicals that cause high blood pressure, lessen pain
tolerance, and even delay healing. People with high stress levels become ill
more easily and get well more slowly. They aren't able to perform their jobs as
effectively or concentrate as intently on course work and exams.
Excessive stress can damage
personal relationships as well as business relationships. People who are coping
with high levels of anxiety are often irritable from lack of sleep, and have a
lower tolerance for a family member's little faults. Persons who are under high
levels of stress may find it much more difficult to control their tempers or say
things tactfully.
This often leads to harsh or
unkind words. The person who is under high levels of stress may or may not
realize just how much someone else might be affected by these words. If he or
she does not recognize how much the words hurt, further misunderstandings can
result, and the relationship can be permanently hurt by this situation.
People who are dating are
under high levels of stress as each is working to convince the other that he or
she is attractive, interesting, and appealing. Usually, people who are irritable
and cranky are not appealing to others. If you are considering entering a dating
relationship, but are at a stressful point in your life, it may be wise to think
about waiting until your stress is resolved, or getting some help in relieving
your anxiety.
If you are already in a
relationship that you value, however, avoiding interacting with the person while
you are feeling stressed is probably not a good choice. Finding relief from the
stress is probably a more desirable choice than getting out of the relationship
altogether. But where can you turn?
When it comes to dealing
with stress, people have a number of options from which to choose. Some
people opt for medications that help to relieve anxiety. These medicines,
however, can cause sleepiness or drowsiness, and often affect a person's ability
to work and concentrate as well.
Other people, realizing the
extent of their stress levels, decide to seek assistance from a professional.
Many opt for expensive group or individual therapies. While these approaches can
help, they are expensive and time-consuming. Making spare time for keeping
treatment appointments can add to the daily stress in a person's already busy
life.
Some people choose to try hypnosis
to help them decrease their stress levels. Hypnosis is an excellent tool for
relieving anxiety and stress. As a matter of fact, the essence of hypnosis is
relaxation!
There are a lot of misconceptions
about hypnosis. The most prevalent are:
A. Hypnosis is sleep. This is
false, actually hypnosis is the opposite of sleep, and it is a state of keen
awareness where you are wide-awake and aware of everything around you.
B. You cannot be made to
divulge your secrets.
C. You cannot be made to do
anything against your will.
There are many different
forms of hypnosis, so choosing the right methodology can be confusing.
Traditional hypnosis relies
on the hypnotist giving the client post-hypnotic suggestions. This can be
effective, but it usually only works for people who find it easy to accept
suggestions from others without questioning why or how. Most people who are
experiencing high levels of stress in their lives, however, do not fit into this
category.
A more sophisticated form of
hypnosis is Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, named after Milton Erickson, MD, the
father of modern hypnosis. This form of hypnosis is highly effective for today's
analytical personality because it hides the suggestions to the unconscious mind
within conversation, stories, and metaphors.
A newer, more revolutionary
alternative for people who tend to over analyze things and try to solve their
problems through critical thinking is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. This
approach allows people to eliminate stress by using techniques that are easy to
learn and implement. People actually learn to program their mind for relaxation,
and become much calmer, by training their unconscious to use the very same
thought processes that caused their stress, as triggers to eliminate it.
While Ericksonian Hypnosis
and NLP are very effective, people often do not have the spare time or money to
visit a qualified consulting hypnotist and learn these techniques. For this
reason, self-hypnosis and NLP experts have created a number of CDs to help
people learn and practice these techniques at home.
Stress affects everyone, and
too much stress can be harmful to a person's health and relationships. Most
people are willing to do everything reasonably possible to keep relationships
with family, friends, and loved ones as healthy as possible. Finding workable
solutions for treating stress, such as NLP or hypnotherapy approaches, is much
less expensive, and painful, than losing a friend or a spouse. Read more about
the advantages of stress relief today!
A
list of the common uses of hypnosis.
� 2009 By Alan B. Densky, CH. This
document may NOT be re-printed. All Rights Reserved.
� 2009 By Alan B. Densky, CH. This
document may NOT be re-printed. All Rights Reserved.
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