Effective ways to deal with stress. Stressful situations at work: survival instructions

Magic pills for the heart

The man is in a hurry, in a hurry, in a hurry...What is this rhythm? Vanity, rush every day. How to manage everything? Time flies so quickly!

A person hurries to work, impatiently squeezes into a subway car, hurries home, hurries to finish watching a series, finish reading a book, finishing a sip of cold coffee, hurries to feel and live...

Modern lifestyle is full of stress, both good and bad. Chronic stress has a psychological effect on the body, overloading and weakening all systems, but above all the heart and blood vessels.

During prolonged stress, the body produces powerful hormones that have a destructive effect on the blood vessels of the heart. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels increase, and vasoconstriction occurs. And with severe narrowing of the coronary arteries, even anxiety can lead to a heart attack.

The ability to manage your time significantly reduces the impact of stress. Learning to prioritize on a scale of individual values is a sure chance to avoid physical and psychological overload of the body.

Such is human nature that only a serious test forces you to rethink your way of life. Heart attack survivors often ask: Why me? Why now?

How to increase resistance to stress and survive in a modern, rapidly changing world? Where is the harbor that will bring peace and health? Is this possible?

It is possible to achieve a higher quality of life after a heart attack, as well as to prevent the disease at the very beginning. You can manage your health using three “pillars” - three tools: physical, psychological and behavioral.

Each person can create their own life-affirming program to change their life for the better, help their heart and the whole body.

Since ancient times, scientists have considered the heart to be a wise and sensitive organ. The heart always “knows” what is useful for him and what is destructive.

Long-term studies of various groups of people, healthy and with heart disease, have revealed several obvious patterns that have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

Ancient wisdom says: the one who walks can master the road! All you need is desire. The progressive principles of stress medicine are a preventive system aimed at maintaining health and improving the quality of life. This is a pill for the heart and food for the mind.

The new approach is based on teaching and encouraging a person to change his way of thinking, make his perception of reality healthier, and develop the ability to gradually change dominant negative thoughts and attitudes to positive ones.

The brain begins to send improved instructions to the body, and changes occur in the body at the biochemical level.

It is a reliably known fact that shows that not only emotional and physical stress destroys human health, but also internal conversations negative content. They often become fulfilled prophecies.

Negative thoughts should be suppressed, refrain from groundless self-flagellation, and actively train yourself to BE HAPPY as much as possible in our far from ideal world.

Human life cannot be viewed on one plane; it is multifaceted and complex. It can be figuratively compared to puzzles. The complete picture will only be obtained if all the elements are present. Maintaining health is possible with the harmonious development of all the basic components of existence and all fine edges life.

Work and the realization of creative potential occupy an important place in a person’s life. A job you love gives you deep satisfaction. To make work useless means to destroy the very existence of a person, as F.M. Dostoevsky put it. A person's sense of self is very closely related to work.

The only thing to remember is that nothing is permanent in the world. You need to learn to be flexible enough to adapt without harm to your health in a new place, in case of unforeseen circumstances or career failures. Despite all its importance, work should not be the only meaning in life.

There are magic pills that have a beneficial effect on human health, promoting longevity.

Marriage is a counteracting force even to such insidious killers as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and even smoking! According to statistics, only 14% of people under 80 years of age who have a family, these risk factors lead to coronary insufficiency.

Recent studies have confirmed the fact that married people have a so-called “built-in health capsule.” There are always exceptions, but they only confirm the rules.

“Parental” stress is a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. To reduce it, you need to follow three commandments.

Firstly, children should be able to express their own opinions and be themselves. Secondly, they need adults they can admire.

Third, today's children need to stay in the family longer than previous generations - this gives them the support to succeed in our complex, ever-changing world.

Numerous data prove the life-giving power of friendship.

Friendship is another magic pill. Among people with less developed social connections, mortality is 2-3 times higher than among those who maintain a high level of social connections!

In patients with heart disease, it was noted that the condition of blood vessels is better in those who have good friends. Friendship is a great force that supports life, especially if your own internal resources are running out.

The third magic pill is spirituality and religiosity. Spiritual support reduces the risk of not only heart disease, but also cancer, infectious diseases and arthritis. Forgiveness, understanding, hope are powerful stress reducers.

All of these 3 life-affirming components - marriage, friendship and spiritual support - can significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In people with high level satisfaction in these three areas, the incidence rate is one third lower.

What about our pets? Science has found that people who have suffered severe heart disease and have pets live longer!

Thus, a year after myocardial infarction, 97% of patients with animals remain alive and feel well, and among those who did not have them - only 44%. The devices record a significant decrease in blood pressure every time you touch a dog or cat, as well as a decrease in heart rate. Love for animals prolongs life!

Interests outside of the main job, a favorite activity, help a person feel happy. The feeling of happiness itself, when immersed in any hobby, has a positive effect on the functioning of all body systems and supports an optimistic state of mind.

Nature is a true healer of physical and mental illnesses! Contemplating its beauty, feeling like a part of the entire universe, enjoying peace and quiet - this is a recognized means of preventing heart disease and neuropsychiatric diseases.

Relaxation in the lap of nature gives the body rest and calms the cardiovascular and nervous systems. In merging with nature, a person draws new strength, throwing off the burden of problems.

Humor has always helped humanity survive periods of crisis. Laughter is a natural dope. Healing can begin with a simple smile. Smile more often!

When a person smiles, blood pressure decreases. Laughter blocks the production of stress substances and turns on the production of endorphins - hormones of joy and happiness.

Physical exercise, physical education and sports help relieve tension, anxiety and stress. It is only important to observe the measure during regular exercise, listening to your body.

The ability to live in the present is a great achievement and great wisdom,
which does not come with gray hair, but is born in a person’s rethinking of his path, his place in the world, in the awareness of the brevity of earthly existence, in the acceptance of true values that fill life with meaning.

Past mistakes cannot be undone, and focusing on the past creates stress. Life inevitably brings both success and failure.

The only thing you can change in the past is your attitude towards it. The past should not have a destructive influence on the present and future, or undermine a person’s vitality! Past mistakes must be accepted, thinking of them as a source of valuable life experience.

Expressing anger constructively is important step in the prevention of heart attacks. As you know, an attack of anger can lead to narrowing of the coronary vessels, a heart attack or a stroke.

You cannot accumulate resentment, irritation, anger within yourself, exploding like a volcano from the “last straw.” A spiritually and socially mature person speaks directly about the dissatisfaction that has arisen, discusses a tense situation, trying to find the optimal way to interact with other people.

Self-esteem plays a huge role in a person’s life, being one of the coordinators of his actions. It is a feeling of positive self-image in one's world, a sense of inner well-being. If for some reason self-esteem is inadequate, it becomes a significant source of stress.

Life values and principles are the last point of the quality of life index, and the most important. Development own system values are the basis for control over your life. This is a complex for making decisions and organizing priorities.

Here is a picture from several puzzles, the basis and starting point on the path to health. Everyone can add new elements to their picture based on their own values and preferences, in a sense, being the artist of their own life.

It would seem physical problems, health of the body, are far from the intangible world of spiritual values, but this connection is concrete and real. Health problems often reflect our most vulnerable places, both physically and spiritually.

The relentless growth of cardiovascular diseases is a problem of the modern world. These diseases have become significantly “younger”, depriving people at their most productive age of an active and fulfilling life.

It’s not just the accelerated pace of life and stress that target the heart. Thoughts, feelings, words - everything is reflected in it, like in a mirror, either destroying it or nourishing it.

In our world there are things that cannot be changed by a person, but making adjustments to your own life scenario is within the power of everyone, taking care of your health, thinking positively, creating your day and improving the quality of life is achievable!

“Each of us contains the power of our consent to health and illness, to wealth and poverty, to freedom and slavery. And it is we who control this great power, and no one else.” (Richard Bach)

Prepared by: M. Vereshchagina,
valeologist UZ "26th city clinic"

www.26poliklinika.by

9 tips to help you cope with stress

Modern man constantly has to experience a state of stress. By taking problems, troubles and everyday troubles to heart, we harm not only our nervous system, but also our entire body. If you implement the 9 tips below, you can improve your physical and mental health and learn to cope with the negative effects of stress. These tips will help you withstand any life shocks and adversities.

The main sign that your nervous system is in an excited state is insomnia. You should not go to the other extreme: exhaust yourself with work to the point of exhaustion, and then fall asleep in a dead sleep. To avoid nervous exhaustion, you must follow a sleep schedule: get up and go to bed at the same time. In order to fully rest, restore strength and feel cheerful in the morning, you need to sleep at least 7-8 hours. Although some people can get enough sleep in 6 hours, others need at least 9 hours.

To fall asleep easily and quickly, do not go to bed immediately after a heavy dinner or doing any work, both mental and physical. It is advisable to give your brain time to switch, get out of the state of tension and prepare for sleep. A warm bath with sea salt, herbal infusions, aromatic oils or reading an interesting book will help you relax. Hawthorn flowers, oregano, peppermint, valerian, calendula, stinging nettle leaves, motherwort, etc. are suitable for preparing bath decoctions. But in computer games It is not recommended to play before going to bed, as they are even more stimulating nervous system.

Avoid unnecessary noise

Many of us no longer notice the sound of a working TV or do not pay attention to it. Although it has long been proven that the flow of information, often of a negative nature, is subconsciously perceived by our consciousness and is an additional burden on the nervous system. Turn on the TV only when you are about to watch a program or movie that really interests you. It is much better if, after a busy day, you listen to calm music, preferably classical. The best option- audio recordings of nature sounds that promote relaxation and help you unwind after a working day. Listening to such sounds is healthier than being in complete silence.

Spend more time in nature

Try to spend as much time as possible outdoors, in the fresh air, even if it’s a city park. Despite the fact that the human brain makes up on average only 2% of body weight, it consumes approximately 18% of the oxygen entering the body. Conclusion: for full-fledged work The brain needs oxygen, so long walks in the forest or park are simply vital for people engaged in mental work. Such walks will also benefit those who are experiencing a tense psychological situation at work or in the family. If you are not comfortable walking alone, get yourself a four-legged pet. A dog will become an excellent companion for you and will add bright colors and positive emotions to your life.

How to cope with stress

"Three steps" against stress

Today's life is complex and constantly presents us with situations that cause stress and nervous tension. In fact, people suffer not from the events themselves, but from the way they imagine them. Correctly interpreting what happened is a whole science.

The famous psychologist, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, author of popular books Igor Matyugin recommends using a simple technique called “Three Steps” to relieve nervous tension. He successfully applied this technique to himself. It so happened that in order to publish his first books he had to take out a bank loan at high interest rates. At first the books did not sell well, and he could not return the money. I didn’t sleep for a whole month and developed a stomach ulcer. But the Three Steps method helped him overcome insomnia and find a solution to the problem. Let's get to know him.

If your loved one has had trouble, for example, he lost his savings due to the recent fall in the ruble exchange rate, you can bring him out of a difficult mental state by using the active listening technique on which the “Three Steps” method is based. So what can you do to help relieve stress?

On the first step a person in a state of stress needs to sort everything out, and to do this, he needs to talk it out, relieving some of the tension. The listener, whom he trusts, should not feel sorry for him and reassure him. Such words only irritate. On the contrary, he seems to join him, experiencing what happened with him, even if he is simply silent. Asks questions that cannot be answered yes or no, but must be given a common answer. Provokes a person to speak out by repeating the endings of phrases: “And you decided that you need to transfer your savings into dollars.” Leads to small summaries: “So you were in a hurry!” The difficulty is in throwing out questions rather than speaking yourself.

On the second step you need to say: « Imagine, what could have been worse?” At first, someone who has experienced a loss of money doesn’t seem to understand: “It couldn’t be worse.” Here it is important to insist, even if he resists: “Well, not the entire deposit was lost, a significant part has not yet depreciated... It’s good that I didn’t transfer all the money into foreign currency. "What else is good?" “It is unclear how the country’s economy will develop in the future, what will happen to oil next. Maybe the rate at which he bought dollars will seem quite miserable in a few months...” It is important that he comes to the last thought himself, only then will it bring comfort.

On the third step we need to learn lessons from what happened. “What can we do to prevent this from happening again?” “Next time you won’t panic. You won't be in a hurry. You have already realized that you shouldn’t play such currency games anymore.”

And my attitude towards stress has changed. The method of stress relief is simple and good because it can be used casually. A person will not even notice that a special technique is being used on him. And the stress goes away. And he won’t spend sleepless nights going over the situation in the second or third circle.

After using the “Three Steps” technique, a person not only forgets about stress - he works with the experience and draws conclusions from it. And he looks at what happened differently, from the outside, perceives it as an experience that enriched him and taught him something.

By the way, the way out that Matyugin found from his difficult situation was this: the psychologist entrusted the sale of books to a person knowledgeable in the book trade. And he quickly returned the loan to the bank.

What do you want to erase from your memory? The day you experienced being fired from your job? Unpleasant conversation with a neighbor? A quarrel with your son?

Depict these troubles in the form of pictures. You can describe the situation in detail on paper. After this, take a good look at the drawing and re-read what you wrote. Close your eyes for a few minutes. And then burn or tear the drawing or paper into small pieces. Throw away the ashes and forget about what happened. Unpleasant memories will no longer bother you.

Changing your perspective is one way to reduce stress. The second way is to reduce overall stress. After all, not everything can be rethought, for example, the premature loss of loved ones. This is where meditation comes to the rescue, during which a person disconnects from all external stimuli. It can be achieved in different ways: through music, through special breathing techniques. There is a way to achieve “expansion of consciousness” through emptiness. You sit down in a room with bare walls, where there are no people, no furniture, no food, no sounds. And you experience enlightenment; recent experiences no longer seem so serious.

You need to be able to cope with stress. It would be good if the techniques that help to remove it were taught from childhood, for example at school. Unfortunately, not only do they not do this, but they also instill incorrect attitudes. One of them: a man should not cry. But harmless male tears relieve tension much better than alcohol, which is not harmful to health, which is used to calm down. Crying in moments of intense emotion is useful for everyone. Moreover, you can not be shy about tears and cry loudly - not only for children and women, but also for strong men.

You can also disconnect from stress through exercise. For example, a person loads himself with work at the dacha, concentrating only on them, so that there is neither time nor energy to remember recent problems. In case of serious stress - for example, the death of relatives - a change of job, apartment, or usual social circle will help.

One way traffic

Often people are unaware of their hidden possibilities. But a person can do much more than he thinks. Thus, shipwrecked people remained for many days without water and without food. Those who knew that even in such conditions a person survives waited for salvation. And those who did not believe in a happy outcome died in the ocean. The former mobilized their forces to survive, while the latter died of fear.

You need to know everything about yourself. And including how stress-resistant you are. Knowing your reserves, you can be vigilant. “I can withstand this blow of fate, I will survive it myself, but another problem is difficult for me - I will definitely need the support of friends, relatives, maybe a psychologist.”

There is no need to pretend to be a superman. One of the main qualities of a mature personality is the ability to ask for support without hesitation. “I can handle it myself” - and for months a person struggles with stress, develops sores, but with friends or a specialist psychologist he could overcome it in a week and calm down.

How kings and librarians deal with stress

The whole day you were bothered by difficult thoughts about what happened. In the evening you cannot find a place for yourself. And no matter how hard you try to switch gears - talk to your family, read a book, watch TV, have some tea, you cannot get the disturbing thoughts out of your head and you understand that there is a sleepless night ahead. What to do? Grasping for sleeping pills and sedatives? Take your time. First, try the methods that others have resorted to in such difficult situations.

▪ Feeling the approach of anger and realizing that he was no help in state affairs, the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, according to the memoirs of contemporaries, took water into her mouth and walked with it through the halls and corridors of the palace until she calmed down.

▪ Composer Hector Berlioz in his Symphony Fantastique portrayed the woman who rejected him as a disgusting witch. After this, according to his friends, he got rid of the torment of unrequited love.

▪ Film director Yegor Konchalovsky believes: “Everyone is free to invent their own means of dealing with stress. I have two of these: I completely relax and improve my mood when I pick up a vacuum cleaner and clean my shoes.”

▪ Once upon a time, the ancient Incas and Aztecs called hairless cats, so fashionable today, aliens and in case of trouble they always tried to pick them up. The constant body temperature of these animals is 40.5 degrees, much higher than that of other mammals. It is believed that this explains the amazing property of hairless cats - to relieve stress in their owners, as soon as they lean against the pets or stroke them. But ordinary cats and dogs will also help. Stroking them, communicating with animals, a person calms down.

▪ Former director of the Library of Foreign Literature Ekaterina Genieva admitted: “For as long as I can remember, I was afraid to go to bed without making peace with the person. Forgiving everyone at night is a universal recipe for the health of the soul.”

Nina CHECHILOVA Magazine “60 years is not age”

How to cope with stress

We don’t have to be in a difficult situation for the nervous system to respond with stress. Sometimes it’s enough just to think about possible difficulties, and we immediately begin to be overwhelmed with excitement, tension and fear. It is quite easy for some to control their thoughts and remain calm in a nervous environment, while others begin to rush from corner to corner and tear out their hair at any, even the most insignificant, provocation. The author of Lady Mail.Ru and psychologist and psychotherapist Elena Grigorieva discussed how to learn to manage stress.

Stress itself is not harmful and sometimes even beneficial. Being a reaction of the nervous system to external and internal stimuli, it is it that allows us to mobilize in a difficult situation and find a way out. But not everyone is able to direct their energy to solving difficulties; many simply do not understand how to cope with anxiety and a sense of uncertainty. “If a person is under stress for a long time, it becomes increasingly difficult for him to cope with the effects of irritants. Against this background, the immune system weakens, various diseases appear, which are sometimes much more difficult to cope with than stress,” - the psychologist comments.

Where does stress come from?

When something happens around us that we don't like and we can't control or change, we feel uncomfortable. If our capabilities and desires do not correspond to the circumstances in which we find ourselves, the nervous system works as a defense mechanism, the purpose of which is to overcome obstacles. The latter include dissatisfaction with one’s job, boss, relationships with colleagues, misunderstanding of loved ones and quarrels with them. But besides external stimuli, others can put us into a state of stress: “Internal factors such as guilt, fears, anticipation of something unpleasant, boredom, dissatisfaction with one’s life also make a person vulnerable and nervous,”- adds Elena Grigorieva.

In addition, human beliefs are a stress factor. Believing that the world should be this way and not another, and that people should behave in a certain way, we are faced with a reality that, as a rule, does not at all correspond to expectations. Against the background of such an attitude towards life, chronic stress often develops. “It occurs when a person is exposed to excessive stress for a long time: he is nervous a lot, sleeps little, does not rest. In order to recover from chronic stress, it takes much longer than to deal with “single” stress., explains the psychologist.

What is the danger

Constant stress poses a great threat to health. They lead to various diseases - from frequent colds to heart attacks, not to mention depression and insomnia. First, the psyche suffers - a bad mood appears, attention is scattered, a person begins to experience causeless and seemingly completely irrelevant fears, and panic often sets in. Then the body reacts and people may experience problems with the cardiovascular and digestive systems, and women experience menstrual irregularities.

Elena Grigorieva explains the mechanism of the negative impact of prolonged stress on human health: “To make any movement, the muscles need to be tense. And here the whole body mobilizes, prepares for difficulties, and attention is activated. Under normal conditions, after stress, you just feel some fatigue - you sleep well, and the next day everything goes away. After stress, you always need rest and recovery, just like after muscle activity. If this rest is not enough because the stressors are many or excessive, then adverse consequences begin.”

However, constant stress is not capable of destroying the psyche so that it will be impossible to restore it. Stress management is a very real thing. “The nervous system is designed in such a way that under excessive stress it protects itself from exhaustion. Therefore, for example, a person who has not slept for a long time can fall asleep even while driving.”, adds the psychologist.

What is important to know about dealing with stress

Have you noticed that different people react to stimuli in completely different ways? Some may panic over something that seems insignificant to others, while others are able to remain calm and collected even in a crisis situation. “Absolutely everyone is subject to stress. It’s just that some people consider only serious difficulties as irritants - these are people with a naturally stable nervous system. And those who have a weak one may worry about a trifle,”- explains Elena Grigorieva.

If you overreact to problems no matter how severe they are real threat, then the cause of anxiety is most likely in yourself, and not in the world around you. “It’s most often about how a person approaches situations, rather than the situations themselves. In some cases, it is impossible not to experience stress - for example, if a partner drinks or cheats, it is impossible to be calm and good-natured. In this case, you need to change the situation or get out of it to reduce stress.

In other situations, it is enough to change your attitude to what is happening. For example, an exam causes stress for all people, but for some it can be excessive due to a strong fear of failure or the dissatisfaction of loved ones. If you work on your fears and relationships with others, your stress reaction during the exam will not be as strong.”, - comments the psychologist.

It is also important that for a person who reacts sharply to trivial stimuli, they actually are not such. Again, we are talking about the fact that our attitude to the problem is paramount, and not its essence: “If a person cannot pull himself together, this means that the situation is not trivial for him, even if on a rational level he does not think so. You need to find out for yourself what scares or upsets you so much about her. Some fears can be quite irrational and exist only until you realize them, so a detailed analysis of the situation helps you look at it differently.”.

How to cope with stress

To become more stress-resistant and understand how to relieve stress, you need to determine your level of stress. “Don’t take on tasks that are too difficult, and if you do take them on, learn in time to give up at least part of the load that will be unnecessary for you. Always allow enough time for rest, both during the day and throughout the year."- adds the psychologist.

It is important to understand your internal problems, since they are the ones who aggravate the situation and do not allow us to deal with difficulties more simply. Living with psychological trauma received in childhood, it is very difficult to find emotional balance as an adult.

First of all, you need to try to reduce the load, if possible, abandon the least important tasks and rest more. Elena Grigorieva advises using stress relief methods that suit you, for example, playing sports: “You shouldn’t suppress strong anxiety in a difficult situation - this will only make things worse for you. It usually gets easier when you move, so walking is better than sitting.

In addition, people often demand things that are too difficult for them on the basis that if others can do it, then so can I. But in a situation of stress, it is best to treat yourself like a child whom you would certainly spare, feel sorry for, and in every possible way make it easier for him to experience the unpleasant. If in stressful situations you treat yourself like a beloved child, then it will become easier to experience them.”

How not to deal with stress

Most people are accustomed to overcoming stress by eating it and “dousing it” with alcohol. However, this approach cannot help cope with the causes of anxiety. Moreover, it will only make it worse. “Overeating entails feelings of guilt or dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, alcohol leads to various social difficulties from dissatisfaction with loved ones to problems with the law. These consequences make existing stress even more severe.”

How to cope with stress?

Many physiological, biochemical and structural changes that occur in the body during aging and stress are the same. Therefore, to prevent aging, for health and longevity, the ability to manage stress becomes very important.

There are three main ways to manage stress. This:

Avoiding the problem
Changing the problem
Changing your attitude towards the problem

As an example, we can simulate the situation. Let's say you are tired and sit down to rest on a park bench. A slightly tipsy interlocutor sits down next to you and wants to talk to someone. But you are not at all inclined to such communication.

The fastest and easiest option for your behavior suggests itself - leave the stressful zone. You get up and move to another bench nearby. But what to do if the annoying interlocutor sees you as a grateful listener and steadily follows you?

To solve the problem, you have at least two more options. This is to try to talk with your opponent in order to change his behavior and another option is to change your attitude towards the problem. After all, your neighbor is not aggressive, he is just chatting. And this does not prevent you from waiting until the fatigue passes in order to continue on your way.

There are problems that are quite difficult, and sometimes simply impossible, to get away from. Then the rule should apply: if you can’t change the situation, change your attitude towards it. For example, you are stuck in a traffic jam. You are not able to change the situation. The problem will not change just because you worry. So is it worth the hassle? You can simply turn off your worries and switch to something more useful: listen to music or an audiobook, think about tomorrow’s affairs, make necessary calls, etc.

It is possible to resist stress, or rather, manage your stress. Let's take a closer look at each of the proposed methods.

Method 1. Avoiding the problem.

It is impossible to avoid all stressful situations in life, but in many cases a stressful situation can be avoided.

First, you need to learn to say: “NO.” Before you say “YES” to someone, make sure you are not saying “NO” to yourself. Allow yourself the luxury of not communicating with unpleasant people! Avoid people who evoke negative emotions in you if it is not possible to establish good relationships with them. It is better to limit such relationships as much as possible or stop completely.

Learn to control your behavior so as to avoid stressful environments. If some television programs irritate you, don’t watch them. You can either change the channel or turn off the TV completely. Nobody obliges you to watch such programs. This is your voluntary choice.

When communicating, avoid topics that make you worry. If you are upset by conversations about prices, social injustice, politics, etc. - avoid them.

Do not take on extra work and additional responsibility that you are not able to handle, because... this will lead you to stress.

Method 2: Changing the problem.

If it is not possible to avoid a stressful situation, you can try to change it.

There is no need to accumulate negativity or keep negative emotions inside. If you are not satisfied with something in the behavior of the person with whom you have to deal, you can talk about it tactfully and kindly with him. If you don’t do this, the situation is unlikely to change for the better, and stress will not leave you.

But at the same time, you yourself need to be ready to compromise. If you want your interlocutor to change his behavior, you must be ready to take a reciprocal step on your part. If two people are ready to change their behavior, this is a guarantee that the stressful situation will be eliminated.

You must be persistent in eliminating obstacles to achieve your goals. You need to be able to anticipate and prevent them. So, for example, if you are preparing for some important event that requires your full concentration, but a friend calls you to have a pleasant chat, it is better to immediately inform him that you have no more than five minutes for him.

Inability or improper organization of your personal time can cause you stress. While reasonable planning can prevent it.

Method 3. Changing your attitude towards the problem.

If you are unable to influence the situation, then you need to change your attitude towards it. You can change your point of view on the situation or adapt to what is happening.

In reality, we react not to the events themselves, but to what we think and how we evaluate what is happening.

There are often cases when we are unable to influence the source of stress. This could be a divorce, a crisis, the loss of a loved one, etc.

The only way out of stress under such circumstances is to come to terms with the state of affairs.

The situation will not change no matter what we worry about. At least for the better. And it is not our plan to change it for the worse. If we continue to worry, we will only make it worse for ourselves, we will destroy ourselves.

In this case, you must try to accept the situation as it is and continue to live. Because it is impossible to control the uncontrollable. It is much more useful to focus our attention on what we can control - this is our behavior and our attitude towards what is happening.

Many things in life are beyond our control. So, we cannot and do not have the right to control the behavior of other people. No one has to live up to our expectations. Just like we ourselves are not obliged to meet the expectations of others. There are no ideal people. Try to change yourself and you will understand that it is impossible to change another person. We must either accept people as they are, or choose from those who are close to us in spirit, but in no case try to remake people in accordance with our beliefs. Learn to forgive.

Switch to positive thinking. Try to find something good in every bad situation or extract some benefit from it for yourself. Look at things from a different perspective.

Didn't go to college? Perhaps this is not your profession and you have not lost several years studying. Has your business gone bust? No! It was you who bought the experience. There is a chance to start a new business more intelligently, etc.

Nothing is good or bad in itself. This is just our interpretation of what is happening. The ability to find the good in the bad is the key to happiness and success. It is impossible to unbalance a person who finds its advantages and advantages in any situation.

Your physical and emotional state depends on your thoughts. A cheerful person with positive thinking feels confident, makes a good impression from the outside and is popular with others.

Physical activity also helps combat stress. Read more about this in the article “The Effect of Physical Activity on Stress Relief”

Unproductive ways to deal with stress.

These stress management techniques may have a short-term positive effect by reducing stress levels, or may create the illusion of such an effect, but in the long term they are only harmful.

Such unproductive methods of struggle include: smoking, alcohol, drug use, stress eating or refusal to eat, sitting for long periods in front of the TV, self-isolation or hermitage, sleeping too much, using strong medications, taking out dissatisfaction on others.

From this article you will learn:
How can stress be dangerous and why is it so important to deal with it?
What are some ways to deal with stress?
What are the measures to prevent stress?
How to become a stress-resistant person

Stress is firmly established in modern life. Many people now simply do not notice it. They are so used to constantly being in a stressful state that when they come out of it, they feel discomfort. Scientists claim that prolonged nervous tension causes cardiovascular diseases, neuroses, diseases of the digestive system and other health disorders. Therefore, it is very important to know and apply ways to deal with stress, as well as to be able to react correctly in stressful situations.

Why do you need ways to deal with stress?

Stress is the body's response to negative emotions or negative events. Adrenaline is “thrown” into the blood, its amount depends on the emotionality of the person and his susceptibility to irritants. The heart begins to beat faster, blood pressure rises, and muscles tense. Thus, the body comes into “combat readiness” and mobilizes its reserves. And if he remains in such a state of overvoltage for a long time, this will inevitably lead to unpleasant consequences. To prevent this, you need to deal with stress in all known ways.

Some doctors believe that the majority of all diseases (about 90%) are caused or aggravated by stress. It affects many organs and systems of the human body.

In stressful situations, blood vessels narrow, making it difficult to supply the brain with oxygen. This causes headaches, insomnia, weakness, neuroses and depression.

Stressful conditions are especially dangerous for the cardiovascular system. They cause arrhythmia, hypertension, and increase the risk of the occurrence and development of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Stress can cause disruption of the digestive system, liver and gallbladder diseases, and exacerbation of stomach ulcers.

Prolonged severe stress conditions lead to malfunctions of the body's immune system. As a result, a person becomes vulnerable and unprotected from infectious diseases.

Therefore, no one should doubt the need to deal with stress. There are several ways to fight this.

The most effective ways to deal with stress

People are all different, and therefore there is no universal way to deal with stress. What is ideal for one person will be completely useless for another. Still, there are several general methods that help everyone. These include: eliminating the cause of stress, alleviating stress, and preventing stress.

Eliminating the causes of stress

Try to change the situation that led to tension. Eliminating the cause - great way combat stress. If this is impossible, try to change your attitude towards her. But don’t “cut in from the shoulder”, don’t solve the problem right away, “ hot head" Cool down a little, take a break, do something. Or just lie down and sleep. After rest, negative emotions are always replaced by logic. And the current situation will no longer seem so terrible and hopeless to you.

There are two types of problems - solvable and unsolvable. Learn to distinguish them. If the situation can be corrected, then direct all your efforts towards it. In cases where you cannot change the circumstances, just forget about them. Take what happened for granted, don’t stress yourself out, learn lessons and move on. By constantly thinking about unsolvable problems in life, you increase stress.

Relief from stress

You need to get rid of stress because it can lead to various diseases. If the cause of stress cannot be eliminated, try to relieve stress and alleviate your condition. There are several quick and effective ways combat stress. These include:

Switching attention. Don't dwell on the problem that caused you stress. Try to switch your attention to something pleasant. For example, meet your friends or loved ones, go to a cafe, watch a good funny movie, do an interesting activity, etc. This way of dealing with stress will help you quickly relieve nervous tension.
Physical activity– a very effective way to deal with stress. When a stressful situation arises, the human body tenses up, mobilizes its strength, and produces adrenaline, which needs an outlet. At this time, a person wants to scream loudly, slam doors, break dishes, etc. Sometimes this helps, but it’s still better to throw out negative energy using “peaceful” methods. You can, for example, take a walk, play sports, do general cleaning or do any other active physical work.
Breathing exercises. Another way to combat stress is breathing exercises. Here's one option: lie down or sit down, put your hand on your stomach, close your eyes. Relax. Take a deep breath and imagine the air filling your lungs, moving down and lifting your stomach. Exhale and “feel” how the exhaled air carries away negative energy. Breathing exercises relieve tension, calm the heartbeat and normalize blood pressure.
Herbal infusions. Many medicinal herbs have a calming effect. They are used in the form of infusion, decoction or tea. Calming herbal teas are recommended to be taken in courses or during periods of severe nervous tension. It is necessary to take breaks so that this method of relaxation does not become the norm and habit. Valerian, fireweed, motherwort, oregano, chamomile, lemon balm and mint are used to combat stress.
Relaxation. It means relaxation, decreased muscle tone, a state of rest. An excellent way to deal with stress, it helps to contain it, preventing it from intensifying. To relax, you can lie down with your eyes closed and listen good music. You can take a bath or go to the park, breathe fresh air and sit in the shade of trees.
Relaxing baths. Such baths are in a good way dealing with stress. They are made with the addition of aromatic oils or decoctions of medicinal herbs. They use decoctions of oregano, lavender, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, and oregano. Oils used include basil, verbena, orange and anise.
Tears. For many people, they are a great way to deal with stress. They provide good relaxation and relieve nervous tension. Scientific studies have shown that tears contain substances that increase human stress resistance (peptides). It is not without reason that in difficult life situations they advise: “cry and you will immediately feel better.”

Another very important topic: ways to deal with stress at work.

Ways to deal with stress at work

With the modern pace of life, the problem of dealing with stress at work is becoming very common. It is becoming increasingly relevant in the practical psychology of our time.

Is it possible to avoid stress at work?

Psychologists say that in most cases, stress at work can be dealt with. But if the situation becomes unmanageable, then drastic measures should be taken, including changing work activities.

In order to prevent stress at work, it is necessary to analyze all the conditions offered by the employer when applying for a job. Your work schedule should be such that you have at least 10 hours of rest every day. If you have to work in dangerous or non-standard situations situations that require instant decision-making, try to undergo special testing that will determine your stress resistance.

Scientists have developed a special system containing a description of probable situations for specific work activities. Therefore, when passing the test, a person will be able to understand whether this vacancy is suitable for him.

When employed, a person is usually in a calm, familiar state. That is why it can be quite difficult during stress testing to determine whether a person will experience stress at work in the future. In most cases, stressful situations do not arise immediately, but only after some time. The reason may be excessive demands or a discrepancy between the expected and the actual situation.

It should be understood that ideal work “in nature” does not exist. Remember the catchphrase “It’s good where we are not”? In any type of work activity there are certain nuances that entail the occurrence of stressful situations. They may cause a malfunction various systems human body. Greatest danger The human nervous system is always exposed. You can combat stress by reducing your demands and expectations to reasonable limits.

Ways to deal with stress at work include the following:

proper distribution of your time (for work, rest and entertainment) is one of the main ways to deal with stress;
planning work activities (distributing loads and rest during work) is a very effective way to combat stress;
self-education and development (study and application of new achievements in a certain professional field);
lack of conversations about work outside of it (during your free time from work, do not talk about it if these conversations cause you negative emotions).

Knowing ways to deal with stress at work, a person will always be able to keep his emotional state normal. Due to constant severe stress, performance decreases. Regular stress testing will help reduce the influence of “harmful” factors. Get rid of the cause of nervous tension. Learn to treat unpleasant people with understanding or avoid communicating with them. If such “meetings” are inevitable, after them try to quickly switch to positive emotions. For example, a small piece of chocolate will “save” a sweet tooth.

Work is constant stress. Especially if it involves constant communication with people. Especially if it's tense. In general, every working day is a minefield. To return safe and sound, you need to be able to bypass the most dangerous places. may cause fatigue and problems concentrating. And this, of course, is not good for your career. Stressful situations at work cannot be avoided, but you can ensure that their impact is minimized.

How to cope with stress at work

Stressful situation: gossip in a team

The only way to completely eliminate gossip at work is to hire robots instead of people. And not all conversations at work should be only professional. But since gossip can be harmful, you should keep your ears open.

First way: vote with your feet. As soon as you find yourself in a dubious conversation, leave your gossiping colleagues, for example: “Oh, I urgently need to submit a document, there’s no time for chatter.”
Method two: change the subject. Or emphasize the good, at least like this: “Are you talking about Sidorov? Well, that’s not like him.”
The third rule: do not make tragedies out of rumors. Gossip is akin to a cold; it is not a death sentence like a cancerous tumor. People are quickly distracted by other topics; it is much more important not to feed the chatter with your emotions.

If you show that you are not interested in all sorts of gossip and gossip, those around you will stop involving you in the discussion process. Colleagues will understand with whom they can wash the bones of their colleagues, and with whom they should not have such conversations.

Stressful situation: professional burnout

At work we are required to be “positive”, which is annoying. Such games of joy seem to be a desire of the management to squeeze out even more energy and resemble the poster “Smile!” in the service sector. In fact, even memories of pleasant events are good for health, and if you deny yourself them, professional burnout syndrome will come with full force.

Make it a rule at the end of each day to remember three pleasant events that happened to you at work. Have you been treated to delicious coffee? Great. Was it your boss or colleagues who praised you? Counts. Was there a marvelous view from the window in the morning? Lucky.

Scroll through good moments on the way home from work or before bed, consciously concentrate on them: this is how you change reality. Our psyche tends to notice the bad, and consider the good to be ordinary, because of this, the picture of life is distorted, and even in career matters it seems completely hopeless. Bring your perception into balance, and then your mood will improve.

Stressful situation: you are smarter than your boss

Career counseling specialists shrug their shoulders: the world is full of bad managers, so the idea of your superiority is quite real. If this is not the first time it comes to mind, first cut off the unnecessary - probably a slight arrogance is part of your nature; you always need to feel head and shoulders above the rest. Analyze how often you recognize others as smart and worthy of your attention. If the total can be counted on the fingers of one hand, most likely it’s still about you. Take comfort in the knowledge that even from bad leaders you can learn a lot.

If you are still frankly incompetent, do not rush to share your discovery with others. When you speak negatively about a manager, it makes you look bad. People around you begin to worry that behind your back you will speak equally poorly of them. Set a high goal - the interests of the business or company. If you slide down to the level of reasoning, just as you were unlucky with your boss, you will get bogged down in an interpersonal conflict. Find a mentor who impresses you more and learn the skill. And in order not to start the working day with valerian, find something worthy of respect in the incompetent boss - it won’t save you overall, but it will soften the picture.

Stressful situation: incompetent colleagues

It happens that colleagues are clearly unprofessional and often make mistakes. And it would be fine if it only affected them. The common cause suffers! What to do in such a situation?

Anecdote from life

– How do you spell the word “ikebana”? – Irina Vladislavovna asked, looking up from the crossword puzzle for a moment. The last thing Alice expected from the head of the department was such a question. Their department was not some technical one, but a Russian language department. And such ignorance of this very language struck the new teacher to the depths of her soul. She was confused and squeaked strangledly:

- Through “and”...

The head teacher nodded in gratitude and finished off her young colleague:

-What is the first letter?

It is easy to see that the large cohort of incompetent employees is not so uniform. And they are divided into several subspecies.

Category one. Young specialists

These, of course, are not dropouts in the literal sense of the word. Remember yourself in your first days at work and your panicky thoughts about how and where to apply what you were taught at the institute, and where to get the knowledge, skills and abilities required for a specific job.

What should I do? Such “dropouts” can seriously irritate only those who themselves have completely forgotten how they once were the same fledgling youth with a diploma, but without experience. Want to speed up the process? Take on the role of a mentor. By doing this you will not only help your young colleague, but also raise your authority in the eyes of others and your superiors.

Category two. People know how to get settled!

These pseudo half-educated people are not stupid. They just realized that pretending to be unprofessional is quite profitable. Exhausted by the ostentatious stupidity of such employees, colleagues prefer not to trust them important work. Meanwhile, the cunning people are rubbing their hands quite happily: they receive their salaries with almost no effort.

What should I do? Do you suspect a colleague of deceit? Try to become suddenly “stupid” yourself. Perhaps the cunning person will not be able to withstand your unprofessional reasoning or even actions and will give himself away.

Category three. Classic dropouts

Belong to a variety of age categories. What they have in common is a chronic reluctance to learn, improve, and do quality work. However, many of them are not without career ambitions. And some are so blind that they sincerely consider themselves irreplaceable specialists.

What should I do? Try not to work “in conjunction” with classic dropouts. Otherwise, only you will have to work! And if an enterprising representative of the dropouts happens to be nearby, then you’ll also have to clean up after him! If joint activity cannot be avoided, trust the dropout to do at least something on his own. And then report to your superiors. Perhaps it will still see the light.

Category four. Communications are the head of everything

A relative of the boss or another privileged member of the team may work equally with everyone else, or may act as interior decoration, and even then it is doubtful.

What should I do? Do the same as with classical dropouts. The downside is that your general superiors understand everything perfectly well, but don’t want to do anything.

Situation: constant stress at work

You are constantly under stress: on the eve of negotiations, conversations with your manager, or defense of a project. This is so commonplace that it becomes background - and you will have to pay a huge bill for it later. The main weapon against stress is awareness, and our best ally is our body. Learn to listen to his voice - headache, fever, chills, numbness in your arms and legs. This is how the brain sends signals that the psyche is overloaded. Take immediate rehabilitation measures.

How to relieve stress without leaving your desk

Inhale-exhale

By inhaling, you quiet the noise of consciousness and give yourself the opportunity to come into balance. Inhalation can send you inside the body, allowing you to look at what is happening from the outside, and then make a decision about where and how to move on.

The huge role of little things

Learn to find small joys in everyday life. A person is designed in such a way that he perceives pain more readily than pleasure, but if you constantly tune yourself to perceive different things in a positive way, you can feel joy all day long. For example, from the fact that I managed to sit down after several hours of working on my feet; from the fact that a beautiful handle with a pleasant-to-touch surface was in your hands; from boisterous laughter at a good joke; from a delicious lunch; from the fact that I managed to throw off the hairpins under the table.

There are several effective methods that will help relieve stress right at work.

1. Exercise

Raise your left hand to the height of your shoulder, take the elbow of your left hand with your right hand and pull it towards your right shoulder. Do the same with the other hand. You will feel your shoulder muscles stretching. Do several repetitions of this exercise.
Place your fingers in a lock, hold your hands at chest level, then straighten them without opening your fingers and turn your palms outward. Repeat this several times.
Massage your neck with your palms and make several circular movements with your head.
Stand up, spread your legs slightly, raise your arms up and reach as if you want to get something from the top shelf. Stretch your entire body, rising onto your toes.

Perform this set of exercises several times a day to stretch stiff muscles and relieve tension.

2. Music

If you can listen to music at work, be sure to use this opportunity. Listen to a selection of tracks that will bring you pleasure. Alternate songs - relaxing with toning and encouraging.

3. Sedative

If you cannot cope with stress on your own, take a mild sedative.

Mint tea with the addition of valerian and oregano roots.
Glycine is a sweet tablet that does not cause drowsiness. Glycine normalizes mental functioning and reduces irritability.
Novo-Passit copes well with stress, but may cause drowsiness in some people. It is best to drink Novo-Passit before bed.
Green tea with lemon and a spoon of honey is a natural energy drink. This drink is especially suitable for people who have to spend a lot of time at the computer.

Stress Prevention

Regular exercise is very helpful in combating stress. Spend 30 minutes a day exercising and within a couple of days you will feel better. Sport not only tones the muscles, but also helps clear the mind and calm the nervous system. Any physical activity, even a regular walk in the evenings, will help you relieve tension and fight negative emotions.

In addition, sports and fresh air before bed is a great way to solve the problem of insomnia. Most people who experience stress at work experience a decrease in productivity. You should sleep at least 7 hours a day.

Try to eat healthy foods rich in protein and magnesium. Eliminate alcohol, cigarettes and fast food.

Surround yourself with positive music, movies and people. Laughter is what you need when you're feeling on edge. Watch a comedy, go bowling, or make new friends. Reconsider your outlook on life, if something bothers you - do not criticize or become depressed, but try to fix it. Take care of your relationships with your loved ones, meet with relatives and friends more often. Don't forget to pamper yourself with gifts and relaxation. The feeling of happiness and fun promotes the release of endorphins (happiness hormones) and is a shield against stress.

Many physiological, biochemical and structural changes that occur in the body during aging and under stress are the same. Therefore, to prevent aging, for health and longevity, the ability to manage stress becomes very important.

There are three main ways to manage stress:

Avoiding the problem
Changing the problem
Changing your attitude towards the problem

It is possible to resist stress, or rather, manage your stress. Let's take a closer look at each of the proposed methods.

Method 1. Avoiding the problem

It is impossible to avoid all stressful situations in life, but in many cases a stressful situation can be avoided.

Learn to control your behavior so as to avoid stressful environments. If some television programs irritate you, do not watch them. You can either change the channel or turn off the TV completely. Nobody obliges you to watch such programs. This is your voluntary choice.

When communicating, avoid topics that make you worry. If you are upset by conversations about prices, social injustice, politics, etc. - avoid them.

Do not take on extra work and additional responsibility that you are not able to handle, because... this will lead you to stress.

Method 2: Changing the problem

If it is not possible to avoid a stressful situation, you can try to change it.

Inability or improper organization of your personal time can cause you stress. While reasonable planning can prevent it.

Method 3. Changing your attitude towards the problem

If you are unable to influence the situation, then you need to change your attitude towards it. You can change your point of view on the situation or adapt to what is happening.

In reality, we react not to the events themselves, but to what we think and how we evaluate what is happening.

There are often cases when we are unable to influence the source of stress. This could be a divorce, a crisis, the loss of a loved one, etc.

The only way out of stress under such circumstances is to come to terms with the state of affairs.

In this case, you must try to accept the situation as it is and continue to live. Because it is impossible to control the uncontrollable. It is much more useful to focus our attention on what we can control - this is on our behavior and our attitude to what is happening.

Switch to positive thinking. Try to find something good in every bad situation or extract some benefit from it for yourself. Look at things from a different perspective.

Your physical and emotional state depends on your thoughts. A cheerful person with positive thinking feels confident, makes a good impression from the outside and is popular with others.

Unproductive ways to deal with stress

These stress management techniques may have a short-term positive effect by reducing stress levels, or may create the illusion of such an effect, but in the long term they are only harmful.

Dissatisfaction with your work: what you do, exorbitant demands from management, tense atmosphere in the team, the feeling that you are not appreciated.

Or maybe the source of stress is in your personal life? Misunderstanding of loved ones, constant quarrels...

Boredom, routine, routine, smoldering dissatisfaction with one's life, and fears also cause stress.

Stress inside you

It is possible that the source of stress is not in your environment, but within you. Your beliefs and values can also cause a lot of stress wherever you go because you always carry them with you. The stricter your beliefs and expectations, the greater the stress you will experience, because the world around you will not bend its way just to meet your needs.

All beliefs that make you dependent on other people or events, causing you to believe that you have no choice, cause stress.

All beliefs that increase your sense of control over yourself and your environment are resources. Believing in your own ability to control the events of your life—inner strength—will automatically reduce your stress levels. People with this belief tend to have stronger immune systems that can fight off illnesses caused by stress.

How to build inner strength?

1 way:
Recall success situations in the past, even minor ones, in which success depended on your actions. This is your support, which strengthens the belief that you are able to cope with even the most difficult situation.

Method 2:
Observe those people who also had to face such trials. What qualities help them achieve success? What are they doing? What do they believe?
If it's possible for them, why not you?

3 way:
contact someone who can help and support you. In extreme cases, it could be a movie character, a book character, or someone who inspires you. Think: “What would he advise me to do in this situation?”

Whatever method you choose, the main thing is to understand that coping with stress is within your power.