Stress Management

The first step in reducing stress is to learn how to dispel unnecessary worries (for example, worries about past mistakes, worries about the distant future, worries about what others think of us), and concentrate on only those issues that require solution at the moment.  This is not an easy task, and often requires solution-based psychotherapy to attain this skill.  Since such therapy is often short-term and very focused, it is attainable in a reasonable amount of time.  It should be mentioned, however, that if you are suffering from what is considered a “major mental illness” such as Bipolar Disorder, or Schizophrenia, or have severe personality problems resulting from childhood trauma or abuse, or have concomitant addictions to drugs or alcohol, treatment will be much more involved and require a much longer period of time.

In addition to learning how to avoid unnecessary worries or anger, it is important to focus on lifestyle.  Exercise is quite important, since we are built, psychologically and physically, to resolve our problems and allay stress through physical exertion.  Since many of the stresses in our life can’t be resolved this way, we still need to dispel the accumulated stress by physical exertion.  Regular exercise can accomplish this and more.  Once we become “aerobic”, our metabolism rate increases, making our brain, as well as the rest of our body, run more efficiently.  There is scientific evidence that exercise acts as an antidepressant by raising serotonin levels, just like antidepressant medications do.  Before embarking on an exercise regime, of course, it is important to consult your primary physician to ensure the safety of such a regime. 

 In addition to exercise, it is vital to develop some creative endeavors, since our brain is set up as a problem-solving machine, and if left idle, it really gets rusty.  When we are playing at our hobbies, or sports, or games, we have a chance to problem-solve without the pressure of being rated or graded by others.  Of course, many people carry over their drive for perfection to their “play”, and thereby can negate the positives of fun and sports.  Learning how to be less driven by perfectionism is the main goal of having fun and being creative in our hobbies.  If you cannot relax and have fun, psychotherapy can help you to be less perfectionistic and more tolerant of your human qualities.  Once you realize that mistakes are not necessarily bad, but can be viewed as opportunities to learn, living becomes a challenge instead of a burden.