Stress - How Hypnosis can help
Therapist Christopher Morgan- Locke explains what stress is and looks at who it effects and how it can be treated
There are many definitions of stress and to understand what it is can help us understand how to deal with it. One definition is that it is the physical and mental 'wear and tear' we experience as we attempt to cope with the pressures in our lives. Another definition of stress is that it is a physical and mental response to too much or too little pressure.
Many would assume that those with too little pressure are unlikely to suffer stress but this is not true, in fact if you look at stress in organisations it is not higher management who suffer stress most but it is those who have less control over their environment.
A third definition is that stress can be caused when there is high demand, high restriction and low support which means if you are expected to do too much with too little resources and with insufficient support you may be prone to stress.
The typical physical symptoms may include palpitations, increased pulse rate, sleepiness, chest pains, pins and needles, weakness, dilated pupils, insomnia, fainting, butterflies, tightness in chest and an increased frequency in using the toilet. The psychological reactions to stress can include feeling under pressure, constant fear, increased irritability, proneness to tears, impulse to run and hide and high sensitivity to external stimuli.
Another reaction can be to develop irrational fears such as the fear of death or of social embarrassment. Another quite important reaction can be the inability to enjoy any present pleasures like people who go on holiday and come back more tired and stressed than before they went.
It is estimated that about 40 million working days are lost in the UK as a result of stress-related illnesses and the cost of this absenteeism is in the region of £1.5 billion per year. Such illness could include migraines, digestion problems, insomnia, rashes, exhaustion and even alcoholism.
The medical profession estimate that almost 80% of modern diseases have their origins in stress. Many common illnesses which can be triggered or worsened by such as asthma, diabetes, ulcers, IBS, skin complaints, headaches, PMS and depression.
Stress can also cause damage to our immune systems by affecting the thymus gland, which manufactures white blood cells, called T cells, and also produces various immune-related hormones. Stress plays a big part in coronary heart disease, our biggest killer, which is responsible for over 250,000 deaths annually in the UK and is the single most common cause of death in the developed countries.
Are certain types more prone to stress related disease? According to cardiologists Friedmann and Rosenman their patients fell into two basis types A and B and type A males were six times more likely to suffer heart disease as type B males.
If types A's play hard they often will play harder or if they have a tendency to become depressed then they can become even more depressed. If they smoke or drink they may do it more frequently and if they do not they may start. Some may have emotional outburst, lethargic or indulge in excessive eating or loss of appetite and avoidance of specific situations.
Type A males characteristics:
· Easily becomes hostile and aggressive
· Always rushing around and lacking clear goals
· Disorganised, takes on two many things at once
· Excessively competitive
· Unable to relax and have fun
· Sleep less, work long hours, socialising unimportant,
· Often too involved with clubs, voluntary work, classes etc.
· Lack of communication with partner, less marital sex
There are many different causes of stress but broadly speaking they can be split into two basis categories - external and internal stressors. The external stressors would include major life events such as the death of a relative, losing your job, having a baby, dealing with a traumatic incident or even being promoted.
Physical things around you such as noise, heat, bright lights can affect you as well as how you interact with others e.g.: associates being bossy, rude or aggressive. Rules, regulation, 'red tape' and deadlines as well as commuting, losing things or even a mechanical breakdown all count as external stressors.
Internal stressors may include not enough sleep, too much work, caffeine, being too self-critical, over-analysing, or being a perfectionist. Other examples would include having unrealistic expectations, all-or-nothing-thinking, taking things personally, exaggerating, rigid thinking or being a workaholic.
You may not think suffering from stress does not really matter but it can be more serious than you think. However, stress can lead to burnout, post traumatic stress disorder or in its worst form it can produce biochemical changes which can burn out the nerve endings at the top of the neck which can effect the mobility in your body.
One factor that many do not consider is that in a strange way stress can be infectious. If your parents were stressed when you grew up or if friends or work colleagues are stressed you can inherit their stress. If you think of stress as if it were a virus that you have to protect yourself against then it becomes far easier to manage. However stress is not all bad, in fact we all need a certain amount of stress to help drive us through our lives and without it could be just as bad as having too much.
Stress can be treated and with professional help usually quite quickly. It involved sitting down with an expert and talking through any issues you may have and making a plan. You may also be taught techniques that will help you focus more and relax in a different way. There are also techniques that will help you feel better about yourself and your life.
Using hypnotherapy combined with stress counselling is often the quickest approach and is safe as it does not require drugs which may have side effects and research has shown that people with stress or mild or medium depression should be given talking therapies before going down the drug route.
Christopher Morgan-Locke is a therapist who has helped thousands of people over the years deal with stress, anxiety and depression using techniques which include stress counselling and hypnotherapy. Patients from the USA, Europe and all parts of the UK come to see him for help in resolving issues quickly. He owns The Peel Clinic in London (Clapham Common, Battersea) and also works each week in Surrey (Weybridge and Wentworth areas) and in Hampshire (Alton and Farnham areas). www.thepeelclinic.org.uk or email him at christopher@thepeelclinic.org.uk
