Stress can be defined as a state we experience when there is a mismatch between perceived demands and our perceived ability to cope. Stress can also be defined as an adaptive response by a body to change in the environment. Stress response evolved to enable humans to deal with life-threatening dangers or stressors such as being confronted with a wild animal or perhaps a hostile human. Situations like this required action – the activation of the stress response to either stay and fight or to run away.
Today we hopefully won’t have to face the same dangers as our ancestors but the stress response to demanding situations we face is still with us and our mind and body still prepare for fight or flight when confronted with this equivalent of the wild animal. This is where the problem may begin as activation of the fight or flight response with no physical outlet, such as if we are stuck in a traffic jam and can’t fight it or flee it, or maybe an unfair confrontation in the workplace where once again the response for action may be triggered but we cant vent it by fighting or running away without consequences we would rather avoid. Perhaps both of these events and more are experienced on the same day, perhaps every day, and the stress builds within us until it can damage our health because of the continual pressure placed upon our immune system. The resulting reduction in efficiency of our immune system may then open us up to many unwanted symptoms such as rashes, yeast overgrowth, IBS, indegestion, headaches and migranes, reduced memory efficiency and a tendancy to become negative and depressed unless a resolution is found and healing is facilitated.
Modern Clinical Hypnotherapy offers an effective alternative to drugs or coping strategies such as binge eating, drinking, smoking and other harmful ways in which we attempt to get by day by day when we have a stress and/or anxiety problem.
Call us on 01702 300215 to arrange your free and no obligation initial consultation (yes it really is free of charge).