Stress Management

We’ve all been stressed…it’s that overwhelming feeling that makes us anxious in anticipation related to a situation going on in our lives.  Stress if your body’s way of responding to any demand that is made upon it.  Stressors can be physical (demanding of the body), or psychological (demanding of the mind).  Stressors can be either good or bad, but either one causes a biological response to happen in your body.  Of course, good stressors are usually better.  Total Home Health completely understands the concept of stress and how it plays a role in our day to day functioning.  We are eager to begin our services with you in order to promote your well-being and help you manage your stressors so they have a positive impact on your life.

Individuals need the presence of some stressors in their life in order to peak their interest and give them purpose to their actions and life.  However, it is when you experience too much stress or have too many different things attributing to your stress, that it can cause distress in your life.  Anxiety and anger would be examples of stressors that are damaging to your body and cause it distress.  Whenever your body faces a situation where it is put under an increased demand, such as in a stressful situation, general adaptation syndrome (GAS) occurs in response.  The first stage of GAS is known to us as the “fight or flight” response, where you will either take on what the situation is throwing at you, or run and try another coping method to handle the situation.

You should remember though, that if stress is prolonged your body may begin to respond in ways that are not good for you…which could cause a variety of health complications such as weight loss or weight gain, depression, chronic pain, high blood pressure, chronic anxiety, and more.  Therefore, stress management is very important and it is your ability to cope with different types of stress, while also being able to experience appropriate emotions during the situation.  Here are some stress management facts that may give you a little more insight:

•   If you manage your stress in a healthy manner by using a variety of coping skills, you will generally have better outcomes in your situations.
•   Keep in mind that your responses to stress and anxiety are affected by factors such as your age, gender, culture, life experiences, and the type of lifestyle you lead.
•   The effects of the stressful situations you encounter are cumulative.  For example, the death of a family member may cause a huge amount of stress.  So, if you are also experiencing other stressful events at the same time, complications to your health could arise due to all the negative effects on your body from the great amount of stress.
•  Your ability to use successful stress management techniques can improve your stress-related medical conditions and improve your functioning and outlook on life.

There are protective factors that can increase your ability to resist the effects of stress to generate a more positive situation for yourself if burdened by stress, including:

•   Good physical health
•   Having a strong sense of self
•   Following religious or spiritual beliefs
•   Having a positive outlook on life
•   Engaging in hobbies and other social events
•   Having interpersonal relationships that are satisfying
•   Strong social support systems, such as friends and family
•   Finding the humor in your stressful situation

Total Home Health has a program that will fit your stress management needs perfectly.  Our nursing care will involve working to educate you on various ways to reduce the stressors in your life, which will be discussed further once you enroll with us!  Some of these ways to reduce your stressors include reframing your thought processes, increasing relaxation, starting to keep a journal, restructuring your priorities, music therapy, introducing  you to more relaxing hobbies, educating you how to communicate more effectively, and more.  Total Home Health and our professional staff look forward to teaching you how to manage your stress more effectively in order to avoid serious health problems.  We aim to keep you in tip top shape, keep you smiling, and enjoying being able to watch you lead a satisfying life.