The Most Common and Least Effective Ways to Manage Stress

There are times in our lives when our needs, desires and expectations do not match up with our available resources.  It is this gap between needs and resources that we call stress.  It is common to all people.

Stress that is ongoing and unresolved will have long term consequences for our health.  Physically it will increase our susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, asthma and Alzheimer's.  Oh the whole, people whole learn to manage their stress live longer than those who don't.

Three of the most common, and least effective, approaches for managing stress, increase the likelihood that stress will make us sick.  The first common and ineffective approach for managing stress is comforting ourselves with food.  We eat more and more often because it soothes us for a few moments.    We eat bigger portions and sugary, fatty and salty foods because they have the most impact on how we are feeling.  With a little food, we are able to push aside the feelings of stress for a while.  In a very stressful world, full of demands that are difficult to meet, it is not surprising that two thirds of us are overweight or obese.

We can balance our need for food and the comfort it brings with the harmful effects of over indulging.  If we are inclined to eat to manage stress, then we need to find ways to eat that will not harm us.  Focusing on satisfying, celebratory, nutrition filled foods will help.  Becoming aware, even becoming experts at understanding the balance of calories in/calories out in our own lives will be essential.  Finally, learning to combine the pleasures of eating with the pleasures of burning calories will change everything for you.  With burning calories you will add strength, personal power, positive biochemicals throughout your body, problem solving, optimism and increased neuroplasticity and more resources throughout your life.

The second most common and ineffective approach to managing stress is the use of drugs and alcohol.  The desire to escape or cope with the challenges at hand leads many to use alcohol or other drugs.  Sometimes the strategy is to blow off steam, let loose and forget all worries.  Other time the hope is to maintain function while cutting the feelings of stress.  Neither approach is effective long term.  Both approaches lead to more difficulties and then to more stress.

Alcohol and other drugs have been proven to be high risk stress management approaches.  Reliance upon drugs and alcohol can lead to dependence, addiction, relationship issues, legal problems and health issues.   It is often difficult for people relying on alcohol and other drugs to manage their stress, to be fully aware of the actual impact their use is having on their lives.  It is also easy for them to consider themselves to be the exception to the rule of standard usage.  But, of course, they are not the exception to the rule.

Here are the standards for healthy, safe use of alcohol and other drugs:

• Zero alcohol if you are sick, using medications or other drugs, pregnant, under 21, chemically dependent, driving, or have a strong family history of alcoholism.
• Up to one drink for women and two drinks for men daily.
• Never more than three drinks in a day.
• Never three drinks daily.
• Prescription drugs only under the supervision of a qualified physician.
• There are no safe amounts of other drugs and no way to manage the risks of use.

The third common and ineffective approach to managing stress is smoking.  Smokers will tell you about the calming, soothing, energizing and satisfying experience of smoking.  At the same time, every smoker knows about the long term and destructive consequences of smoking.  Smoking can help you feral better for a few moments until you have your next. 10 times a day, or 20, or 40 or even 50 times a day you feel better.  With each smoke you mortgage your future, push off stress and allow it to grow.  One day the payment will come due in medical treatment, disability or death.  It's a hard way to live.

There are no safe amount that you can smoke.

There are healthier ways to manage stress that add years to your life, add happiness to your days and resolve stress.   Exercise, time with friends, family and those you love, meditation are all highly effective alternatives the ineffective approaches to stress management.