Stress is a very dangerous condition. Left “on its own”, without attention, it gradually destroys the body, leading to the development of heart disease, nervous and endocrine systems. Obesity, which is present in many people over 30, is nothing more than a manifestation of stress. Therefore, this condition must be fought. In the following, we'll detail the various ways you can relieve stress and combat depression. Your task is to choose for yourself one or several methods that are right for you.
Basic principles of stress management
Usually, a person knows what caused the violation of his psycho-emotional state (for example, stress at work). Then treatment, if possible, begins with the elimination of stress factors. This can be the termination of communication with an obsessive colleague or neighbor (a one-time refusal to help or even a quarrel is better for the psyche than everyday cooperation if it causes negative emotions). There may be more radical measures: change of environment, transition to work as a remote employee.
If it is impossible to eliminate the stress factor, you need to change your attitude towards it, as well as change priorities. This is possible during the practice of meditation, relaxation, animal therapy, travel and play therapy. The rest of the methods below are aimed at restoring harmony to the soul, and drug treatment and physiotherapy - to restore the body's strength.
All of these areas of treatment are more effective immediately after exposure to a stressor, but they must be applied in the case of a prolonged "stay in the disease".
Factors such as the following are very important in the treatment of stress:
- normalization of the ratio "work: rest" (the duration of sleep cannot be less than 9 hours, if you have not achieved accustoming the body to its other duration with the help of various meditative practices);
- good nutrition;
- sufficient activity (walking for at least 30 minutes a day), exercise;
- hobby activities.
If the stress turned out to be strong, it is necessary to start treatment with psychotherapeutic treatment. In the case when a natural disaster, war, an attack by bandits or the like served as a stressor, you need to contact a psychotherapist or psychiatrist in the first 48 hours, otherwise the consequences can be very serious.
If we are talking about a child, then it is very important for him to feel parental support and affection for the period of treatment, he can be offered drawing, dancing, sports activities, spending more time together, walking in the fresh air, going on a picnic. Parents can better understand their baby's needs by listening to what they are talking about with toys. The child's daily routine, adequate nutrition and adequate sleep during treatment are mandatory. You can not insist that the child approaches peers: this can additionally stress him. It is better to find out where the group art therapy classes (drawing, sanding, singing) are held and start walking with him.
Features of nutrition during stress
The basic rules of nutrition for stress are:
- there should be no overeating;
- daily salt intake should be reduced to 6-8 g per day (about a teaspoon);
- food should contain 350-400 g of carbohydrates, 100 g of proteins, 100 g of fat;
- include in the diet foods that contribute to the production of endorphins ("the hormone of happiness") in the body: bananas, avocados, strawberries, from spices - mustard, from sweets - a small amount of chocolate;
- do not eat very high-calorie foods;
- under stress, the production of free radicals increases in the body, in order to neutralize them, it is necessary that foods rich in antioxidants come with food. These are citrus fruits, black currants (they contain a lot of vitamin C), almonds, raw pumpkin seeds, boiled Swiss chard vegetable, spinach, vegetable oils (especially from wheat germ, olive, coconut, camelina, hemp). The last 5 foods are rich in vitamin E;
- one of the mechanisms of the development of pathological processes under stress is also an increase in the permeability of cell membranes. In order to strengthen the membranes of the cells, so that the contents necessary for their normal functioning do not come out, vitamins PP, B (the whole group), a trace element selenium are needed. These are tomatoes and tomato juice, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, cedar nuts, bran bread, cereals, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, avocado, carrots, zucchini, beans, lentils. From fruits and berries, useful: apricot, peach, raspberry, mulberry, cloudberry.
Reduce the amount consumed, or better, completely eliminate those foods that stimulate the brain. These are, first of all, caffeine-containing products: coffee, black tea, cola, chocolate. Secondly, these are extractive substances contained in meat, fish and mushroom broths, as well as fried fish and meat. These products will cause the organs to work harder gastrointestinal tract, which because of this will send a large number of impulses to the brain, thereby exciting it.
Alcohol and drugs will only exacerbate the situation, so they must be completely eliminated.
Psychotherapeutic methods
To overcome stress and its consequences, psychotherapists use various methods that help a person get out of the vicious circle if he cannot (as in the case of an acute reaction to stress) or does not want (considers it insignificant) to do it himself. It:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy... It is based on today's thoughts of a person, on what reactions occur in his body in response to certain events. Based on thoughts, feelings and a person, the therapist understands how they can be changed.
- Gestalt therapy... Here the therapist communicates with the person in such a way that he himself is aware of the causes of his stress. Then the patient understands how to solve his own problem and, under the guidance of the doctor, takes the necessary steps.
- Hypnosis... In this case, the doctor resorts to suggestion, with the help of which he "forces" to get rid of psycho-emotional stress and bad thoughts.
All psychotherapy aims to develop a person's psychological stability in difficult conditions, to form a stable system of life values, to develop a person's sober approach to the world and the flexibility of his thinking.
Physiotherapy treatments
To treat stress, science has developed several physiotherapy treatments that will affect the nervous system. It:
- Electrosleep... In this case, electrodes are applied to the eye area, through which a constant pulse current of low strength and short pulse duration is passed. It rhythmically irritates the cortex and subcortical structures such as the hypothalamus, limbic system, optic hillocks and reticular formation, resulting in sleep. Such sleep in phases differs from natural or medication (anesthetic). It stimulates the restoration of the relationship between the autonomic nervous and endocrine systems, has an analgesic effect, improves mood, reduces fatigue, and makes natural night sleep deeper. It does not cause intoxication and complications, unlike sleep under anesthesia or after administration.
Electrosleep is contraindicated in inflammatory diseases of the eyes, inflammation of the skin of the face, glaucoma, a high degree of myopia, cataracts at a late stage, heart failure 2-3 degrees, hypertension 2-3 stages.
- Magnetotherapy... In this case, the effect on the tissues is carried out using a low-frequency alternating or constant magnetic field, which, acting on the molecules in the tissues (especially the thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebral cortex), improves their ability to pass through cell membranes. Thus, biological processes change in tissues:
- biochemical reactions are accelerated by 10-30%;
- the excitability of nerve cells decreases;
- The "energy systems" of the body go into a saving mode;
- decreases vasospasm;
- has a beneficial effect on sleep;
- the metabolism between blood and tissue fluid improves;
- decreases emotional stress;
- the pulsed magnetic field has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, the constant field has a calming effect.
Magnetic therapy is contraindicated for cancer, schizophrenia, epilepsy, stage 3 hypertension (when there are already complications), heart and respiratory failure.
- Sinusoidal modulated currents (amplipulse therapy) with the application of electrodes to the skin of the eyes. The currents pass through the skin and affect the hormonal and immune state of the body, normalize blood pressure, have anesthetic and sedative effect.
- Applications of paraffin and ozokerite on the back of the head and neck. The use of this warm mass will improve the outflow of blood and lymph from the cranial cavity, reduce headaches by lowering intracranial pressure, improve metabolism between blood and tissues of the neck and head, and stimulate immunity.
Applications for thyrotoxicosis, severe neuroses, tumors, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels are contraindicated.
- Acupuncture has an analgesic, sedative effect, relaxes muscles.
- Acupressure... Its action is similar to acupuncture, but does not require special equipment, but it requires a specialist with the necessary experience and knowledge. The masseur can teach techniques with which a person can subsequently perform self-massage of biologically active points.
- Ultrasonic exposure... With the help of ultrasound, micromassage is performed at the cellular level, it has an analgesic effect, relieves spasm of the vessels carrying blood to the brain. Contraindications are the same as for paraffin-ozokerite applications.
- Galvanization - treatment with electric currents of low strength and low voltage, which change the pH of the medium, osmotic processes, polarize the cell membranes. When galvanizing the collar zone, blood circulation, excitability and nutrition of the brain, hearing and vision organs, and upper extremities change reflexively.
If a person needs intensive recovery (for example, with neglected stress, in the event of an acute reaction to stress, or with post-traumatic stress disorder), a program of combined use of several procedures is suitable for him:
- reception of mineral waters;
- iodine-bromine baths;
- oxygen therapy with the supply of oxygen to the brain, organs and tissues;
- magnetotherapy;
- ultrasound therapy.
Best of all, when these procedures are performed in a sanatorium. Then, in the intervals between them, the intake of wholesome food and rest, such physical activity is recommended as dosed walking on the landscape area, where various plant associations grow naturally or artificially. This healing movement allows the blood to be saturated with oxygen-enriched air. Also, aeroionophytotherapy allows you to get additional positive emotions through communication with nature.
So that stress, the next time it happens, does not lead to negative consequences for the body, physiotherapy procedures are recommended, such as:
- water procedures;
- balneotherapy (treatment with mineral waters in the form of baths and for oral administration);
- transcerebral electrical procedures: electrosleep, amplipulse therapy and interference therapy with the application of electrodes to the skull.
Spa and spa therapy
SPA treatment implies various methods of influencing the body, helping it to recover in a natural way. They are very pleasant and affect many senses at once: smell, touch, hearing, sight. They are performed both at resorts and in specially created SPA centers, where you can choose one or several procedures.
SPA includes:
- balneotherapy - treatment with mineral waters, which can be used in the form of baths, for oral administration, as well as for inhalation or microclysters;
- thalassotherapy (treatment by the sea), which consists of the effects of sea air (cavitotherapy), treatment with algae (algotherapy), sea water (hydrotherapy) and sea mud (fangotherapy);
- chocolate and coffee SPA treatment. In this case, mixtures with green coffee or cocoa extracts are applied to the skin, which have a pleasant smell, nourish the skin, and help in eliminating excess subcutaneous fat;
- peloidotherapy or mud therapy is the application of biologically active mud to the skin, which, with the help of their thermal and enzymatic effects, participate in the treatment of the nervous system;
- aromatherapy (about it - in the corresponding section);
- stone therapy is a special massage technique performed by natural stones, which are applied either hot or cold (this is necessary to get the desired response from the body - relaxation or, on the contrary, toning), then laid out along the spine, then they perform massage movements;
- turkish bath is a thermal effect on the body when there is no such stress for it, as in a Russian bath or sauna, because the temperature here is only 35-50 degrees. Hamam has a relaxing effect, improves sleep, stimulates digestion. The procedure is contraindicated for people with mental disorders, oncological diseases, patients with bronchial asthma and skin diseases.
- therapeutic relaxing massage.
SPA are contraindicated in pregnancy, oncological diseases, blood clotting disorders, blood diseases, epilepsy, serious diseases of any internal organ, intolerance to the components of the procedure, as well as - but this is temporary - during infectious diseases.
During the spa or spa treatment, you must not use heavy physical activity, competitions, lift heavy weights, and do crossfit. You can only hang on the horizontal bar, do stretching exercises, swim in the pool. Intimate relationships during such treatment are not contraindicated.
Meditation
This is the main way that can help yourself get out of psychological stress. There is no harm from it, only benefit: relaxation of the nervous system, gaining inner peace. If you relax correctly, you can even get an answer from the Universe to your questions.
Meditation is performed either in a sitting position (in the incomplete or full lotus position, or, if it is very difficult, sitting on bent legs), or in the supine position, in a pose called shavasana.
Shavasana means that you need to lie on the mat, on your back, your hands lie at an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the body, palms up. Heels - at a distance of about 5 cm from each other, the head lies so that the eyes (they will have to be closed later) look at the ceiling. The tip of the tongue touches the palate behind the upper teeth.
The pose has been chosen, now - the basic rules, without which you will either fall asleep, or instead of relaxation you will feel irritated:
- Set an alarm clock (timer) for 10-15 minutes.
- Breathing - calm, preferably - with the stomach, which inflates on inhalation, on exhalation - decreases like a ball. It is advisable to practice abdominal breathing before diving into the depths of your own consciousness.
- The tongue is behind the upper teeth: this is how an important channel for the flow of energy is closed.
- Feel how each toe relaxes and warms, then - the legs, thighs, then - each finger, forearms, shoulders. Ultimately, you should stop feeling them, and feel that you are floating on the waves.
- Relax your eyes - they seem to fall into the sockets.
- Relax your nose and ears: feel yourself breathing from the back of your head.
- Stop your mental speech, try not to think about anything. It won't work right away, but it will. Concentrate on your breathing. You can also concentrate on the music that you have included for this (those tracks that are called "binaural" are recommended), or on those pictures that will appear in front of closed eyes. You can not close your eyes and look at a blazing fire or flowing water (you can watch it as a video on your computer) You can also imagine the picture that evokes the greatest pacification: that you are lying in a green forest clearing, or on the sand near the clear sea, and so on.
- Ask your mental question or request, wait for an answer, deliberately suppressing any thoughts.
- Try to feel how, on inhalation, life-giving energy enters the body, and with exhalation, stress leaves the body and does not return.
If you fall asleep all the time, try the incomplete lotus position, in which you should be as relaxed as possible. If you are exercising in the cold season, dress well, put 2 blankets on the floor, and the third can be covered.
Relaxation
This is a relaxation technique similar to the meditation described above. Only here you concentrate not on stopping your thoughts or breathing, but on relaxing your body so that you can “swim in weightlessness” and thus get rid of stress.
Performed in a prone position (can be in bed):
- Spread your legs shoulder-width apart, toes apart, arms slightly to the sides.
- Take a deep breath, exhale for a long time, try to do it with your stomach.
- Alternately, first tense and then relax each part of the body: first the neck and head, then the arms, chest, abdomen and legs. Tension should last at least 5 seconds, relaxation - at least 30 seconds. This is the Jacobson technique. There is a second technique - according to Jackson. It implies alternate tension-relaxation first of the muscles of the dominant half of the body (right - in right-handers, left - in left-handers), and then “secondary”.
- During practice, imagine that you are in nature: near the sea, in the mountains, in the forest or in a meadow. Try to smell both the herbs (salt water, mountain air) and the sounds that occur in the area.
You can perform relaxation practice in the following ways:
- Lie on your back, put your hands along your torso, and straighten your legs. Relax. Inhale through your nose, hold your breath for 3-4 seconds. As you exhale, imagine all negativity, fatigue and anxiety leaving your body.
- Lie on your back as comfortable as possible. Inhale and exhale deeply and smoothly. After a while, begin to strain in turn, and then relax the muscles in this way: right leg - left leg, stomach, right arm - left arm, chest, shoulders, neck, face, head. Feel your body completely relaxed, breathe deeply and calmly. Repeat tension-relaxation again.
Breathing techniques
If you are interested in how to get out of stress on your own, start with the use of breathing techniques. Correct breathing in a traumatic situation can even relieve stress or reduce its severity.
The breath that can calm the mind is diaphragmatic (belly):
- you take a deep breath, and, placing your hand on your stomach, feel how it rises (the stomach puffs up);
- exhalation - long, approximately equal to inhalation, the stomach at this time tends to "stick" to the spine.
Do not rush, watch the rhythm and frequency of breathing, do not allow yourself to breathe often, but also do not drive to panic when it seems that there is not enough air. Try not to pause between inhalation and exhalation. After a few minutes, engage yourself in something else that requires concentration.
Imaging method
It means the following. Draw or write on a piece of paper what is bothering you, then burn the piece, imagining the problem and the negativity associated with it leaving you along with the smoke. While the leaf is burning, force yourself to imagine pleasant images, you can hum a funny song.
The method of screaming into space
By splashing out the accumulated negative in the form of a cry, you can supplement your vocalization with physical manipulations. So, you can punch a punching bag or pillow, you can beat dishes, throw things or throw (not at living creatures) darts. In Japanese offices, there are special felt rooms for such relaxation, where an employee can engage in such short-term destructive activities. In this way, local psychologists believe, he can relieve stress and continue to work productively, instead of performing his duties more and more carelessly, and then completely go on sick leave with heart disease or neurosis.
Yoga exercises
The following yoga postures (asanas) help with stress:
Hirudotherapy
This is the scientific name for leech therapy, which is very justified in stress. First, leeches bite through the skin only at bioactive points, influencing those organs that "cooperate" with it (that is, the specialist chooses where to plant, and the leech itself is looking for a specific location with an accuracy of a tenth of a millimeter). Secondly, leeches inject a substance called hirudin under the skin, which dilutes the blood (less viscous blood "moves" more freely through the vessels and does not stagnate in the capillaries, but performs its function - tissue nutrition). Thirdly, this worm injects into the blood and others useful materialwhich:
- lower blood sugar levels;
- stimulate the production of "happiness hormones" - endorphins;
- reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, which can, being deposited on the walls of blood vessels, lead to a decrease in their diameter up to complete overlap;
- activate immunity.
Fourth, taking a few milliliters of blood (one leech absorbs 5-10 ml of blood) somehow "unloads" the blood flow, removing "excess" blood. Fifth, the effect of one hirudotherapy session lasts 3 months.
Color stimulation
This is the name of a relatively new type of physiotherapeutic treatment, which consists in exposing the body to light rays of the visible spectrum, which, due to different wavelengths, have different colors. The method is based on the fact that light is an eye irritant, which not only fixes it, but sends signals to the brain. Moreover, depending on the wavelength, the signal goes to different parts of the brain and triggers slightly different biochemical reactions.
A program to combat stress and depression is individually selected by a color therapist based on the leading symptom:
- if you need to calm down (especially if pressure has risen from stress), you need a blue color;
- if self-confidence has disappeared, and the world is seen in black colors, yellow is needed;
- if you feel tired and unwilling to work, the person should be shown green;
- when you need to increase your appetite, orange rays are added;
- if there is a tendency to spring-autumn depressions, the color scheme should not be purple.
Not only the color itself, which will be shown to a person after stress, is important: the rhythm of the color signal, and its shades, and the level of illumination of the field at which this or that color appears, are also important.
Art therapy
Art therapy is art therapy. This is a very good technique for relieving any, even traumatic, stress and its consequences. This is due to the wide possibilities of non-verbal self-expression, protective capabilities due to metaphorical images, a large number of materials and types of arts. A person can transfer the experience of his stress to visual materials, because of which they cease to cause such acute experiences in him, and then he can gain control over them. For this task, a specially trained specialist should give, who will first assess the stage at which the person is, and then, with the help of tasks that will gradually become more complicated, will return the desired inner harmony to him.
Art therapy involves:
- switching attention from a traumatic situation to creativity. At the beginning of therapy, a person ceases to put his problem at the forefront, gradually ceasing to "get hung up" on it;
- transfer of their experiences and sensations to external processes and objects. It helps the negative experience separate from the personality. The psychic energy of a person becomes more controllable for his own consciousness and will not cause such emotions as before;
- gradually it is possible to "withdraw" previously suppressed emotions from the subconscious and from the non-dominant hemisphere of the brain and experience them. This way the person will avoid chronic stress.
Art therapy is suitable for people of all ages and religions. It can be used in both acute and rehabilitation periods. It is carried out both as individual and family or group lessons.
There are many types of art therapy, let's take a closer look at them.
Isotherapy
This is a fine art treatment:
- painting;
- application;
- modeling;
- painted;
- origami;
- the creation of a clay amulet;
- antistress coloring pages.
Each of the types has its own subspecies and techniques, which are known by specialists involved in art therapy, and they should also help a person find the necessary technique for him.
So, painting can be performed in the form:
- self-portrait;
- when using lines, strokes, various forms, you need to draw your emotional state (a person moves a pen on paper, creating chaotic lines until it becomes easier for him);
- style "like a child": you need to draw with your non-working hand what you were most interested in or worried about in childhood;
- group drawing: when one person draws doodles, and the other has to find some image there, decorate and complement it;
- collage;
- meditative drawing. It is performed using the technique of either zentagles (patterns that are drawn in sections of a square), or zendoodles (such patterns that fill anti-stress coloring pages), or doodles (drawing arbitrary patterns).
Any isotherapy technique is performed according to the following plan:
- Create silence outside and inside yourself by stopping your internal dialogue.
- Ask yourself an intimate question.
- Create with the chosen material: crayons, pencils, paints, gouache.
Creativity performed with calm music or recording of sounds of nature leads to a good effect.
Music therapy
This is the name of music therapy. This can be listening to songs or music (receptive music therapy), as well as singing or playing musical instruments on your own (active music therapy). There is also integrative music therapy, when music is played, or painted, or danced.
Music has a threefold effect on the body:
- physical: singing along, a person vibrates the vocal cords, which is very useful;
- mental: if you like music, it contributes to the production of happiness hormones in the body;
- associative: good memories are associated with certain music.
When stressed, it is recommended to listen to (perform) Chopin's works, if you are nervous - listen to the Moonlight Sonata or the 3rd movement of Beethoven's 6th Symphony, Moonlight by Debussy. In order for the treatment to definitely help, the composition must be selected by a specialist.
Kinesitherapy
This lesson in dancing, physical therapy, as well as massage sessions and outdoor games - everything that requires movement.
Bibliotherapy
This is the name of the book treatment by reading or writing your own essays or stories. There is even a separate type of bibliotherapy - fairy tale therapy.
Sand therapy
The main "healer" in this case is sand. You can simply pour it over, make sand animation, build sand sculptures, compositions or castles. You can use both natural sand and artificial, which has special properties - kinetic.
There are such methods of sand therapy:
- playing in the classic blue sandbox (blue has a pacifying effect);
- painting with colored sand;
- drawing with sand on backlit tables;
- dynamic drawing: combining colored sand and a white tray, when the sand is poured, different patterns are obtained;
- classes with kinetic sand - a special material based on starch and quartz sand, from which you can build various castles, figures, sculptures, while it does not stick to your hands and crumbles like dry sand.
Classes can be conducted individually, in pairs or with the participation of a group of people. You can draw with sand by pouring it from a pinch or from a fist. You can make a uniform background, and on it with your fingers, palm or tools.
Imagotherapy
This is a treatment with theatrical arts, which involves either staging theater scenes or visiting theaters.
Phototherapy
This is carrying out photo reports, photo sessions, photo collages or slides for the sick.
Art synthesis therapy
This is a combination of several types of art therapy: for example, painting and playing a musical instrument, creating and retouching photographs, and reading books.
Animal therapy or animal therapy
The fact that animals can help people in treatment were first learned in the 18th century. Then it turned out that dogs can help people undergo treatment in a psychiatric clinic: the presence of such a pet reduced the need to fix the patient in a straitjacket, since the number of seizures and general aggressiveness in people decreased.
For the first time the term "pet therapy" (that is, treatment with pets) appeared in 1969. It was introduced by the child psychiatrist B. Levinson, who noticed that the presence of a dog in his office had a beneficial effect on young patients, regardless of their diagnosis. Upon further study, it turned out that dogs have special properties that allow them to "sniff out" the presence of cancer cells in humans. In 20 minutes these same animals have a presentiment that a person will develop an epileptic seizure or a sharp decrease in the blood sugar level of a patient with diabetes mellitus. Later, scientists drew attention to special "talents" in the treatment of people and other animals: horses, cats, dolphins and even aquarium fish. Then pet therapy became animal therapy - treatment with the help of animals that do not have to be pets.
Positive aspects of animal therapy:
- Eliminating feelings of loneliness.
- Help in the socialization of the patient.
- Strengthening the effect of treating complex conditions when stress is combined with any acute or chronic illness.
There are several types of animal therapy.
Canistherapy - treatment with dogs
In the treatment of stress, canistherapy is especially needed for people who find it difficult to establish emotional contact with other people, those who tend to experience their grief alone, without telling anyone about it. Dogs are able to improve the psychoemotional state of a person, form positive social attitudes in him, and stop emotional stress. Walking the dogs makes a person change his sedentary lifestyle, believe in himself (“The dog doesn't care how much money you have and what you can do”).
For people prone to neuroses, friendly dog \u200b\u200bbreeds are well suited: poodles, labradors, spaniels.
Dolphin therapy
Swimming and communication with dolphins are indicated for psychological rehabilitation for those people who have suffered an acute reaction to stress, when wars, extreme conditions, hurricanes, and earthquakes acted as a stressor.
And if dogs treat with their own spontaneity, kindness and devotion, then in the arsenal of dolphins there are also ultrasonic waves emitted by them, which change the bioelectric activity of the brain. So, they have a relaxing effect on the central nervous system, establish a connection between the brain and internal organs. When studying the electroencephalogram, it turned out that after communication with a dolphin, the brain rhythm slowed down, alpha and theta rhythms appeared, and the work of both hemispheres was synchronized.
Dolphin therapy has contraindications. These are oncological diseases, epilepsy, infectious diseases.
Feline therapy - treatment with cats
With its vibration, emitted when purring, when she fondles a person, the cat helps him to calm down and relax. There is also an opinion that every human tissue emits vibration: with its help, there is an exchange of substances between blood and tissue fluid, this fluid and blood. When its own vibration weakens, the organ becomes ill. A cat, on the other hand, has the ability to feel such places and, sitting on them and starting to purr, makes up for the deficit of this resource.
Hippotherapy - treatment with horses
During horseback riding, the rider is imparted about 110 impulses per minute: within a short period of time he has to make several hundred movements in different planes. He needs to stay on the horse, as a result of which a lot of his muscles work. A large number of impulses are sent from these muscles to the brain, which helps the development of connections between neurons.
In addition, the horse's movements have a massaging effect, which improves blood circulation. Muscle work, which is performed while riding, promotes the production of endorphins in the brain, and contact with the skin of the animal (hippotherapy is not carried out in the saddle: a person sits on a thin and soft blanket) improves overall well-being, reduces aggressiveness and nervousness.
Hippotherapy is contraindicated for:
- epilepsy;
- kidney disease;
- osteoporosis, when there is increased fragility of bones and joints;
- increased blood clotting;
- horse hair allergies.
Aquarium fish and bird therapy
Scientists have come to the conclusion that watching fish promotes concentration, improves mood, and develops an aesthetic sense. In addition, the aquarium in the apartment plays the role of a humidifier, which is useful for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the lungs and bronchi.
It is equally useful to have a songbird at home: canary or goldfinch. They contribute to the development of observation, patience, ear for music. They represent good remedy for the treatment of insomnia and neuroses.
Aromatherapy
It involves calming the nervous system by exposing the olfactory receptors to certain scents. For this, essential oils are used, which can be used in aroma lamps, can be added to creams or oils for the face and / or body. A few drops of essential oils can be added to massage oils and massaged with them
Oils are used in stress therapy:
- lavender;
- lemon balm;
- sandalwood;
- rosewood;
- ylang-ylang;
- juniper;
- patchouli;
- jasmine;
- marjoram;
- neroli;
- vetivert.
You can make mixtures. For example, for depression, you can use a mixture of black pepper and mint. When stressed, a combination of mint, lavender, juniper, rose, neroli and basil. To tune in to a working mood, inhale the aromas of mandarin, lemon, fir. And if everything has ceased to please, the smell of clary sage helps well.
You can use these recipes:
- Anti-stress bath. Put 2 drops of ylang-ylang and dill oil, 3 drops of lemon balm and 5 drops of lavender oil in warm bath water.
- If it's hard to fall asleep. Take a warm bath before bed, adding 1 drop of pine and ylang-ylang oils to the water, 2 drops of cedarwood, 3 drops of lavender oil.
Herbal treatment
Herbalists advise using the following recipes:
- Infusion of thyme. 1 tsp pour 500 ml of boiling water over the herbs, leave in a sealed container for half an hour. Take these 500 ml in 3-4 doses. You can take the infusion again only after 3-4 days.
- Cucumber herb (borage). Brew 1 tsp. a glass of boiling water, insist for 30 minutes, take this volume during the day. Pregnant women and children should not drink such an infusion.
- Take 1 std. hop cones, peppermint leaves, add 2 tbsp. motherwort herbs, 3 tbsp. valerian root. Mix the herbs, take 1 tbsp. mixture, pour 200 ml of boiling water, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then you need to insist 30 minutes, cool. Take 100 ml three times a day, 15 minutes before meals.
- Take 10 tablespoons. peppermint leaves, 5 tablespoons each hop cones and valerian root, 3 tbsp herbs oregano. Mix the herbs, take 2 tablespoons, pour boiling water, wait half an hour before filtering. Take 50 ml twice a day, 15 minutes before meals. The course is 10-15 days.
Before starting such treatment, consult your doctor. Use with caution if you are prone to allergies.
Api therapy
This is the name of the treatment with beekeeping products. In the treatment of stress and depression, they advise:
- royal jelly: helps to eliminate mild depression, apathy (lack of interest in what is happening), is effective for some forms of insomnia or persistent mood swings;
- bee bee helps in eliminating anxiety, irritability;
- linden honey and honey, in which there is a splash of orange honey helps in eliminating the state of melancholy;
- the combination of mountain honey with essential oils of neroli, bergamot, tangerine is also useful. These fortified beekeeping products create performance enhancements, improve overall well-being, and can even cause euphoria.
Travels
If you like to travel and your financial situation allows, very good method relieve stress - go on a trip. It can be a trip around the world or a visit to a certain country, the main thing is that the trip is comfortable and planned. Otherwise, the lack of understanding of the country you are visiting can put you even more test.
Medication for stress
The diagnosis of stress is made by a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. These professionals should evaluate:
- severity of anxiety, anger, depression;
- the degree of depletion of the subjective resources of the psyche, which play a major role in ensuring overcoming difficulties;
- the nature of the electroencephalogram;
- the state of the autonomic nervous system, based on the galvanic skin response and skin temperature;
- the degree of increase in stress hormones in the blood: cortisol, ACTH.
If the doctor estimates that psychophysiological resources are depleted, and / or anxiety, anger or depression is too strong, he prescribes medications (in milder cases, one or a combination of the above methods of dealing with stress can be used).
The following types of drugs are used to treat stress:
Herbal soothing preparations
Medicines of this group are prescribed for increased excitability, insomnia, nightmares.
- Novo-Passit;
- Sedafiton;
- "Persen";
- valerian tincture or tablets;
- motherwort tincture;
- tincture of peony.
These drugs improve the interaction between the autonomic nervous system (mainly its main organ - the hypothalamus, as well as the limbic system of the brain) and internal organs, normalize the activity of the cardiovascular system, improve the quality of sleep, and eliminate insomnia.
The first results can be seen in 2-3 weeks, but the lasting effect will come only after 6-8 months of use.
Disadvantage of this therapy: Daytime sleepiness.
Adaptogen preparations
These are general tonic agents for those people whose daily activities are associated with nervous or mental overload. They improve sleep, mood, can increase efficiency by 1.5-2 times.
Adaptogens can have both an animal and vegetable origin... Have a dose-dependent effect:
- In minimal doses, they cause relaxation, decrease anxiety, slow down catabolism and have an anabolic effect, so they can be used to increase body weight.
- In medium doses, they create a feeling of cheerfulness, a surge of strength, and emotional uplift. They also increase the immune defense, which is why they can be used for "mild", natural treatment of long-term, sluggish and chronic inflammatory pathologies.
- If you exceed the dosage, irritability, insomnia, aggressiveness will appear, but they do not have a long-term or toxic effect on the body even in this case.
Adaptogens are especially indicated for the elderly: by increasing their energy, they help to prolong youth. Until the age of 16, drugs are used only as directed by a doctor, as they will accelerate puberty.
Adaptogens include:
- leuzea extract;
- eleutherococcus extract;
- ginseng extract;
- lemongrass seed extract;
- preparations based on Manchurian aralia root: "Saparal", tincture of aralia;
- "Pantokrin".
Drugs in this group are taken during daylight hours to avoid overexcitation at night. They are used with caution in hot weather as they increase body temperature.
Magnesium preparations
Their reception under stress is justified: under such conditions, the body experiences an increased need for magnesium, which dilates blood vessels, helps to conduct impulses from the nerve to the desired organ, improves cardiac activity and has a sedative effect.
Magnesium preparations include: "Magne-B6" and its analogues "Magnelis B6 forte", "Magne-express", "Magnevit".
Modern sleeping pills
They can be considered anti-stress, since, acting on the structure of sleep, they enhance the anti-stress function of the period of night rest. They are especially indicated for acute insomnia, for the duration of the stress factor, when they can be used in a course of 2-3 weeks. They are not addictive, do not need to increase the dosage. Some of them (Doxylamine, Melaxen) help in the treatment of sleep apnea. "Melaxen" also, being an analogue of the hormone melatonin, produced in the pineal gland, restores the normal sleep cycle, especially when changing time zones, making it a soft, natural way.
Modern sleeping pills include:
- Ivadal;
- Sonnat and its analogues Imovan, Sonovan, Normoson;
- Melaxen and analogue Vita-melatonin;
- "Andante" and analogue "Selofen".
Antidepressants
These are drugs that are used if stress has caused depression, neurosis or neurosis-like state. They affect the formation and movement of biologically active substances formed in the brain, such as norepinephrine, serotonin or dopamine. When taken according to indications, they reduce melancholy, anxiety, unwillingness to do something, increase appetite, and normalize the phase and duration of sleep.
For the treatment of stress, "Iprazide", "Nialamide" are used, during the intake of which, in order to avoid an increase in blood pressure to high numbers, one should not eat cheeses, fermented milk and some other products. Also prescribed are "Amitriptillin", "Inkazan", "Prozac", "Paxil".
Tranquilizers
These are drugs, the main task of which is to eliminate anxiety and fear. They soothe, reduce fluctuations in blood pressure, thereby having a positive effect on the heart. Their "competence" is also an anticonvulsant effect, elimination of obsessive thoughts, hallucinatory disorders, but most of them cause drowsiness and can only be used in the evening.
In the treatment of stress used "moderate tranquilizers": "Mebikar", "Tranquilar".
Biologically active additives
These products can be bought in pharmacies, they consist mainly of a combination of vitamins and some herbs:
Compliment anti-stressComposition: nicotinamide, vitamins B1, E, B12, B6, A, folic acid, C, B2, calcium pantothenate, zinc, magnesium, motherwort and ginkgo biloba extract, selenium, sodium, copper. |
Biorhythm Antistress 24 day / night
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Ladys formula Antistress enhanced
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Mens formula Antistress
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In our life, something is constantly happening - we are running somewhere, in a hurry to get work done, meeting with different people. Among other things, the media, the Internet, advertising, and other irritants - from an annoying fly to a neighbor with a puncher, want to take over our attention every now and then. We live in constant stress, for many people the state of stress becomes chronic.
But it is worth leaving the city for a couple of days, as life takes on completely different outlines. You sleep better, and breathe easier, and there is no need to run anywhere, and there are much fewer fictional problems. Why it happens? You reduce the impact of stress. And for this it is not necessary to go somewhere - in the article we have collected some exercises that do not change the environment.
To get the most benefit, use relaxation techniques with other techniques such as proactive thinking, humor, skill, and exercise.
Autogenic relaxation
The word "autogenic" means that power comes from within, that is, it is a form of self-hypnosis. With this technique, you use both visual imagery and awareness of the body and its sensations to reduce stress.
This technique was invented and popularized by the German psychiatrist Johann Schulz. He identified six key exercises:
- Muscle relaxation that is made possible by repeating phrases such as "My right arm is getting heavy." In the same way, you can “address” other limbs of your body.
- Passive concentration, in which a person focuses on the feeling of warmth, is expressed by the phrase "My hand is getting warm."
- Initiation of cardiac activity: "My heart is calm."
- Passive concentration on the breath by repeating the phrase "I breathe calmly."
- Focusing on heat in the abdomen: "My solar plexus carries warmth."
- Passive concentration on the coolness emanating from the skull area: "My forehead is cool."
Progressive muscle relaxation
With this relaxation technique, you focus on slow tension and then relax each muscle group. The technique helps to literally see the difference between tension and relaxation, which has a beneficial effect on mood, also because it brings us back to the current moment in time.
The essence of the exercise is to consistently strain and relax the following parts of your body for 10-20 seconds: shoulders, abdomen, legs, arms, forehead, eyes (closing your eyes), neck.
With this technique, muscle clamps go away and you completely relax the whole body.
Visualization
Here, you create mental images in your head to take a virtual trip to a peaceful place.
Use as many senses as possible to relax. For example, if you fancy yourself on the oceanfront, focus on sounds, smells, and even body and taste sensations.
You can close your eyes, sit in a quiet place, loosen tight clothing, and focus on your breathing. Strive to focus on the present moment and think good things.
Diaphragmatic breathing
You breathe in and out tens of thousands of times every day, but you will be surprised to learn that you often do it wrong.
If you have ever watched a child or pet sleep, you have probably seen that their belly rises much higher during breathing than their chest.
Babies breathe naturally with their belly until the constant stress of modern life retrains them to do it with their chest.
Diaphragmatic breathing is also called abdominal or abdominal breathing - this is what a natural, natural process is. During stress, your chest contracts and your breathing becomes shallow and fast. It is called chest. This is a good indicator that you need to consciously change the situation.
Breathing through the chest triggers a reaction to a state of full alertness: heart rate and blood pressure rise, blood is directed towards the brain and muscles, and stress hormones are released. This is all well and good if you are physically threatened, but when it comes to, say, public speaking, such a reaction makes no sense.
- Sit or lie down comfortably.
- Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Then inhale slowly through your nose, concentrating on raising your belly above your ribcage.
Meditation
Meditation keeps you in the present without getting emotionally involved in worrying about the future and reflecting on the past.
There are many ways to meditate. Simple: you can try the so-called. Or find apps for your phone or videos on YouTube and just follow the instructions.
Yoga
Yes, any physical exercise will reduce stress, but yoga beats any of them. It slows down breathing and heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and helps reduce cortisol in the body.
Yoga for breathing
One of the methods of healing breathing is Sudarshan Kriya Yoga. Breathing exercises in this type of yoga have been widely studied and have been found to be beneficial in relieving stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression, substance abuse, insomnia, and mental illness.
- Close one nostril with your thumb.
- Inhale slowly through the other nostril for 5 seconds.
- Now pinch the other nostril, letting go of the first, and exhale slowly.
- Repeat the process starting with the other nostril.
Emotional Freedom Technique
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is a form of acupressure that stimulates the “energy meridian” points with your fingertips. It is called "needleless acupuncture".
They say that it can be used for states of anxiety and anxiety, phobias, obsessive thoughts, insomnia, as well as to eliminate negative emotions. The technique has many followers and no less critics. Science has not confirmed its postulates, but you can try it as a technique for relaxation.
Aromatherapy
This is a type of alternative medicine that uses the effects on the body of volatile aromatic substances obtained from plants.
If we talk about a specific scent, then you are unlikely to go wrong with lavender. It is the most studied and versatile of all essential oils and relieves stress, anxiety, relaxes and stabilizes mood.
Departure for nature
And yet, if you have the opportunity to go to nature, be sure to do it. This will lower cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate while increasing heart rate variability.
You don't have to go to India or Nepal, just visit the nearest park or forest.
We wish you good luck!
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Psychologists are specialists who help us solve problems, overcome fears and understand ourselves so that we feel calm. However, they are also people and, like all of us, are subject to stress, which must be somehow dealt with.
website will tell you about the quick stress relief methods used by professionals themselves.
1. Write down everything that comes to mind
Psychotherapist, writer and teacher Jeffrey Sumber (Jeffrey Sumber) uses several aesthetic ways to deal with stress:
“When I'm nervous, I like to eat well. But it must necessarily be a healthy meal or a new dish for me. I go shopping for a long time, choosing the right ingredients, then carefully cutting them, preparing the dressings and slowly, with pleasure, eat the dish. And I often post the result on Facebook so that my friends envy me! "
3. Tighten all muscles
American psychotherapist Kevin Chapman (Kevin Chapman) uses the progressive muscle relaxation method, which was developed back in 1920, to combat stress.
The principle is simple: after any strong exertion, there is a strong relaxation. That is, you need to tighten the muscles for 10 seconds, and then concentrate on the subsequent feeling of relaxation for 20 seconds.
In total, 200 exercises have been developed for all muscle groups, but it is enough to use 16. Find exercises and.
4. React correctly or don't react at all
Psychologist Susan Krauss Whitbourne (Susan Krauss Whitbourne) doesn't deal with stress, but tries to avoid it beforehand. To do this, she has a mantra, which she repeats when she gets into a stressful situation. She says: "I cannot change the situation, but I can change my reaction to it."
A positive reaction to a negative event helps not only to avoid stress, but also to gain some experience, if you look at it as a test, and learn from mistakes.
5. Stop the flow of thoughts
Psychologist Martin Seligman (Martin Seligman) advises using one simple and very popular way to get the thoughts out of your head.
Clap your hands and shout “ Stop! I'll think about it later!". You can also wear a rubber band around your wrist and snap yourself with it (or just pinch yourself). Use such stimuli to stop the cycle of thoughts and postpone the problem until later, for a certain time. Then try to shift your attention to some unusual subject or activity.
6. Set aside 1 hour for your favorite business and pleasure
Psychotherapist Amy Przeworski(Amy Przeworski) advises setting aside a time frame during which you only do what you want. Read, draw, eat delicious food - in general, do what gives you pleasure. No work, no responsibilities, no negative thoughts, or whatever you dislike and ruin your mood.
7. Stimulate the nerves
An unusual but effective physiology-based method suggested by the therapist Tony Bernhard (Toni Bernhard). Lightly slide your index finger over your lips several times. This movement affects the nerves on the surface of the lips, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, and helps to calm down quickly.
8. Try different classic methods
Of course, there are classic stress-relieving and stress-relieving methods that work just as well.
For example, a clinical psychologist and author of Living with Depression Deborah Serani (Deborah Serani) When stressed, he tries to give the body what it wants. “I use everything that touches the senses. For example, I can just sit in the car and listen to jazz on the radio, draw, lie in a hot bath or enjoy delicious gourmet tea. "
) uses yoga, exercise, or simply healthy sleep to cleanse the head.
The main principle
The main principle of getting rid of stress is to completely abstract away from the problem and from any source of excitement for a while. And the better you do it, the faster you will recover and be ready for new challenges.
What's your favorite way to deal with stress? Maybe you have your own unique method?
Hello dear readers!
Here are some ways to quickly relieve stress, physical fatigue and emotional stress.
The concept of "stress" has thoroughly entered and consolidated in modern life. Whatever it may be, good or bad, physical or psycho-emotional, for the body its effect does not pass without a trace. Unfortunately, in schools, colleges, institutes, no one teaches us how to recognize stress, as well as how to cope and deal with it. The trouble lies not in stress itself, but in its misunderstanding, inability to correctly assess its depth, causes and methods of getting rid of it. So, you have to do everything yourself.
"The rescue of the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves!"
I suggest a few simple ones useful wayshow to cope with stress and its consequences. Do not do everything at once. To rest and restore a normal state, it is enough to do at least one of them. Which one? It's up to you! It all depends on the capabilities, condition and environment.
So, ways to relieve stress, emotional stress and fatigue.
1. Switch your attention to breathing. Breathing in with your "belly", take several deep breaths and exhalations. It is better to inhale and exhale through the nose, unless it is clogged, of course. Feel the relaxation of the body. Gradually, the tension will decrease, and it will be easier for you to manage yourself and the situation.
2. Stretch, massage the neck muscles in the back and upper back, straighten your chest so that it is easier to breathe and move. All this leads to general relaxation, which means that a tendency to release from tension and negative emotions in general must necessarily appear.
3. Clench your fists tightly, then strain your whole body as best you can. Then, exhale sharply and relax your entire body. Repeat the exercise several times. This will help relieve muscle spasms.
Comment: Increased muscle tension is considered a major symptom of stress. Very often, during a stressful situation, this is manifested by a feeling of tension in the muscles of the neck, forehead and jaws, clenched teeth, tightly clenched fingers and toes, tension in the facial muscles, frowning, abrupt abrupt movements, motor hyperactivity, rapid blinking. Therefore, it is so important to learn how to relax your muscles! A good effect is obtained if you sharply strain the body, then sharply relax.
4. If possible, walk briskly. Better on the street, or in nature. Slow down gradually. Go for a slow, meditative walk, noticing everything around you. Look at the world as if you were not looking at it for the first time. Try to turn off the internal dialogue. Set aside 10 - 15 minutes for this. Better yet, half an hour or more, until it has passed. You will notice that when you return to the stressful situation, you will look at it much more calmly.
5. Will slow down. Slow down in everything: in movements, in thoughts, in breathing. Act as if you were in slow motion. Try to merge with the space here and now. Do not think what will happen in an hour, day, week, month, year. Namely, enjoy the Now moment. Disable, enjoy the "silence" in your head. At this time comes true relaxation of all muscles, emotional relief.
6. Listen to music! It helps to relax and reduce emotional stress. Listen to calm, meditative music, preferably without words. Concentrate on her. Close your eyes and completely surrender to the sounds that fill your sound world. It is good to listen to relaxation discs with the sound of the sea, birdsong and so on.
7. Trance states. No! We will not dance with a shaman's tambourine, powdered mushrooms and rabbit legs. This is from a completely different opera. Here trance is considered as one of the natural states of the body, something between wakefulness and sleep, a state of pleasant drowsiness, which, for example, is usually observed after a hearty dinner.
Deliberately entering a trance is a form of self-hypnosis. A person can enter a trance also under the influence of fatigue, information overload. This is how the body naturally protects itself from stress. When their number and strength become excessive, a person tends to fall asleep and thereby eliminate the effects of stress in his nervous system.
You can learn how to properly enter a trance through training. Only 20-30 minutes a day and fatigue will be removed as if by hand, in addition, in a trance state, you can heal from many diseases. I myself use the practices of this training. I recommend to all!
You need to rest before you get tired !!!
8. Water procedures. When stressed or irritated, the simplest thing to do is to wash your face with cold water. If there is an opportunity and tempering, - pour cold water or take a shower. It is also good to swim in the open water.
The opposite of cold water is taking a warm bath. Warm water relaxes the muscles in the body and improves blood flow. The most optimal temperature for relaxing the human body is 37 degrees. If after taking a bath you plan to do some business or go to work, a restaurant or a party, then do not increase the temperature. Well, if you take a bath before bed to relieve daytime stress, fall asleep and have colorful dreams, you can make the water hotter and add a few drops of aromatic oil to it.
9. Have an aromatherapy session. Aromatherapy is based on the use of essential oils such as cedar, cypress, sage, lemon balm, jasmine, orange and others. A prerequisite: the oil for a person should be pleasant, not cause irritation and allergies.
To carry out home aromatherapy, you need: natural essential oils, an aroma lamp and special candles, which can be bought at a pharmacy or in special stores.
Aromatherapy works very well with homeopathy, herbal medicine and massage. In addition, some oils (eg cloves, juniper) are excellent mosquito repellents.
10. The use of herbal medicine will help relieve stress, in particular, infusions of herbs such as Valerian officinalis, wild strawberry, mint, lemon balm, motherwort, hawthorn, lily of the valley and other soothing herbs. You can use ready-made herbal preparations that are sold in pharmacies.
11. Do not forget about self-hypnosis, that everything that is done is for the best. If something does not work out and it is impossible to change it in any way, then you need to accept the situation with dignity; if something can be corrected - all the more not to get upset, but to think over a further plan of action.
Dale Carnegie wrote: "Live in the compartment of today", that is, you need to live for today, rejoice in it and not worry about distant events that may not yet occur. At the same time, you should try to forget past failures and mistakes, not reproach yourself all your life for the mistakes you have made. "Don't cut sawdust!" - the same Carnegie exclaimed. Remember that many people at the moment may be much worse off than you. Take care of your nerves and smile more, try to communicate less or not at all with unpleasant people. Worry less about what other people think of you, plan your life the way you see fit. Worry less about trifles!
And on this I say goodbye to you! See you on the blog pages! Take care of your nerves - they are iron: they can rust!
P.S. Dear readers, if you know your own methods or techniques for getting rid of the effects of stress and fatigue, then tell us about them in the comments. Me and other readers will be grateful. Thanks!
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