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STRESS MANAGEMENT PRIMER
Self-Administered Training Guide
| This
information is available on our EAP web site, Magellan Assist - An Internet-based
service providing information, tools, individual and family counseling
information, and other resources to support employees and their family
members with work, home, and daily life needs. Click here to access this
new feature or go to http://www.dpa.ca.gov/benefits/other/eap/Assist.shtm.
To logon, select "New User." Type in the EAP toll-free number, 1-800-632-7422. From this window, you may either register by following the directions provided, or you can access the Magellan Assist site as an unregistered guest by selecting "Continue Unregistered". This new service is part of the State of California Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit that is available to employees in State agencies/departments participating under the master contract agreement and who are appointed permanent full-time or part-time regardless of their bargaining unit designation. Seasonal and limited-term employees and retired annuitants are eligible for EAP services during employment. You can access this new feature from the comfort and privacy of your own home. Please check http://www.dpa.ca.gov/benefits/other/eap/eligibility.shtm for more information on eligibility. Whether we're late for work, stuck in the wrong line at the supermarket, pushing to meet a deadline, or realizing we can't ignore that growing pile of bills any longer, we're all well acquainted with stress. It's a normal part of life that we can't escape. Sometimes we encounter a greater degree of stress, when we have to cope with emotionally fraught events like divorce, the loss of a job or the death of someone dear to us. And although we may not realize it, stress accompanies even the happiest occasions in life, like getting married or having a baby. We experience stress as physical and emotional tension, and each of us experiences stress differently. Too much tension can be unhealthy, resulting in everything from occasional tension headaches to high blood pressure and heart disease. These symptoms are the body's way of letting us know that something needs to change. If stress seems to be causing such problems for you, it's a good idea to learn how to reduce these symptoms before they get worse. Of course, it's impossible to eliminate stress from our lives completely. But we can find better ways to deal with it. These techniques can help minimize stress and make it more manageable: |
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Of course, planning can't always work. But when something stressful occurs that you couldn't possibly anticipate, it's a good idea to have some sort of release strategy that you know works for you. Some people take a long walk, others say a mantra (a syllable or phrase that people repeat over and over as a means to relax). A hot bath soothes a lot of people; for some, working out at the gym does the trick. Find something that works for you and use it when you need to. Most people find that the more they use their release strategy, the more effective a release it becomes. And keep in mind that a release strategy should promote health - and be acceptable to others who may be around. For example, while you may find strumming a guitar to be relaxing, it's probably not a good idea to relieve your stress by blaring an electric guitar in an apartment complex at 3 a.m. |
| Key Tip 1: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stress has
been called America's biggest health problem, and the numbers back it
up. For example, somewhere between 75 percent and 90 percent of the visits
people make to their primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.
And a similar number of adults have reported experiencing "high levels
of stress." |
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| Key Tip 2: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stress can cause an astonishing variety of problems. Although you may believe, as most of us do, that you can handle your stress, the consequences of poorly managed stress can be quite serious, resulting in: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Key Tip 3: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most people acknowledge that stress can cause physical problems, although they may not realize how severe such problems can become. But stress can also have emotional and behavioral consequences, such as: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You can make a difference for yourself. With some thought and planning, you can reduce the physical and emotional effects of stress in your life. Physically, you can begin with a simple step like giving your uncomfortable clothes or shoes to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Then think about making exercise a more integral part of your life. Whether it's shooting some hoops, swimming at the local fitness center or taking a brisk walk, you can work out the consequences of stress and improve your fitness at the same time. Be sure to consult with a physician before starting any exercise program, especially if you are older than 35. Exercise goes hand-in-hand with nutrition. So consider working to improve your diet by lowering the fat content in your food and increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables and grains. Make physical contact with the people you care about. Hugs, pats on the shoulder, massages - all of these can help relieve stress and simultaneously shore up a strong relationship. Exercise, good diet, personal contact - these are the positive ways to handle your stress. They're much more efficient than alcohol or drugs. Don't try to mask your stress - work it out! Mentally, you can start by thinking about ways to avoid stressful situations. Hate getting stuck in lines? Then pick odd hours for banking at your ATM or doing your grocery shopping. Think through how to do complicated tasks before you start - and if you need help, don't be afraid to ask. Furthermore, when you get that help, be generous and admiring in your gratitude. If you can appreciate what others do for you, they'll notice and reciprocate. And there's nothing like a compliment from a peer or close friend to counter your stress du jour. A good habit to get into is writing everything down. Things happen so fast, and become so complicated so rapidly, that keeping a written record is about the only way to keep on top of all you have to do - unless you're one of few people in the world with a photographic memory. Get involved - educate yourself! Many of us hated school when we had to go. But many of us surprise ourselves by how much we enjoy going back to take classes in subjects that really interest us. Continuing your education keeps you stimulated, broadens your horizons and, according to some recent surveys, keeps your mind sharp. But perhaps the best habit of all is to develop and maintain your sense of humor. Things go wrong, stuff happens. If you can find a way to laugh at it, you vaporize your stress before it even has time to gather strength. Once you've got your mental and physical practices in play, planning can form the third leg of your stress-reduction triangle. There's the kind of planning that simplifies your daily life, like getting your car serviced before it breaks down, or making duplicates of your important keys just in case you lose them. It's also a good idea to bring reading material, a portable CD player or work material to any situation, such as a doctor's appointment, where you may be kept waiting. But beyond the everyday, start thinking about short and long-term goals. You can set them and start trying to realize them. If you make them realistic, you should be able to accomplish what you intend to. And when you do reach a goal, reward yourself. Go to a movie. Get away for a weekend. Take your beloved or best friend to your favorite restaurant. |
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| I. Stress
Management: |
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| Reducing and managing stress can help make your time at work and at home more productive and rewarding. Practicing the following stress-reduction techniques will help you maintain balance in your life. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| But most
of all, you need to realize that if you don't find a way to relax and
reduce the stresses of your life, you can't possibly be serving either
your family or your job as well as you'd like to. |
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| II.
Learning to Relax: |
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| These
techniques are designed to help you learn to manage stress, instead of
letting it manage you. We gauge how much stress we're under by the amount of physical and emotional tension we feel. Too much tension can be unhealthy as well as uncomfortable, which is why relaxation is so important. Relaxation provides a way for us to reduce some of the tensions we develop from stress - which in turn helps us to function more efficiently. One of the ways our bodies cope with the effects of stress is by "powering down" every night when we sleep. During sleep, our bodies become very relaxed and our heart rate, pulse, respiration, blood pressure and body temperature decrease. This gives our bodies and minds a chance to renew themselves and allows us to face the next day's stress with a fresh supply of physical and mental vigor. And while relaxation isn't sleep, of course, it does produce many of the same benefits of a good night's sleep: |
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| In
effect, relaxation does the opposite of what stress does, giving the body
a break and helping to counteract many of the long- and short-term physical
problems that stress can produce. Relaxation can also be a powerful tool
in managing pain. It can help to reduce the muscle tension that often
accompanies injury or illness, and can provide a distraction from pain
and worry. Finally, even a brief relaxation exercise can provide a quick
energy boost or give you a time-out from concentrating on a difficult
problem or project. Often, when you return to a challenging problem after
a short relaxation break, you're able to focus better and generate new
solutions. |
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| Key Tip 1: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning
to relax is like learning to play golf: It takes practice to relax, especially
if you're used to being under a great deal of stress. |
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| Key Tip 2: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relaxation
may sound like another term for goofing off, but it can be beneficial
to your health. Research shows relaxation training can help alleviate
the symptoms associated with many medical and psychological disorders,
including: |
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| Key Tip 3: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Once mastered, many of the benefits of relaxation can be enjoyed with
only 15 to 20 minutes of practice per day. And if meditation is a part
of your relaxation toolkit, you may enjoy increased longevity and quality
of life, according to some studies. |
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| There are many effective ways to practice relaxation, so you might want to try several to see what works best for you. Among the more common methods of relaxation are: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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