Assessing stress -checklist for you

Handling stress is not always easy, hence there is a complex interrelated issues involved in it. We must pay attention to the following areas of individual to help them more effectively. Otherwise, you may handle only superficial problems. 

I. General factors 
 1. Physical – health, nutrition, specific symptom etc..
 2. Psychological – coping style, self-esteem, personal characteristics etc..
 3. Social - family, interpersonal, conflict, separation, attachment etc.
 4. Academic – failure, demand, unfamiliar environment etc..
 5. Work related – overload, harassment, conflict etc.
 6. Environmental – violence, unfair policy, culture etc..

II. Specific personal factors
 1. Cognition – distortion, rigidity, negative attribution etc.
 2. Emotion – depression, anxiety, anger etc.
 3. Behaviour – substance abuse, risk taking, withdrawal/isolation 

III. Temporal factors 
 1. Duration
 2. Frequency
 3. Perceived or real problem
 4. Perceived controllability
 5. Perceived efficacy believe
 6. Perceived social support
 7. Predictable outcome – hope

IV. Other important factors 
 1. Need for medical treatment – life-threatening illness
 2. Major life decision - separation, leaving job, school or college
 3. Suicide ideation – unspoken area 

Relaxation and stress

Relaxation methods help us to deal with many kinds of stress. Since we respond to stress in a different way, we need to find our own way to relax. Stress create tension, arousal and distress, relaxation involves just the opposite, reducing tension, arousal and distress.

Relaxation involves
-increase awareness of muscle tension
-ability to control that tension
-control autonomic activity such as breathing, heart rate etc..
-ability to control cognitive activity

Relaxation training – An overview
1. Progressive or deep muscle relaxation
Helps you to let go of unnecessary muscle tension
2. Stretching or yoga
Helps your body to become more flexible and relax
3. Breathing exercises
Helps to quiet your mind and relax your body
4. Autogenic training
Focus on suggestion or image that may directed towards relaxation
5. Guided imagery
Entertain a fantasy may evokes positive feelings and relaxation
6. Meditation and mindfulness
With certain type of awareness, we fully attend our thoughts, feelings without judgment
All the above methods are very effective and require training
7. Other common methods – may not require training
Sleeping – perhaps the simplest and natural way to relax you
Having sex – refresh you
Listen to music, songs etc..
Reading, watching T.V, go for a walk
Talk to someone, socialization
Take a warm bath or shower etc..
Enjoy nature

Negative way of relaxation
You may think the following methods relaxing you but it creates opposite of relaxation and has their own negative consequences. Be aware of it!
-Smoking
-Alcohol, drugs etc
-Pornography, engage in sexual talk etc..
-coffee or some of the soft drinks

Relaxation techniques will be effective if
-Taught by trained professionals
-suitable to your needs and capability
-when practice become our part of everyday routine

Now find out your suitable method and relax yourself!

Useful web resources

The 10 tools to Live Your Life Well, this website designed to help you cope better with stress and create more of the life you want. This site may help you, please follow the link to see this website

http://www.liveyourlifewell.org/

PTSD resources, information and helpful links, please follow the link below, good blog

http://parasitesofthemind.blogspot.com/