What is stress and how to deal with it? Overcoming stress. Psychology lesson stress and how to deal with it How to relieve stress with home methods

26.12.202227.05.2017

Stress is a very dangerous condition. Left "on its own", without attention, it slowly destroys the body, leading to the development of diseases of the heart, nervous and endocrine systems. Obesity, which is present in many people "over 30" is nothing but a manifestation of stress. Therefore, this condition must be dealt with. Next, we will detail the various ways to relieve stress and fight depression. Your task is to choose for yourself one or more methods that are right for you.

Basic principles of stress treatment

Usually a person knows what caused the violation of his psycho-emotional state (for example, stress at work). Then the treatment, if possible, begins with the elimination of stress factors. This may be the termination of communication with an obsessive colleague or neighbor (a single 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: changing the environment, switching to work as a remote employee.

If it is impossible to eliminate the stressful factor, you need to change your attitude towards it, as well as change your 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 returning harmony to the soul, and drug treatment and physiotherapy are aimed at restoring the body's strength.

All of these areas of treatment are more effective immediately after exposure to a stressor, but they must also be used in the case of a long "stay in the disease."

Very important in the treatment of stress and factors such as:

normalization of the "work: rest" ratio (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);
complete 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 the stressor was a natural disaster, war, bandit attack or the like, a psychotherapist or psychiatrist should be contacted within the first 48 hours, otherwise the consequences can be very serious.

If we are talking about a child, then for the period of treatment it is very important for him to feel parental support and affection, he can be offered drawing, dancing, sports activities, spend more time together, walk in the fresh air, go on a picnic. Parents can better understand the needs of the baby if they listen to what he talks about with toys. The daily routine of the child, his adequate nutrition and good sleep during treatment are required. You can not insist that the child approached peers: this can additionally stress him. It is better to find out where group art therapy classes (drawing, sand application, singing) are held and start walking with him.

Features of nutrition under stress

The basic rules of stress nutrition are as follows:

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 fats;
include in the diet foods that promote the production of endorphins in the body (“happiness hormone”): bananas, avocados, strawberries, spices - mustard, sweets - chocolate in a small amount;
do not eat very high-calorie foods;
When stressed in the body, the production of free radicals increases, in order to neutralize them, it is necessary that foods rich in antioxidants come with food. These are citrus fruits, black currants (they have a lot of vitamin C), almonds, raw pumpkin seeds, boiled Swiss chard vegetables, spinach, vegetable oils (especially from wheat germ, olive, coconut, camelina, hemp). The last 5 foods are rich in vitamin E;
one of the mechanisms for the development of pathological processes under stress is also an increase in the permeability of cell membranes. In order to strengthen cell membranes so that the contents necessary for their normal functioning do not come out, vitamins PP, B (the whole group), and the trace element selenium are needed. These are tomatoes and tomato juice, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, cedar nuts, bran bread, cereal cereals, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, avocados, 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 increased work of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which, because of this, will send a large number of impulses to the brain, thereby exciting it.

Alcohol and drugs will only aggravate the situation, so they should be completely eliminated.

Psychotherapeutic methods

To overcome stress and its consequences, psychotherapists use various methods that help a person get out of a vicious circle if he cannot (as in the case of an acute reaction to stress) or does not want (consider 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 the thoughts, feelings, and person, the therapist understands how they can be changed.
Gestalt therapy. Here the psychotherapist communicates with the person in such a way that he himself realizes the causes of his stress. Then the patient understands how to solve his own problem and, under the guidance of a 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, form a stable system of life values, 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 pulsed current of low strength and short pulse duration is passed. It rhythmically irritates the cortex and subcortical structures such as the hypothalamus, limbic system, visual tubercles and reticular formation, resulting in sleep. Such sleep in phases differs from natural or medication (anesthesia). 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 during anesthesia or after taking it.
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 of 2-3 degrees, hypertension of 2-3 stages.
Magnetotherapy. In this case, tissue is affected by a low-frequency alternating or constant magnetic field, which, by acting on molecules in tissues (especially the thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebral cortex), improves their ability to pass through cell membranes. Thus, biological processes change in the tissues:
- biochemical reactions are accelerated by 10-30%;
- the excitability of nerve cells decreases;
- "energy systems" of the body go into economy mode;
- vasospasm decreases;
- has a beneficial effect on sleep;
- improves metabolism between blood and tissue fluid;
- decreases emotional stress;
- a pulsed magnetic field has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, a constant field has a calming effect.
Magnetic therapy is contraindicated in oncological diseases, 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, and have an analgesic and calming effect.
Applications of paraffin and ozocerite 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 reducing intracranial pressure, improve the metabolism between blood and tissues of the neck and head, and stimulate the immune system.
Applications are contraindicated in thyrotoxicosis, severe neurosis, tumors, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.
Acupuncture has analgesic, calming effect, relaxes muscles.
Acupressure. Its action is similar to acupuncture, but does not require special equipment, but requires a specialist with the necessary experience and knowledge. A massage therapist 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, and the spasm of blood vessels that carry blood to the brain is relieved. Contraindications are the same as for paraffin-ozocerite applications.
Galvanization- treatment with electric currents of low strength and low voltage, which change the pH of the environment, osmotic processes, and polarize cell membranes. During galvanization of the collar zone, blood circulation, excitability and nutrition of the brain, organs of hearing and vision, and upper limbs reflexively change.

If a person needs intensive recovery (for example, with neglected stress, in case of an acute reaction to stress, or in case of post-traumatic stress disorder), a program from the combined use of several procedures at once is suitable for him:

intake of mineral waters;
iodine-bromine baths;
oxygen therapy with the supply of oxygen to the brain, organs and tissues;
magnetotherapy;
ultrasound therapy.

It is best when these procedures are performed in a sanatorium. Then, in the intervals between them, healthy meals and rest, such physical activity is recommended as dosed walking in a landscape area where various plant associations grow naturally or artificially planted. Such a therapeutic movement allows you to saturate the blood with oxygen-enriched air. Also, aeroionophytotherapy allows you to get additional positive emotions through communication with nature.

So that stress, when it next happens, does not lead to negative consequences for the body, physiotherapy procedures such as:

water procedures;
balneological procedures (treatment with mineral waters in the form of baths and for oral administration);
transcerebral electroprocedures: electrosleep, amplipulse therapy and interference therapy with electrodes placed on the skull.

Spa and spa therapy

SPA treatment involves 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 in resorts and in SPA centers specially created for this purpose, where you can choose one or more 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 (sea therapy), which consists of exposure to sea air (cavitotherapy), algae treatment (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 eliminate excess subcutaneous fat;
pelotherapy or mud therapy is the application of biologically active muds 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 appropriate section);
stone therapy is a special massage technique performed with 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;
a 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 is contraindicated during pregnancy, oncological diseases, blood clotting disorders, blood diseases, epilepsy, severe diseases of any internal organ, intolerance to the components of the procedure, and also - but this is temporary - during infectious diseases.

During spa or spa treatment, heavy physical activity, competitions, lifting heavy weights, crossfit are not allowed. 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 to help yourself get out of psychological stress. There is no harm from it, only benefit: relaxation of the nervous system, finding inner peace. If you relax properly, you can even get an answer from the Universe to your questions.

Meditation is carried out either in a sitting position (in an incomplete or full lotus position, or - if it is very difficult - sitting on bent legs), or in a supine position, in a position called "shavasana".

Shavasana involves lying on a mat, on your back, with your arms at a 45-degree angle to your 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 relaxing, you will feel irritation:

Set an alarm (timer) for 10-15 minutes.
Breathing - calm, preferably - with the stomach, which inflates on inspiration, on exhalation - decreases like a ball. It is advisable to practice abdominal breathing even 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 closes.
Feel how each toe relaxes and warms up, then shins, thighs, then each finger, forearms, shoulders. Ultimately, you should stop feeling them, but 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 through the back of your head.
Stop your mental speech, try not to think about anything. It won't work right away, but it will work. Concentrate on your breath. 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 before your eyes are closed. You can keep your eyes open and look at a blazing fire or flowing water (can be in the form of a video on a computer). You can also imagine the picture that causes the greatest peace: that you are lying on a green glade in the forest, or on the sand near the purest sea, and so on.
Ask your mental question or request, wait for an answer, consciously suppressing any thoughts.
Try to feel how life-giving energy penetrates into the body when you inhale, and when you exhale, stress leaves the body and does not return.

If you find yourself falling asleep all the time, try the half lotus position, where you should be as relaxed as possible. If you are exercising in the cold season, dress well, lay 2 blankets on the floor, and you can hide with the third.

Relaxation

This is a relaxation technique similar to the meditation described above. Only here you are not concentrating on stopping thoughts and not on breathing, but on relaxing the body so as to “swim in weightlessness” and thus get rid of stress.

Performed in the supine position (possible in bed):

Spread your legs shoulder-width apart, toes apart, arms slightly apart.
Deep breath, long exhalation, 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, stomach 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 - for right-handers, left - for left-handers), and then the “secondary”.
During practice, imagine that you are in nature: near the sea, in the mountains, in a forest or in a meadow. Try to feel both the smell of herbs (salt water, mountain air), and the sounds that happen in this area.

You can perform relaxation practice in the following ways:

Lie on your back, put your arms along the body, straighten your legs. Relax. Inhale through the 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 slowly. 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 one more time.

Breathing techniques

If you are interested in how to get out of stress on your own, start with the use of breathing techniques. Proper breathing in a traumatic situation can even relieve stress or reduce its severity.

Breathing that can calm the mind is diaphragmatic (belly):

you take a deep breath, and, putting your hand on your stomach, you feel how it rises (the stomach swells);
exhalation - long, approximately equal to inhalation, the stomach at this time tends to "stick" to the spine.

Do not rush, follow the rhythm and frequency of breathing, do not let yourself breathe often, but do not panic when it seems that there is not enough air. Try not to pause between inhalation and exhalation. After a few minutes, occupy yourself with something else that requires concentration.

Imaging method

He means the following. Draw or write on a piece of paper about what is bothering you, then burn the piece of paper, imagining how both the problem and the negativity associated with it leave you with the smoke. While the leaf is burning, force yourself to imagine pleasant images, you can sing a cheerful song.

Scream into space method

Spilling out the accumulated negativity in the form of a scream, you can supplement your vocalization with physical manipulation. So, you can beat a punching bag or a pillow, you can beat dishes, throw things or throw darts (not at living beings). In Japanese offices, there are special, felt-lined 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 casually, and then completely going to the hospital with a heart disease or neurosis.

yoga exercises

The following yogic postures (asanas) help relieve stress:

Hirudotherapy

This is the scientific name for treatment with leeches, which is very reasonable for stress. Firstly, 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 the substance hirudin under the skin, which thins the blood (less viscous blood "walks" more freely through the vessels and does not stagnate in the capillaries, but performs its function - nourishing the tissues). Thirdly, this worm injects other useful substances into the blood, which:

reduce blood sugar levels;
stimulate the production of "happiness hormones" - endorphins;
reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, which can, deposited on the walls of blood vessels, lead to a decrease in their diameter up to complete overlap;
activate immunity.

Fourthly, taking several milliliters of blood (one leech absorbs 5-10 ml of blood) in some way “unloads” the bloodstream, removing “excess” blood. Fifthly, the effect of one session of hirudotherapy lasts 3 months.

color stimulation

This is the name of a relatively new type of physiotherapy 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 irritant to the eye, 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.

The program for dealing with stress and depression is selected by a physiotherapist-color therapist individually based on the leading symptom:

if you need to calm down (especially if pressure has risen from stress), a blue color is needed;
if self-confidence is gone, and the world is seen in black, yellow is needed;
if fatigue and unwillingness to work are felt, a green color should be shown to a person;
when you need to increase your appetite, orange rays are added;
if there is a tendency to spring-autumn depressions, there should not be purple in the color scheme.

Not only the color itself is important, which will be shown to a person after stress: the rhythm of the color signal, its shades, and the level of illumination of the field in 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 art. A person can transfer the experience of his stress to pictorial materials, because of which they will no longer cause such acute feelings in him, and then he will be able to 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 difficult, will return him the desired inner harmony.

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 “go in cycles” on it;
the transfer of one's experiences and sensations to external processes and objects. This helps the negative experience to separate from the personality. The psychic energy of a person becomes more controlled for his own consciousness and will not cause such emotions as before;
gradually, it is possible to “bring out” previously suppressed emotions from the subconscious and from the non-dominant hemisphere of the brain and experience them. So a person will avoid chronic stress.

Art therapy is suitable for people of all ages and religions. It can be used both in the acute and rehabilitation period. It is carried out both in the form of individual and family or group classes.

There are many types of art therapy, consider them in more detail.

isotherapy

This is a fine art treatment:

painting;
application;
modeling;
painting;
origami;
the creation of a clay amulet;
antistress coloring pages.

Each of the types has its own subspecies and techniques, which are known to specialists involved in art therapy, and they should also help a person choose the technique necessary for him.

So, painting can be performed in the form:

self-portrait;
when you need to draw your emotional state with the help of lines, strokes, various forms (a person runs a pen over paper, creating chaotic lines until he feels better);
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 scribbles, and the other must find some kind of image there, decorate and complement it;
collage;
meditative drawing. It is performed in 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 within yourself by stopping your internal dialogue.
Ask yourself the secret question.
Create with the help of the chosen material: crayons, pencils, paints, gouache.

Creativity performed to calm music or recording the sounds of nature leads to a good effect.

Music therapy

This is what music therapy is called. This can include listening to songs or music (receptive music therapy) or singing or playing musical instruments on your own (active music therapy). There is also integrative music therapy, when they play, or draw, or dance to music.

Music has three effects 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 hormones of happiness in the body;
associative: good memories are associated with certain music.

When stressed, it is recommended to listen (perform) the works of Chopin, if you are nervous - listen to the "Moonlight Sonata" or the 3rd part of Beethoven's 6th symphony, Debussy's "Moonlight". In order for the treatment to definitely help, the composition must be selected by a specialist.

Kinesitherapy

This is dancing, physical therapy, as well as massage sessions and outdoor games - all that requires movement.

Bibliotherapy

This is the name of treatment with books 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 sprinkle it, 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 a classic blue sandbox (blue has a calming effect);
drawing with colored sand;
sand painting on backlit tables;
dynamic drawing: combining colored sand and a white tray, when pouring sand produces different patterns;
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 pours like dry sand.

Classes can be held individually, in pairs or with the participation of a group of people. You can draw with sand by pouring it out of 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 art, which involves either staging theatrical scenes or visiting theaters.

Phototherapy

This is the holding of patient photo reports, photo shoots, photo collages or slides.

Art synthesis therapy

This is a combination of several types of art therapy: for example, coloring 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 the treatment, 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 people had a decrease in the number of seizures and general aggressiveness.

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. After further study, it turned out that dogs have special properties that allow them to “sniff out” the presence of cancer cells in humans. These same animals anticipate in 20 minutes that a person will develop an epileptic seizure or a sharp decrease in the level of sugar in the blood of a diabetic patient. Later, scientists drew attention to the 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.

Benefits of Animal Therapy:

Eliminate feelings of loneliness.
Help in the socialization of the patient.
Strengthening the effect of the treatment of complex conditions, when stress is combined with any acute or chronic disease.

There are several types of animal therapy.

Canistherapy - treatment by 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 psycho-emotional state of a person, form positive social attitudes in him, and relieve emotional stress. Walking 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 breeds of dogs 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, earthquakes acted as a stressor.

And if dogs treat with their 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.

Felinotherapy - treatment by cats

With its vibration, emitted during purring, when it caresses a person, the cat helps him calm down and relax. There is also an opinion that every human tissue emits vibration: with its help, the exchange of substances between blood and tissue fluid, this fluid and blood takes place. When its own vibration weakens, the organ becomes ill. The cat, on the other hand, has the ability to feel such places and, sitting on them and starting to purr, makes up for the deficiency of this resource.

Hippotherapy - treatment with horses

During riding, the rider receives about 110 impulses per minute: for 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 large number of his muscles work. From these muscles, a large number of impulses enter the brain, which helps the development of connections between neurons.

In addition, the movements of the horse have a massaging effect, which leads to improved blood circulation. The muscular work that is performed during horseback riding contributes to the production of endorphins in the brain, and contact with the skin of an animal (hippotherapy is not carried out in saddles: a person sits on a thin and soft blanket) improves overall well-being, reduces aggressiveness and nervousness.

Hippotherapy is contraindicated in:

epilepsy;
kidney disease;
osteoporosis, when there is increased fragility of bones and joints;
increased blood clotting;
allergies to horse fur.

Therapy with aquarium fish and birds

Scientists have come to the conclusion that watching fish contributes to 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 no less useful to have a songbird at home: a canary or a carduelis. They contribute to the development of observation, patience, ear for music. They are a good remedy for the treatment of insomnia and neuroses.

aromatherapy

It involves calming the nervous system by exposing certain aromas to the olfactory receptors. 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 used in stress therapy:

lavender;
lemon balm;
sandalwood;
rosewood;
ylang-ylang;
juniper;
patchouli;
jasmine;
marjoram;
neroli;
vetiver.

You can make mixtures. For example, for depression, you can use a mixture of black pepper and mint. For stress - a combination of mint, lavender, juniper, rose, neroli and basil. To tune in to the working mood, inhale the aromas of mandarin, lemon, fir. And if everything has ceased to please, the smell of clary sage helps a lot.

You can use these recipes:

Antistress bath. Drop 2 drops of ylang-ylang and dill oil, 3 drops of lemon balm and 5 drops of lavender oil into warm bath water.
If it's hard to sleep. Take a warm bath before going to bed, adding 1 drop of pine and ylang-ylang oils, 2 drops of cedar, 3 drops of lavender oil to the water.

Herbal treatment

Phytotherapeutists advise using the following recipes:

Infusion of thyme. 1 tsp herbs, pour 500 ml of boiling water, insist in a hermetically sealed container for half an hour. Take these 500 ml for 3-4 doses. You can re-take the infusion only after 3-4 days.
Cucumber herb (borage). Brew 1 tsp. a glass of boiling water, insist 30 minutes, take this volume during the day. Pregnant women and children should not drink this infusion.
Take 1 tbsp. hop cones, peppermint leaves, add 2 tbsp. motherwort herbs, 3 tbsp. valerian root. Mix 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 tbsp. peppermint leaves, 5 tbsp. hop cones and valerian root, 3 tbsp. oregano herbs. Mix the herbs, take 2 tablespoons, pour boiling water, wait half an hour before straining. 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 bee products. In the treatment of stress and depression, it is advised:

royal jelly: helps to eliminate mild depression, apathy (lack of interest in what is happening), effective for some forms of insomnia or persistent mood swings;
bee perga helps in eliminating anxiety, irritability;
linden honey and honey, in which there is an interspersed 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 enriched bee products create a performance boost, improve overall well-being, and can even induce euphoria.

Trips

If you like to travel and your financial situation allows, a very good way to relieve stress is to go on a trip. It can be a round-the-world trip or a visit to a certain country, the main thing is that the trip is comfortable and planned. Otherwise, the lack of ideas about the country you are visiting can subject you to an even greater test.

Medical treatment for stress

The diagnosis of stress is established 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 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 assesses that the psychophysiological resources are depleted, and / or anxiety, anger or depression are 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 sedatives

Medicines of this group are prescribed for increased excitability, insomnia, nightmares.

"Novo-Passit";
"Sedafiton";
"Persen";
tincture or tablets of valerian;
motherwort tincture;
peony tincture.

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 sleep quality, and eliminate insomnia.

The first results can be seen after 2-3 weeks, but a lasting effect will come only after 6-8 months of use.

The disadvantage of this therapy: drowsiness during the day.

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 be of both animal and plant origin. Have a dose-dependent effect:

In minimal doses, they cause relaxation, reduce excitability, 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 an emotional upsurge. They also increase immune protection, which is why they can be used for the “soft”, natural treatment of long-term, sluggish and chronic inflammatory pathologies.
If the dosage is exceeded, 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 older people: by increasing their energy, they help prolong youth. Up to 16 years of age, 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 the root of Manchurian aralia: "Saparal", tincture of aralia;
"Pantokrin".

Preparations of this group are taken during daylight hours to avoid overexcitation at night. They are used with caution in hot weather, as they contribute to an increase in body temperature.

Magnesium preparations

Their use 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, because, by influencing the structure of sleep, they enhance the anti-stress function of the night's rest period. Especially indicated for acute insomnia, for the duration of the stress factor, when they can be used in a course of 2-3 weeks. 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 soft, natural.

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 a neurosis-like state. They affect the formation and movement of biologically active substances formed in the brain, such as norepinephrine, serotonin or dopamine. Being taken according to indications, they reduce melancholy, anxiety, unwillingness to do anything, increase appetite, normalize the phase and duration of sleep.

For the treatment of stress, "Iprazid", "Nialamid" are used, during which, in order to avoid an increase in blood pressure to high numbers, one should not eat cheese, sour-milk and some other products. Amitriptyline, Inkazan, Prozac, Paxil are also prescribed.

tranquilizers

These are medicines, the main task of which is to eliminate anxiety and fear. They calm, reduce fluctuations in blood pressure, thereby having a positive effect on the heart. Their "competence" also has 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, “moderate tranquilizers” are used: Mebicar, Tranquilar.

Biologically active additives

These funds can be bought at pharmacies, they consist mainly of a combination of vitamins and some herbs:

Complivit antistress

Composition: nicotinamide, vitamins B1, E, B12, B6, A, folic acid, C, B2, calcium pantothenate, zinc, magnesium, motherwort and ginkgo biloba extract, selenium, sodium, copper.
Indications: increased physical and mental stress, the need to overcome difficult stressful situations
Contraindications: hypersensitivity, pregnancy, lactation
Application: 1 tablet with meals
Price- about 250 r for 30 pieces

Biorhythm Antistress 24 day/night

Composition: it is stated that this is a set of vitamins

tablet "day": extracts of motherwort, lemon balm, St. John's wort, vitamins B1 and B6;
tablet "night": extracts of escholcia and passionflower, calcium pantothenate.

Indications: fatigue, irritability, lack of rest during sleep.
Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, hypersensitivity
Application: tablet "day" in the morning, tablet "night" in the evening. The course is at least 20 days.
Price– about 190 r for 32 pieces

Lady's formula Antistress reinforced

Composition: para-aminobenzoic acid, nicotinamide, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, B12, E, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline, inositol, calcium, magnesium.
Indications: for women - with acute or chronic stress disorders, after artificial termination of pregnancy and childbirth, with hypovitaminosis, insomnia
Contraindications Key words: childhood, pregnancy, lactation, hypersensitivity
Application: 1 tablet 1 time per day with food
Price– about 540 r for 30 pieces

Mens formula Antistress

Composition: para-aminobenzoic acid, vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E folic acid, biotin, nicotinamide, pantothenic acid, choline, inositol, magnesium, zinc, iodine, valerian, Siberian ginseng, St. John's wort, fenugreek, hops
Indications: Acute and chronic stress disorders, mild forms of insomnia, vitamin deficiencies that caused neurasthenic syndrome, neuroses.
Contraindications: hypersensitivity, children under 12 years of age
Application: 1 capsule 2 times a day, with meals. Course - 1 month
Price– about 650 r for 60 pieces

From this article you will learn:

Why stress can be dangerous and why it is so important to deal with them

What are the ways to deal with stress

What are the ways to prevent stress?

How to become a stress-resistant person

Stress is firmly established in modern life. Many people simply do not notice it now. They are so accustomed to constantly being in a stressful state that, leaving it, they feel discomfort. Scientists claim that prolonged nervous tension causes cardiovascular diseases, neurosis, diseases of the digestive system and other health disorders. Therefore, it is very important to know and apply ways to deal with stress, as well as to be able to respond correctly in stressful situations.

Why you need ways to deal with stress

Stress is the body's response to negative emotions or negative events. Adrenaline is “thrown” into the blood, its amount depends on the emotionality of a person and his susceptibility to stimuli. The heart begins to beat hard, blood pressure rises, muscles tense up. Thus, the body comes to “combat readiness”, mobilizes its reserves. And if he stays in such a state of overvoltage for a long time, then this will inevitably lead to unpleasant consequences. To prevent this, you need to deal with stress in all known ways.
Some doctors believe that the majority of all diseases (about 90%) are caused or aggravated by stress. It affects many organs and systems of the human body.
In stressful situations, blood vessels narrow, making it difficult to supply the brain with oxygen. This causes headaches, insomnia, weakness, neurosis and depression.
Stressful conditions are especially dangerous for the cardiovascular system. They cause arrhythmia, hypertension, increase the risk of occurrence and development of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.
Stress can cause disruption of the digestive system, diseases of the liver and gallbladder, exacerbation of stomach ulcers.
Prolonged severe stressful conditions lead to malfunctions in the body's immune system. As a result, a person becomes vulnerable and unprotected against infectious diseases.
Therefore, no one should have any doubts about the need to deal with stress. There are several ways to fight this.

The most effective ways to deal with stress

Everyone is different, and therefore there is no universal way to deal with stress for everyone. What is perfect for one person will be completely useless for another. And yet there are a few general methods that help everyone and everyone. These include: removing the cause of stress, alleviating stress, and preventing stress.

Eliminate causes of stress

Try to change the situation that led to the tension. Eliminating the cause is a great way to deal with stress. If this is not possible, try to change your attitude towards her. But do not "cut off the shoulder", do not solve the problem immediately, on a "hot head". Take a break, take a break, do something. Or just lie down and sleep. After rest, negative emotions are always replaced by logic. And the current situation will no longer seem so terrible and hopeless to you.
There are two types of problems - solvable and unsolvable. Learn to distinguish them. If the situation can be corrected, then direct all your strength to it. In cases where you cannot change the circumstances, just forget about them. Take what happened for granted, do not wind yourself up, learn the lessons and move on. Constantly thinking about unsolvable life problems, you increase stress tension.

Relief from stress

You need to get rid of stress, because it can lead to various diseases. If the cause of stress cannot be eliminated, try to relieve stress and alleviate your condition. There are several quick and effective ways to deal with stress. These include:

Switching attention. Don't dwell on the problem that caused you stress. Try to shift your attention to something pleasant. For example, meet your friends or loved ones, go to a cafe, watch a kind funny movie, do an interesting job, etc. This way of dealing with stress will help you quickly relieve nervous tension.
Physical activity It is a very effective way to deal with stress. When a stressful situation arises, the human body tenses up, mobilizes its forces, produces adrenaline, which needs a way out. At this time, a person wants to scream loudly, slam doors, break dishes, etc. Sometimes this helps, but it’s still better to throw out negative energy by “peaceful” methods. You can, for example, take a walk, play sports, do spring cleaning or do any other active physical work.
Breathing exercises. Another way to deal with stress is breathing exercises. Here is one option: lie down or sit down, put your hand on your stomach, close your eyes. Relax. Take a deep breath and imagine that the air fills your lungs, moves down and lifts your stomach. Exhale and “feel” how the exhaled air carries away negative energy with it. Breathing exercises relieve tension, calm the heartbeat and normalize blood pressure.
Herbal collections. Many medicinal herbs have a calming effect. They are used in the form of infusion, decoction or tea. Soothing herbal preparations are recommended to be taken in courses or during periods of severe nervous tension. It is necessary to take breaks so that this way of relaxation does not become the norm and habit. To combat stress, valerian, Ivan tea, motherwort, oregano, chamomile, lemon balm with mint are used.
Relaxation. It means relaxation, decreased muscle tone, a state of rest. A great way to deal with stress, helps to contain it, preventing it from escalating. To relax, you can lie down with your eyes closed, listen to good music. You can take a bath or go to the park, get some fresh air and sit in the shade of the trees.
Relaxing baths. Such baths are a good way to deal with stress. They are made with the addition of aromatic oils or decoctions of medicinal herbs. Use decoctions of oregano, lavender, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, oregano. Of the oils, basil, verbena, orange and anise oils are used.
Tears. For many people, they are a great way to deal with stress. They give a good discharge and relieve nervous tension. Scientific studies have shown that tears contain substances that increase a person's stress resistance (peptides). It is not for nothing that in difficult life situations they advise: "cry - and you will immediately feel better."

Another very important topic: ways to deal with stress at work.

Ways to deal with stress at work

With the modern rhythm of life, the problem of dealing with stress at work is becoming very common. It is becoming increasingly relevant in the practical psychology of our time.
Can stress at work be avoided?
Psychologists say that in most cases, stress at work can be dealt with. But if the situation becomes unmanageable, then drastic measures should be taken, up to a change in work activity.
In order to prevent the occurrence of stress at work, it is necessary to analyze all the conditions offered by the employer when applying for a job. The mode of work should be such that you have at least 10 hours of rest every day. If you have to work in dangerous or non-standard situations that require instant decision-making, try to pass a special test that will determine your stress resistance.

Scientists have developed a special system containing a description of probable situations for a specific work activity. Therefore, a person, passing testing, will be able to understand whether this vacancy suits him.
When employed, a person is usually in a calm, familiar state. That is why it can be quite difficult during stress testing to determine whether he will have stress at work in the future. In most cases, stressful situations do not occur immediately, but only after a while. The reason may be excessive requirements or discrepancy between the expected real situation.
It should be understood that the ideal work "in nature" does not exist. Remember the catchphrase "It's good where we are not"? In any type of work activity, there are certain nuances that entail the occurrence of stressful situations. Because of them, a failure in the work of various systems of the human body can occur. The human nervous system is always exposed to the greatest danger. You can fight stress by reducing your requests and expectations to reasonable limits.
Ways to deal with stress at work include:

the correct distribution of your time (for work, leisure and entertainment) is one of the main ways to deal with stress;

planning work activity (distribution of loads and rest during work) is a very effective way to deal with stress;

self-education and development (study and application of new achievements in a certain professional field);

the absence of conversations about work outside of it (in your free time, do not talk about it if these conversations cause you negative emotions).

Knowing how to deal with stress at work, a person will always be able to keep his emotional state normal. Due to constant severe stress, performance decreases. Regular stress testing will help reduce the influence of “harmful” factors. Get rid of the cause of nervous tension. Learn to treat people you don't like with understanding or avoid contact with them. If such “meetings” are inevitable, after them, try to quickly switch to positive emotions. For example, a sweet tooth will be saved by a small piece of chocolate.

I have long wanted to write an article about what is stress.

Do you know why?

Because with this word, as if with a shield, they often like to cover up their inability to work, solve problems, fulfill their direct duties, lazy, hysterical, cunning and other useless personalities.

I decided once and for all to dot the “and” and explain the history of origin, symptoms, causes, types of stress and ways to deal with it.

Ah, I'm stressed, although I have no idea what it is

It was not by chance that I started talking about unpleasant people who like to hide behind stress.

I worked with one of these. This was the stupidest creature, placed in our company by acquaintance, who could not perform a single task. Her name was Lucy.

And when the task of management seemed especially difficult to her or she was running out of deadlines, Lucy fell into a nervous state and shouted to everyone around: “I'm stressed. I can't do anything."

At one fine moment, the boss realized that even a long-term friendship with Uncle Lucy would not force him to keep this useless creature in his state and, with a rebuke in the style of “yes, you at least know what stress is, lazybones,” fired the young lady.

We all breathed a sigh of relief, because such a valuable cooperation, when you have to do not only your job, but also Lucina, we were all tired.

What is stress and what are its types?

The word "stress" itself is a tracing paper from the English stress, which translates as tension, load, pressure.

That is, stress is a reaction of the human body, which for a long time is under the pressure of adverse factors and the impact of heavy loads.

Depending on the emotional component (positive or negative), there are:

Eustress is a beneficial stress that gives a positive energy boost to our body.

It's no secret that a small dose of adrenaline is good for the human body, so that it cheers up, shakes up, and finally wakes up.

Distresses are harmful stresses caused by overexertion.

Single distresses do not cause much harm to the body, but if you do not get out of this state for a long time, then stress can develop into something more dangerous, for example.

Stress is also classified according to the factors that provoke their appearance:

Psychological.

Most often occurs when a person cannot establish interaction with society.

Emotional.

The reason for its occurrence is excessively strong emotions (both positive and negative), with which a person cannot cope.

Informational - the reaction of the body to some unexpected information, most often negative.
Managerial - the trouble of all leaders who have to make important decisions every day.

Who was the first to understand what stress is?

Of course, stress has always existed.

Surely even primitive people, who for a long time failed to catch a mammoth, suffered from nervous tension and stress, although they themselves did not understand the state of their body.

But close study of this problem took up only in the first half of the twentieth century.

For the first time, the Nobel Prize winner Hans Selye managed to understand and describe what stress is in 1936. Before him, the term "stress" was used as a technical one and meant the resistance of some material to external pressure.

Selye decided that all this is applicable to the human body and began research, fortunately, not on humans, but on rats.

Animal advocates will surely call the Nobel laureate a sadist and a flayer, and they will be right somewhere, but science is often unmerciful to our smaller brothers.

Selye's experiments consisted in the fact that he tortured rats in various ways (loud sound, immobilization, current, water), and then did an autopsy of the experimental rodent, which showed that the internal organs of the rat had changed, most often they had a stomach ulcer.

So, Selye concluded that the internal organs of rats give in to pathologies not from the very impact of electric current, water or loud noise, but as a result of the reaction of the organism of rodents to them.

Alas, it was possible to understand what stress is thanks to the inhuman experiments of the scientist.

How do you know if you're under stress?

Stress has its own pronounced symptoms, so covering up your stupidity, laziness, unwillingness to take responsibility with your body's reaction to external pressure means deceiving yourself.

You can safely say that you are stressed if you:

You constantly feel tired and overwhelmed.
You notice that your ability to remember new information has deteriorated, and you even began to forget what you knew before.
They began to sleep badly.
Lost your appetite or vice versa absorb huge portions.
You can’t get rid of the feeling of anxiety and the obsessive thought that something bad is about to happen.
Speak at a fast pace, which was previously uncharacteristic for you.
Stopped responding to funny jokes and are depressed.
You are never satisfied with the results of your work.
Complain of headaches or pain in the stomach.
Can't concentrate.
You easily fall into a state of rage.
They began to perform even simple work much longer than before.
You make stupid mistakes.
Show stubbornness where it is not necessary to do so.
Feel sorry for yourself and think that your life has failed.

Individually, each of these symptoms is not terrible, but diagnosing at least 5 signs from the list in yourself should make you wonder if I'm stressed.

Causes of stress

Of course, the reaction of the human body in the form of stress does not appear by itself.

Stress arises for quite objective reasons:

A large number of responsibilities that you can not handle.
Inability to rest and sleep for a long time.
The bad economic or political situation in the country, so most of the news is negative.
A quarrel with someone close to you.
Negative changes in personal or professional life: betrayal of the second half, dismissal, divorce, demotion, etc.
Deterioration of material condition.
Obsessive thoughts about past mistakes, unnecessary self-digging in the past, wrong perception of negative experience.
Prolonged illness and poor health.
- constant postponing of affairs until the appearance of a blockage that can no longer be cleared.
A series of small failures.

how stress affects the human body and whether it can lead to death:

How to deal with stress?

Whatever the cause of stress, you must find a cure to quickly normalize the state of your body and never again suffer from this dirty trick.

The most effective ways are:

Healthy sleep and proper rest of the body.
Physical activity, meditation and breathing exercises.
Proper nutrition: more vitamins (greens, vegetables, fruits), nuts, fish, liver, cereals, honey, dairy products. Less sweets, flour, fatty, fried, smoked.
Planning time and making a to-do list to prevent their accumulation.
Learn to "step over" problems that you are not able to solve.
Love the proverb "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" or "Trials cannot be more than I can bear."

Solve problems before they become unsolvable.

For example, if the car engine makes a strange sound, then you should immediately go to a car service, and not wait until the car becomes and you have to invest huge money in repairs.

Eliminate causes of stress.

Tired - take a break, too many responsibilities - give part to someone, quarreled with your husband - make peace, etc.

See the positive even in the negative.

Filter the information you absorb.

You are not responsible for all the negativity of humanity.

Believe that everything will be fine with you, because you, like no one else, deserve happiness.

Now you know, what is stress and, I hope, you will not trump this word to the place and out of place.

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The frantic rhythm of life in modern megacities, the huge information flow that pours out on each of us every day, bad ecology constantly test our nervous system for strength. Daily exploits are expected of us, we strive to be "faster, higher, stronger." All this gradually leads to physical and emotional overload, fatigue and stress.

What is stress? Where does it come from, how to get rid of it and whether it is possible not to bring yourself to an extreme state - let's try to figure it out together.

What is stress

This is the response of our body to any overvoltage. A person can experience both physical and emotional overload.

Physical stress can be caused by severe or prolonged illness, cold or overheating of the body, hunger. In order to get rid of it, you need to find and eliminate the cause.

The same applies to psychological (emotional) stress. The reasons for it can be troubles in personal life, problems in the family or conflicts at work, material difficulties, a huge amount of information, dissatisfaction with one's professional abilities, disappointments and other reasons that cause great emotional distress and overload of the nervous system.

According to the degree of intensity of emotional overstrain and its duration, several periods are distinguished:

adaptive - when the body adapts to a new state and mobilizes its protective functions;
short-term - if minor troubles knocked you out of your usual rut for a short time;
long - if you do not recognize stress in time and do not treat it, it can drag on, which will eventually lead to depression and major health problems.

Regardless of the type of stress, its intensity and duration, its nature is the same. Immediately after a nervous breakdown, adrenaline and cortisol levels rise in the blood.

Adrenaline increases blood pressure and increases heart rate, the need for high-calorie foods.

Cortisol, or stress hormone, enhances the protective functions of the body, improves immunity.

How to recognize stress

The release of adrenaline and cortisol is the first protective reaction of the body to increased stress. They are responsible for the physical symptoms of stress that you may feel. These include the following signals:

headache;
rapid breathing;
exacerbation of gastritis or the development of peptic ulcer, other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
chest pain;
muscle tension;
feeling of discomfort, tension or pain in the spine;
fast fatiguability.

But not only physical, but also emotional changes accompany stress. Psychological symptoms of stress include:

depressed mood;
increased anxiety;
absent-mindedness - it is impossible to concentrate on doing the job;
irritability;
sleep problems.

If you notice such changes in yourself or someone close to you, you must definitely take treatment.

How to relieve stress at home

You can help yourself with simple methods, most of which are available to each of us. Let's figure out how to relieve stress and calm down after a nervous breakdown.

The main thing in the fight against stress is to relieve tension, try to distract yourself and relax. At home, you can use these methods.

"The morning is wiser than the evening"

We recall the old worldly wisdom and postpone the solution of the problem to the next day. At the same time, it is important not to torment yourself with endless worries about what happened and how to live on, but to try to free your head from annoying thoughts.

The best way to do this is to do breathing exercises. A few simple exercises will relieve tension in the muscles and help you calm down. You can distract yourself by watching your favorite movie or talking with loved ones.

If obsessive thoughts do not go out of your head, then do not hide them, but entrust everything to paper. So you actually free your head and maybe even look at the problem from the other side.

Air!

Go for a walk. It is to walk, and not to run headlong from work home or to the store. Go to the park, just walk the streets, look at houses, passers-by, listen to the sounds of nature, breathe deeply. A walk can be thought of as meditation if you focus your attention on some details: look at the leaves on the trees, shop windows, clouds in the sky, etc.

In addition, during the walk, the flow of oxygen to the head increases - you can escape from worries and find the right solution to your problem.

Listen to music

The music you love can lift your spirits. According to psychologists, it’s best for stress relief, but if you don’t like her, then just pick any songs that your heart responds to.

Go in for physical education

During sports or when doing any physical exercise, the body produces the hormone of happiness - endorphin. He is responsible for a good mood. The influx of endorphins can be provided in many ways, but the most reliable effect can be achieved only by physical exercise. You can go for a run, go to the gym, dance to your favorite music, or just do the simplest exercises - even a few squats and simple stretching will help relieve tension and fill you with energy.

Water

How else can you relieve fatigue at home and relax? The easiest way is to go to the bathroom. Water is able to purify not only the physical body. It washes away all troubles and sorrows from us, copes well with emotional overstrain.

Take a contrast shower or a warm bath with aromatic oils or salt. If possible, go to the pool or ... to the bathhouse. Hot steam will relax the muscles, increase the flow of endorphins. You will feel rested and refreshed.

Folk remedies

Folk recipes for herbal tinctures are very helpful in relieving stress. A decoction of valerian root or motherwort herb soothes and helps to relax. These plants have a strong sedative effect, they are often included in sedative preparations.

Cope with insomnia, relieve headaches and warm tea with chamomile, mint or thyme and a small spoonful of honey.

Other folk plants are also good cures for stress: hawthorn berries, peony flowers, verbena. Only, as in the case of medicines, they should be carefully applied - in some cases, even taking herbal teas can cause negative reactions.

Treating stress with medication

All home remedies are good as a preventative or to relieve stress in the adaptation and short-term period.

If the nervous tension does not leave you for a long time and no folk remedies help, you need to seek help from specialists.

Untreated stress can lead to major health and social problems. Protracted depression is very difficult to treat. For the treatment of stress, neurosis, depression, panic attacks and other disorders of the nervous system, various ones are used, which can be divided into the following groups:

Antipsychotics - such drugs contribute to the inhibition of nervous activity. They are usually prescribed for prolonged depression and complex mental disorders.
Antidepressants are medications that reduce anxiety and help relieve stress.
Tranquilizers are drugs that reduce excitability, normalize sleep, and suppress emotions.
Nootropics - improve brain activity, memory, increase concentration.
Sedatives - sedatives, promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, relieve stress.
Normothymic drugs - drugs that relieve depressed mood, restore the emotional background, are prescribed for increased irritability and nervousness.
Stimulant drugs - are prescribed for increased mental and emotional stress, help to resist stress, have a general strengthening effect on the body.

Any funds can be prescribed only by the attending physician. Depending on the degree and type of neurological disorder, the doctor will select drugs that relieve stress, reduce anxiety, sedatives or stimulants, and more often a combination of them to provide a comprehensive treatment for the disease.

How not to relieve stress and fatigue

Many people believe that alcohol is the best remedy for fatigue and stress. It will help you relax and forget about problems. However, in reality, the effect is the opposite. Alcohol puts an additional burden on the body, and so exhausted physically and emotionally.

It is not necessary, with severe fatigue, to use both stimulating drugs and energy drinks. Coffee, strong tea, chocolate, energy drinks have an invigorating effect only for a while, after which the situation only gets worse. At the same time, they overload the nervous system even more and reduce the body's natural ability to deal with stress.

Why you need to treat stress

Any nervous breakdown is, first of all, energy that needs to be released. If this does not happen, it accumulates in the body and can lead to serious consequences: severe depressive conditions and diseases - such as hypertension, heart disease, neurological disorders.

In addition, this seriously complicates the social life of a person: a person experiencing constant nervous overload cannot normally concentrate on work or study, he is very unsure of himself, irritable and suspicious, it is difficult to communicate with him. This leads to frequent conflicts with family, friends and colleagues.

How to get rid of chronic depression

Left unattended, stress develops into severe depression. It is almost impossible for a person to get rid of it on their own. In this case, the help of a specialist is required. And, most often, therapy is complex. The doctor will prescribe medication, psychotherapeutic methods. Help, herbal medicine, exercise therapy.

However, no doctor and no manual will give you an exact answer to the question of how to get out of depression, and will not help you get rid of a depressed state if you yourself do not make efforts for this. In order to succeed, you need to get out of your comfort zone, completely change your usual way of life, give up many habits and solve problems that have been put off for years: it can be a change of job and even profession, solving family conflicts and other tasks, for which were scary to take.

Prevention of a nervous breakdown

Any disease, as you know, is easier to prevent than to solve. The same applies to nervous breakdowns and depression. It is easier not to bring yourself to an extreme state than to pull out of the swamp by the hair. To resist stress, you need to follow the rules that are simple to the point of banality and familiar to all of us from childhood.

Be aware. A nervous breakdown is our reaction to a situation. And only we decide how we respond to it. Learn to be distracted and switch your attention from the negative aspects, try to look for the good side in everything.
Rest. Not in front of the TV and browsing the feed on social networks. Do what you love, read a book, listen to music, take a walk, go to the theater or cinema.
Relax. Meditation, yoga, a warm bath, breathing exercises - any means that give you pleasure are good for relieving tension, except for alcohol and gluttony.
Move more. Any simple physical exercise will strengthen not only your body, but also temper your spirit.

Finally

We are all living people, so everyone is influenced by emotions, which are not always positive. However, it is up to us how we can resist them.

To cope with stress, which, unfortunately, is very common in our modern life, you need to fill your every day with small joys. Take care of yourself more, give yourself small gifts every day, not necessarily material ones: find beauty in nature, in passers-by, always tune in to the good, find yourself a hobby and devote time to it, learn new things.

Every day, summing up, remember only the best of what happened to you, and then stress and nervous breakdowns will visit you less and less.