Category: Stress Relief

Sometimes persistent stress symptoms are knowingly (consciously) or unknowingly (unconsciously) used by us to get sympathy, support, love, attention, money, etc. This phenomenon is known as secondary gain. Since the sufferer gets some type of benefit because of his symptoms, he is not very motivated to receiving treatment or getting better. So, if I am collecting disability payments from an insurance company due to anxiety symptoms, I would report no improvement of my symptoms regardless what treatment I get, as this would mean losing my monetary benefits, and having to return to my job that I hate. Here are two interesting cases.

Continue reading Stress Relief: How patients often use persistent stress symptoms to profit

Sometimes a persistent stress symptom has a hidden meaning. In other words, the patient is unknowingly trying to communicate to others by means of his symptom what he is really thinking and feeling, but, for whatever reason, is unable to express in words. People who indulge in this type of communication are highly ‘unaware’ and ‘immature’ people. These physical symptoms are often referred to as ‘conversion symptoms,’ meaning that emotional expression has been converted into a physical symptom that expresses that emotion by proxy.

Continue reading Stress Relief: How Patients Communicate by Means of Their Stress Symptoms

Raising awareness is the first step toward healing. Awareness is a gift. Some have it naturally, and others must struggle to acquire it. Some can never hope to achieve it. Almost all patients I treat in my office have serious problem with awareness. Cultivating awareness is essential in coping with stress as awareness evaporates emotions to a great extent. Just becoming aware how angry you are could stop you from kicking your dog or yelling at your loved one.

Continue reading Stress Relief: Cope with Stress by Raising Awareness

The first visit: In the initial psychiatric evaluation, the treating doctor takes a detailed history of the patient’s life. His job is no different than that of a detective collecting information from a witness at the scene of a crime. He begins by inquiring about various symptoms the patient currently suffers from, which necessitated the appointment with the doctor: ‘What are your current symptoms that bother you”

Continue reading Stress Relief: What is the Process of Treatment for Stress Related Disorders

Seemingly serious physical symptoms but no medical findings: Paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, numbness, pain somewhere in the body, dizziness, muscle twitching, seizures, exhaustion, loss of taste and smell, fainting spells, and many other similar symptoms. Repeated physical examinations and tests reveal nothing to explain the symptoms. Many patients in this category get a diagnosis of hysteria, somatization disorder, conversion disorder, atypical panic disorder, etc. Very often these symptoms stand for something the patient is trying to communicate non-verbally as we read before.

Continue reading Stress Relief: What are various stress-related disorders?

To solve a nagging problem, one must be aware of the problem, must be willing to admit having it, and must have the skill and relentless determination to solve it. If one does not have the necessary skill, he must enlist the help of a professional (doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc.) to solve the problem. Invariably, one will be required to take certain actions and make certain sacrifices in order to solve a hounding problem:

Continue reading Stress Relief: Cope with Stress by Solving problems

Talking, crying, sobbing, sighing, bawling, squalling, groaning, moaning, grunting, protesting, scolding, yelling, screaming, etc., in response to an upsetting event or situation, are some of the common healthful ways by which we express painful emotions. To do this, one must be aware of his inner emotions (‘I am aware that I am angry at this person’ ); be willing to admit them to himself and others (‘I am so mad at him that I want to wring his neck!’); and be able to express them in an appropriate manner (‘I am mad at you because of the nasty comment you made about me.’).

Continue reading Stress Relief: Cope with Stress by Expressing Emotions

We read elsewhere how buried painful emotions can resurface later and cause double whammy. In mid-life crisis, it is not the buried emotions that resurface but buried desires, dependency needs, cravings, wishes and yearnings from our childhood days which were not met. When this happens, one experiences an intense need to fulfill those unmet needs and desires. Usually, this is triggered by a seemingly insignificant event. The consequences, though, could be great and often disastrous. Most men and women having affairs in their mid-forties are going through their mid-life crises.

Continue reading Stress Relief: What is Mid-life Crisis?

In an emergency situations, we are able to bury our emotions in the hidden mind so that we could deal with it effectively. Once the bad event is over, he brings up the emotions from the hidden mind, breaks down and expresses them out by talking, crying, sobbing, etc. Many heroes you read about in newspapers coped with sudden crises like this.

Continue reading Stress Relief: Cope with Stress by Emergency Burying

People with good coping skills are able to make painful emotions disappear from their mind by using one or more of several mental mechanisms listed below. People raised in functional, healthy families learn from their parents, relatives, teachers, pastors, siblings and other important people in their life many of these ‘tricks’ which help them to cope better. They also learn from reading books and religious scriptures how to cancel-out painful emotions.

Continue reading Stress Relief: Cope with Stress by Canceling Out Painful Emotions