It has been a while since I wrote my first blog for Calm Minds, I have been busy helping clients with counselling and hypnotherapy and finishing off my MA, a 30/04 deadline, which is looming! The stress of completing my MA, and also the universal stress that seems to be around at the moment has prompted me to write something about stress.

My practice is based in the leafy Cheshire village of Bramhall and you could be mistaken for thinking the industrial revolution never hit Bramhall, unlike neighbouringStockport and the Greater Manchester area.

I don’t think we had heard of stress before the industrial revolution. We humans have spent the last 10,000 years as farmers or associated trades and before that for millions of years we have been hunter gatherers. We are not programmed for our post-modern lifestyle, we should be out gathering for a few hours a day and spending the rest of the day socialising with our group, making love and telling stories. Sounds great doesn’t it!

What has happened to us, as we get obsessed about being in contact all waking hours and anxious if our mobile phone is out of signal? We have become addicted to material lifestyles, peer pressure and chasing the dream - ‘if I could win the lottery that would make me happy’. All this stress and anxiety caused by our own perceptions creates so many problems and can ultimately kill us.

There is a primitive part of the brain called the Amygdala that controls which is known as our ‘fight or flight’ response. This is a subconscious response to dangerous situations and was very useful when we wanted to run away from a sabre toothed tiger. It increases our adrenalin, gets our heart pumping faster and makes our stomach will stop digesting.

All very useful, but only designed as a temporary measure. What is happening nowadays is that people are living in a constant ‘fight or flight’ state and this is extremely detrimental to our health. It causes chronic stress and psychosomatic illnesses and all kinds of aches and pains in the body.

So what can you do about it, because stress is brought on by the overwhelming feeling that demands on you are exceeding your resources? My experience in practice tells me that both counselling and hypnotherapy have a big part to play in dealing with the symptoms of stress without the need to resort to drugs.

But first, you need to notice it. Are your feeling tired or irritable, do you have high expectations of yourself and others, do you feel emotional – tearful or angry for no obvious reason? Does life feel out of control and you are dealing with it using drink or other ‘blocking’ activities. If so, you are probably suffering from stress and it may be a good idea to see your doctor (who may be quite stressed themselves!) and/or a therapist.

Looking at your whole life and where you spend all your time and energy and where your self-care is, can be useful. Also, there are some other techniques besides counselling and hypnotherapy such as meditation, mindfulness or self hypnosis that can help. But just talking it through with a counsellor or other specialist can be extremely beneficial.

It is time to take care of yourself; you are no use to others if you reach burn out!