Healthy Stress Doctor

When the news about the statewide quarantine reached me, I had two choices. I could either fly to my parents’ farm in Minnesota or stay here in New York. I ended up choosing the latter because the internet was essential for my work, and there was hardly any signal at the farm.

Despite making that choice by myself, I could not help but feel stressed about quarantining alone. I was not allowed to order food often; the laundry shop was also closed. Still, I had to tap my face several times and remind myself that stress would not do me good, especially now. So, I did the following instead:

Start An Aquaponics Herb Garden

The most stress-relieving activity in my book is tending to a garden. I used to do that in my parents’ backyard and plant vegetables there. However, since I live in a small apartment in the city, the best thing I can do is start an aquaponics herb garden.

This project is genuinely easy; all you need are a few mason jars, water, and seedlings. It is especially useful these days, given that you are not supposed to go out only to buy basil or thyme. With an herb garden of your own, you will be able to get by without buying herbs even after the lockdown.

Subscribe To A Video-Streaming Platform

Being an old-school individual, the first week of my quarantine passed with me playing DVDs. I have an impressive collection of them, including all the Harry Potter, Twilight, Charlie’s Angels, and Star Trek movies. However, I realized that I could not watch them a second time around, so I asked my sister about what I should do. Her reply was, “Subscribe to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Go, or Hulu.”

If you ask me why it has taken me this long to sign up for any of them, I don’t know either. I have never stayed at home for weeks on end, so the idea has not crossed my mind. But I have subscribed to all those video-streaming platforms now, and I love it!

Recreate Your Favorite Foods

The quarantine has pushed plenty of entrepreneurs to close their restaurants temporarily. My go-to place around the corner is one of them, and I feel bummed whenever I think about their rigatoni. I missed it too much that I decided to try to make the dish in my kitchen. It was not the same, but it was close, and I was pleased with its taste.

This positive experience with cooking allowed me to try recreating my other favorites. E.g., KFC’s fried chicken, Scarr’s pizza, Steve’s key lime pie, etc.

Communicate With Loved Ones

Before the lockdown, you may have barely had time to connect with family and friends. We all get it; you are busy making money and building your career. But now that the state requires you to be at home 24/7, you can talk to everyone you miss from dusk till dawn.

A routine that my parents have created is to do a video conference with my two sisters and me daily. They call around breakfast, and we watch each other cook and do other chores. It is as if we are all in the same house.

Sleep

Yes, sleep. What else can you do when you feel like you have done everything else on your list?

Sleeping is the best for two reasons: 1) it relaxes your mind and body, and 2) the time can pass by freely. There is no need to come up with new activities or chores for yourself; you do not have to watch the news. If you keep on getting seven or eight hours of sleep until the quarantine is over, you will become a brand-new person.

What are you doing to avoid stress while quarantining alone?

As part of the  2017 Michigan Stress Relief Week, they gave free massages and desserts to all students to help them relieve their stress, relax, and refresh. This event is an excellent initiative since massage therapy is known to help those who suffer from stress find a way to unwind and prioritize their health and wellness. Moreover, students experience much stress due to their deadlines, research, and exams. But how does massage therapy help people reduce their stress?

Nowadays, massage therapy is offered almost everywhere. Gone are the times when massages are only available through luxury spas and health clubs. Whether you are in airports, clinics, hospitals, or malls, people who seek massages can get soothing treatment quickly. A session of massage therapy usually goes on for about 50 minutes. It uses low and subtle lighting in the room to help create a comforting and relaxing environment. It also utilizes the power of music to support the soothing atmosphere. 

Massage strokes and manipulates your skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments to release tension and pain. A massage therapist can use a variety of techniques for a session, and it may range from light stroking to deep pressure. There are more than 80 types of massage therapies in the world. You can discuss your preferred treatment with your therapist.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy has a couple of benefits, including the following:

• Allows people to respond better to medical procedures and other related treatments
• Reduces muscle tension or soreness and helps rehabilitate muscle tone
• Increases range of movement and flexibility
• Increases autoimmune function
• Helps people cope with pain, depression, stress, and anxiety-related illnesses

Some studies also found massages can be helpful for the following:

• Anxiety
• Fibromyalgia
• Digestive ailments
• Headaches
• Sleeplessness due to stress
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Sports injuries
• Temporomandibular joint pain
• Soft tissue tensions or injuries 

Beyond the conditions and benefits it can bring, most people enjoy massage therapy because it often makes them feel light, comforted, and connected. However, it is no way a means to replace your regular medical care. If you have specific health conditions, it’s best to consult your doctor if massage therapy can help you.

It’s not a crime to seek ways to reduce your stress and find solace in your world; we all need a little help sometimes.

 

Most of us face more than what we can chew every day – challenges, untoward incidents at home or work, daily obligations – and all these can take a toll on our lives and cause unnecessary stress. When these pressures continue and extend up to a month, it is called acute stress disorder.

Continue reading “How To Deal With Acute Stress Disorder”

Stress can take over a person’s life and control it. This fact has been overlooked by many, treating this simple stress as something that’s going away eventually. A stressed mind, however, significantly produces negative effects on the mentality and physical being of a person regardless of age and gender.

Continue reading “Here’s Why You Should Try Online Counseling Now”

But can you really go back to your high school days for a moment? Back then, as a student wasn’t there anything that caused you worry? I am sure there was. High school students do face stress and sometimes they are major ones which affect their physical and mental health.

From pubertal changes to peer pressure, from emotional sparks to ongoing pressure of board exams– high school days are really tough as perceived by most teenagers. Many adolescents become over stressed and feel they just can’t take the pressure anymore.

According to Rachel Fintzy Woods, M.A., LMFT, “Since we differ in what we consider stressful., it’s important to determine your personal threshold for stress.”

Stress can be managed. Talk therapy can help which can be done through BetterHelp. Specialists are ready to talk to you anytime to relieve you of your stress.

The Common High School Stressors

 

The factors causing stress in high schoolers can be categorized into four broad types:

1. Academic Stressors – Including home works, tougher academic responsibilities, grades, assignments, too much syllabus, too less time, examinations, and so on. These things really do impact a high schooler’s mind. As such, it is important to take a break every now and then. “People need time off from work (school) to recover from stress and prevent burnout,” said David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA.
2. Family Stressors – It is the “have to do” stress that many families put on their kids. Like the pressure of doing better than siblings or cousins and living up to parents’ expectations. Parenting styles, broken homes and parental divorce also stresses an adolescent mind hugely.
3. Social Stressors – The impending need of complying with peers, looking, staying in shape, social networking (which has recently become a big cause of stress for high school students), all these social attributes do nothing except increase the social stress on the young minds.
4. Stressors Related to Future – The stress of getting into a good college, passing the boards with good grades, choosing the right career, making the love successful, there is so much to achieve.

A quick guide for high schoolers on how to handle their stress.

Here are few stress management strategies for the high school students.

 

1. The 3 A’s of stress management:

• Accept – Accepting that we can never excel in everything reduces the overwhelming stress of achievement to some extent. Know your capabilities and set your standards accordingly. Too high or too low expectations would bring nothing but disappointment.
• Adapt – Learn to adjust. Adolescence is “the” period of transition. Any new change brings stress, but the ones who can adapt themselves to the changing situations are the survivors.
• Alter – If you are stressed try to make some positive change in the situation. Rather than sitting back and letting the stress engulf your mind, it is always wise to take the initiative and change your circumstances. Remember you are in charge of your happiness.

2. Learn from your past mistakes – Never allow the same mistake to affect you twice.

 

3. Have a healthy diet – Diet is very crucial to keep our mind and body going well. High schoolers are prone to binge eating, junk food, smoking, drinking, etc, which can bring long lasting health hazards. Following a smart diet can really help you accomplish health goals and maintain a good look.

 

4. Exercise daily – It is the ultimate stress release mechanism for all age groups. Doing regular exercise keeps you fit, mentally and physically, lets you communicate with yourself and gets you the energy to deal with the everyday stressors of life.

 

5. Have a confidante – Be it siblings, friends, cousins, teachers or even parents sometimes, having someone with whom you can share every small thing can be really helpful. It will give you support, a better understanding of the situation and help you cope with the stress more efficiently.

 

6. Use stress busters – You can make stress balls at home, write down the causes of your stress, maintain a personal diary, listen to music, play, or use any other activity that makes you happy. You may make your own stress management plan and follow it, that can also be helpful in managing the stress.

 

No matter how much we say or how hard we try, these stressors are part of life. There is no student who has not faced any stress during his/her high school years. So, what is important is not what causes the stress, but how we can deal with them.

 

As they say,  Don’t stress, do your best, and forget the rest —- So look for the right ways and remember it is not the stress that puts you down, it is the way you carry it. Make sure to try therapy too. According to Lisa M. Vallejos, MA, LPC, NCC, “Therapy is confidential and therapists are bound by both laws and ethics to maintain client confidentiality to the best of their ability. There are exceptions that I will cover in detail.”

 

 

 

 

People are currently living in an extremely demanding world. In the United States alone, about 86 million people were employed full-time by private companies in 2014, and these people mostly take part in keeping the country afloat.

The living cost is continually on the rise, and the needs only seem to increase. It’s not hard to see why people obsess over their careers, but it’s important to talk about why people need to take a step back.

It’s Widely Accepted

It’s only quite recently that mental health and positive working environments became a priority for private companies. For a significant population, gone are the days where strict hours need to be completed or terrorizing employees to deliver results. It’s been proven that a good work environment is also a great business decision, and many employers acknowledge that.

There is less reason to hesitate about requesting for a vacation. It won’t be considered as a risk of an adverse career move or seen as a negative light by other people. Granted, it’s harder for traditional companies, but it’s definitely worth it.

Stress Relief

It’s pretty self-explanatory, but a vacation is one of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety, precisely for reasons like it lifts a person’s mood when they have something to look forward to. It’s something that breaks routine, and it’s naturally exciting to deviate from a pattern. On vacation itself, worries and the weight of the stress become diverted from your mind.

Many people might see taking a break as being left behind or an opportunity for work to pile up, but you still need to prioritize the balance.

Family Time

Scientifically, many basic human needs are better satisfied by family time more than work. The family is the source of loving relationships, comfort, safety, enjoyment, and many more. Going on vacation means some free time and a chance to nourish relationships with the family, with little regard to what kind of vacation, or for how long, or who with.

It could be a solo trip, a long break from work, or even just a few mental health days. It’ll still go a very long way.

Post-Vacation High

Studies show that people who come back from vacations exhibit better work performance, so it’s even more evident that taking a vacation is a great career move. Things like an improved sleeping pattern, becoming less irritable, and fewer chances of burnout, in the long run, are all career-related benefits of taking an enjoyable vacation.

In summary, being in a better mood has numerous effects on one’s personal mental and physical health, but a vacation transcends explicitly to many other aspects of adult life. Read more about the benefits and take time for yourself.

Here are the things that therapists and counselors have to say about vacation:

• “People need time off from work to recover from stress and prevent burnout.” – David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA
• “Time away from our regular routines is essential for good mental health.” – Lynne Silva-Breen, MDiv, MA, LMFT
• “Leaving ample time in between activities allows you to taste the wonderful food and mingle with the culture and people around you without the hustle and bustle and stress.” – Kimberley Clayton Blaine, MA, LMFT

A vacation might be one of the best things for your mental health, but remember that it’s not meant to be a one-time quick fix. Mental health must be nurtured and given importance to. Engage in other activities good for your mental health like regular exercise, reading and doing things that inspire you.

When going on a vacation, be sure that you will not deny the truth that you are having problems. Instead, remember what Janis Manalang, LPC says “