Stress Therapy

When a person is a little stressed, his body reacts and responds in situations instinctively and efficiently. But this can only be true to small dose of stress. When the dose arises, stress becomes unhealthy. It inhibits the person to perform well. With little stress, the body is pushed to work hard. This is in a positive way. While when the body is over stressed, the response is negative.

A person who is stressed out can’t perform normally. His body reacts differently in situations. Stress can even lead to body disorders and illnesses. Because the normal functioning of the body is affected, the person isn’t able to use his natural instincts when facing a situation. He becomes less creative and less efficient.

Battling Stress

Stress can make your life miserable so before it gets worse, you must battle it. The best way to combat stress is the use of stress management therapy. What is a Stress Management Therapy? This refers to the various strategies used by stress specialists and doctors to help people who are stressed out. The goal of stress management therapy is to help a person live life healthfully and stress free.

Why do you need to combat stress? Stress affects the whole personality of a person. It affects a person’s mental ability and sound judgment. It puts his social, emotional, spiritual and physical life in jeopardy. Worst, it can lead to serious health problems like phobias, heart problems and high blood pressure.

Stress management therapy makes sure that you don’t get these negative effects of stress. Generally, stress management therapy involves relaxation, counseling, exercises, yoga, meditation, and time management therapies. The key to combat stress is to manage it. If you can balance your needs and your abilities, there will be less room for stress.

Identification of Stress

Before you can even start managing stress, you should first identify the factors that trigger stress. The stress management therapy will be based on your stress factor. The therapy will be designed according to your own needs.

Once the stress triggering factors are identified, measures will be taken to help the individual in facing the same circumstances. The stress management therapy may totally eliminate the factor that causes stress or if not, reduce it to a more tolerable level.

Stress management therapy is vital especially today where everywhere there seems to be a tough competition. This makes us want to get the best and thus, we become stressed. Through a stress management therapy, you will be able to enjoy life the stress free way!

Tai Chi Stress Management

To the uninformed, the mere mention of the term “martial arts” evokes images of rigorous fighting and violence.  However, in China and other parts of the world, thousands are recognizing the health benefits of a Chinese form of martial arts called Tai Chi.   Many of its practitioners have adopted Tai Chi not only as a martial art but as a technique to manage stress and anxiety.  While its roots are to be found in China, the martial arts has gained wide following in the United States where stress and anxiety are now considered very common ailments.

According to the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety, at least 19 million Americans are now affected by stress and anxiety.  This disorder includes other symptoms of distress such as depression, alcoholism, excessive cigarette smoking, and other forms of substance abuse.   In many cases, the disorder becomes so intense that a person with stress can no longer function properly or engage in normal everyday activities.  Stress and anxiety are treatable and can be addressed using a variety of therapeutic options.  The great number of people afflicted with these disorders has also resulted in the increase in demand for therapy centers and psychiatric services.  In these centers, a patient with a stress disorder is provided counseling, coaching, and even diet advice.  If necessary, the patients are also given medications to help relieve their worries.

One very popular stress management alternative is Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese form of “soft” or internal martial arts that helps promote health and longevity.  Often seen being practiced by groups of people in parks, Tai Chi has grown popularity especially among the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.   Often called the “moving meditation”, Tai Chi was developed in China as early as the 12th century by a Taoist monk named Zhang Sanfeng. Tai Chi literally means “supreme ultimate boxing” or “boundless fist,”  a name that clearly points out to the combat applications of this slow, graceful Oriental art of physical fitness.

Many Tai Chi practitioners attest to the effectiveness of the art in promoting relaxation.  The deliberate, slow movements of the upper torso, hands, arms, legs, and feet are soft exercises that promote flexibility.  The practitioner breathes slowly with each graceful movement of Tai Chi.  The slow repetitive movements of this unique form of martial arts promote the internal blood and oxygen circulation.  It is believed that the emphasis of Tai Chi on proper breathing allows its practitioners to heal damaged internal organs and body cells.

Whether it is done alone or as part of a group, the Tai Chi forms or exercises offer anxiety relief.  In fact, there are specific movements that require the practitioner to visualize the act of releasing stress and anxiety.  As the Tai Chi practitioner moves his arms inward, it is accompanied by slow, deep breathing. The next move of pushing the arms outward is accompanied by the exhalation of air and the visualization of pushing away all negative thoughts and worries.

Other practitioners have also found Tai Chi to be an effective means of breaking the habit of smoking and excessive use of alcohol.  Aside from bringing a sense of clarity and serenity, the practice of Tai Chi also helps the practitioner to adopt a healthier lifestyle.  Advanced forms of Tai Chi include the study and use of traditional Chinese medicine which involves the use of acupuncture, herbal medications, and therapeutic massage.

For serious cases of stress and other psychological disorders, regular consultation with a doctor or psychiatrist is highly advised.   While Tai Chi is already a proven alternative form of stress management, some individuals may need to take anxiety medication that is prescribed a health professional. 

While it is not always necessary to take drugs to treat anxiety, balancing the collective wisdom from Eastern and Western forms of medicine may be an ideal way of approaching the issue of personal health and fitness.  Millions of people around the world have taken up Tai Chi not just as a martial art but as a means to release stress and tension.   With more efforts to promote the healing and fitness aspects of Tai Chi, it is expected that more people will learn and benefit from the ancient secrets to longevity and stress-free living.

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