Stress and anxiety

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We have all felt stress or anxiety at some level at various times in our lives. We can feel this stress in response to a range of physical, occupational and emotional disturbances.

When these disturbances are manageable we can maintain our well-being, but if these disturbances go beyond normal limits they become stressors (King, Stanley & Burrows. 1987), and then we can feel overwhelmed or have difficulties coping and functioning as we would like.

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Why worry about stress and anxiety?

Whilst there are actually times when stress is a positive influence, for example it motivates us to perform well, such as at an exam, an interview, when giving a presentation or during exercise (McEwen, 2007), all to frequently, it has a negative influence on our physical and psychological wellbeing, particularly if we experience stress over a prolonged period of time.

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The Research: The buildup of a variety of uncontrollable stressful or anxious experiences over the lifetime, may have particularly destructive, long-lasting and harmful psychological and social effects leading to mood disorders, such as, posttraumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, and other anxiety disorders (Kendler et al. 1999; Chrousos 2000; Tafet and Bernardini 2003), as well as on your sense of well-being, behaviour, and also on your health (Kuh et al., 2003; Chrousos & Gold, 1992; McEwen, 2007; Thoits, 2010, Seo et al., 2013). For example some well known diseases associated with high stress are; coronary heart disease, heart attacks (Rozanski et al., 1999, Rosengren et al., 2004) and problems with the immune and nervous systems (Segerstrom & Miller, 2004).


How does hypnotherapy help?

Whilst current treatment for stress and anxiety involves psychological and medicinal interventions, mind body interventions such as hypnotherapy, are increasingly being used to assist with reducing stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety can take you down in an ever-decreasing spiral unless you take some action. I will assist you to take that action, with the comfort and support enabled by psychotherapeutic techniques, relaxation and increased suggestibility enabled by the hypnotherapy process I will guide you as you take small manageable steps towards your goals.

Methods taught within the hypnotherapy sessions with me are not merely a short-term fix. My aim is to assist you to learn life long skills that can be used by you as a form of self-help, that you can use whenever you need to, to reach and maintain a state of mental calm.


The Research: studies of hypnotherapy have found hypnosis can counteract stress, anxiety and emotion and be effective at treating symptoms of pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, stress and strengthen self-confidence and self-esteem (Castel, Salvat, Sala, & Rull, 2009; Shenefelt 2008; Elkins, Marcus, Sterns, & Rajab, 2007; Valente 2003; Hawkins, 2001). Previous research also indicates that long term stress may lead to sick leave or employees leaving the work place [Cooke M, Holzhauser K, Jones M, Davis C, Finucane J. 2007]. Research has indicated that interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques, may be effective in reducing stress and anxiety in employees [Marine, Routsalainen, Serra, Verbeek 2009]. For example, research in 2001 indicated that hypnosis appeared to increase the feeling of well-being and the ability to deal with stress which seemed to affect both work and leisure time. (Airosa,2011)

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How much stress do you have? Is it effecting your health? Can you reduce your stress?

To measure our stress, according to the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, the amount of "Life Change Units" that relate to events in the past year of our lives are added together and the resulting score gives a rough indication of how our stress might affect our health.

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The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale (SRRS) (Holmes & Rahe1967).


Life event

Life change units

Minor violation of law

11

Major Holiday

12

Vacation

13

Change in number of family reunions

15

Change in eating habits

15

Change in sleeping habits

16

Minor mortgage or loan

17

Change in social activities

18

Change in recreation

19

Change in church activities

19

Change in working hours or conditions

20

Change in schools

20

Change in residence

20

Trouble with boss

23

Revision of personal habits

24

Change in living conditions

25

Spouse starts or stops work

26

Beginning or end school

26

Outstanding personal achievement

28

Trouble with in-laws

29

Child leaving home

29

Change in responsibilities at work

29

Foreclosure of mortgage or loan

30

Major mortgage

32

Change in frequency of arguments

35

Change to different line of work

36

Death of a close friend

37

Change in financial state

38

Sexual difficulties

39

Gain a new family member

39

Business readjustment

39

Pregnancy

40

Change in health of family member

44

Retirement

45

Marital reconciliation

45

Dismissal from work

47

Marriage

50

Personal injury or illness

53

Imprisonment

63

Death of a close family member

63

Marital separation

65

Divorce

73

Death of a spouse

100

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This is not intended to be used as a diagnostic tool here in any way, it is merely to give you an indication of the stress that can accumulate in life and increase your awareness of where you may be able to reduce your stress levels. According to Holmes & Rahe (1967) a

Score of 300+: suggests there is a risk of illness.

Score of 150-299: suggests the risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk).

Score <150: suggests only a slight risk of illness..


If you would like some help in coping with the stress or anxiety in your life, the most important thing for you to do is take some positive action. One first step you could take is to contact me now to arrange to come and meet me for a friendly, relaxed and free initial consultation. The Initial consultation can take up to an hour, where we can discuss what you would like to achieve, also I will explain what goes on in the body when we suffer from stress or anxiety and how hypnotherapy can help. You can then go home and decide if you would like to return for some sessions. There will be absolutely no pressure or obligation to return. The about me page explains more about me, my qualifications and my life. If you would like to discuss working together, I very much look forward to hearing from you. Whether you decide to come and see me or not, if you are reading this page you probably have some concerns, so at the very least, think about what you truly want out of life and take some positive steps towards it. You may also obtain some benefit from reading the pages about depression, negative thoughts and emotions and how to be happier.