Post 3
By Trafford R. Cole PsyD
Defeat stress before it kills you

How often do you tell people how stressed you are? How often do they tell you how stressed they are? It seems to be almost a status symbol to be stressed and everyone tries to outdo his or her co-workers or friends.

Even though everyone uses the word stress, few people are sure about just what it is and what effect it has on us. There are books that say that stress is good or necessary such as Stress for Success or The Joy of Stress both by Peter Hanson M.D. and others that are more menacing such as Stress, Is It Worth Dying for. Where is the truth?


Is stress just something we have to live with? Can we ignore it? What effects does it have on our body, our mental health and our everyday lives? These are some of the questions that we want to examine in our coming posts on this blog. We will distinguish between eustress and distress and explain each. We will explain what stress is, how it impacts your body and your emotions. We will give you self-test to fill out and we will list the physical and psychological symptoms of stress. Most important however, we will see how to manage your stress and reduce its effects on you.

Let’s start at the beginning, take out a sheet of paper, or open a new document on your computer or in the comments below, and write down all the things that stress you out. Write down all the hassles and irritants of everyday living, but then think too of all the things on the job, in your home and in your relationship that cause you stress, anxiety and anguish.

Now write down what you think stress is. Write your own definition of stress.

Now, read my next post and compare your list to what most people write down.

Stress tip # 1:
Lean back in your chair, close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Breathe as deeply as you can and let your arms, legs and neck go limp. Stay that way with your eyes closed for two minutes, just letting yourself go. Now don’t you feel refreshed? Repeat it periodically during the day.