Stress

Stress is a natural response to the pressures of work, home, relationships and life generally! Stress is common to all of us, from executives to shop floor workers, doctors, nurses, teachers, council workers, mothers and even school children. No one is immune to stress, though some people can handle it much better than others. Stress results from any event or situation that places physical or psychological demands upon you. When stress occurs, complex physiological reactions occur that prepares the body to either fight, flight or freeze. These prehistoric responses of fighting, running or just playing dead are practical solutions to physical danger and threats to life. They are not, however, the most suitable response to the pressure of deadlines, presentations, arguments or other events of modern life.

Hypnotherapy can help you manage stress by identifying the sources of psychological pressure and preventing the accumulation of stress by changing the attitude of your mind. By learning how to remove unnecessary pressures from your life, and how to react differently to those pressures you're stuck with. There are many different stress management techniques and tips you can learn that can take as little as two minutes, which can easily be incorporated into everyday life. By far the most effective is learning self-hypnosis for relaxation skills you can learn to release the tension held in the body.

  There is much research to indicate that stress in the psyche creates the possibility of physical illness. The listed 'stress factors' and calculations shown at the foot of the table are based upon that research. To use the chart, add together the stress factors you have experienced during the last twelve months. Neither the research nor the table reproduced here are my work and I cannot therefore assign copyright for its use.

1. Death of spouse/partner 100 2. Divorce 73 3. Separation from spouse/partner 63 4. Going to prison or similar 65 5. Death of close family member 63 6. Major personal illness/injury 53 7. Getting married 50 8. Redundancy/being fired. 47 9. Reconciliation with spouse/partner 45 10. Retirement from work 45 11. Major illness of family member 44 12. Pregnancy. 40 13. Sexual difficulties 39 14. New family member arriving (birth, parent coming to stay indefinitely, adoption) 39 15. Major work adjustment of any sort 38 16. Major change in financial status (up or down) 37 17. Close friend dies 36 18. Career change 36 19. Major change number of arguments with spouse/partner 35 20. Taking out a mortgage/heavy loan 31 21. Difficulty with mortgage repayments 30 22. Major change in work situation 29 23. Child leaving home 29 24. Trouble with in-laws 29 25. Outstanding personal success 28 26. Spouse/partner starting/leaving work 26 27. Starting or stopping formal education 26 28. Major change in living conditions 25 29. Change in personal routines 24 30. Trouble with the boss 23 31. Major change in work conditions 20 32. Moving house/home 20 33. Changing to a new school 20 34. Major change in leisure habits 19 35. Major change community activities 19 36. Major change in social activities 18 37. Taking out a small mortgage/loan 17 38. Major change in sleeping habits 16 39. Major change in number of family meetings 15 40. Major change in eating habits 15 41. Going on holiday 13 42. Christmas 12 43. Minor law violations (involving fines etc.) 11

According to the research, your probability of illness during the next twenty-four months is linked to your total 'score' as follows: 0 - 149 No particular problems. 150 - 199 Mild crisis level. 37% chance of illness. 200 - 299 Moderate crisis level. 51% chance of illness. 300+ Major crisis level. 79% chance of illness.