THE '22 TIMES

Stress is something we can all relate to because at a certain point in time we have all had to deal with some amount of it. It is usually a transient overwhelming feeling of incapability in busy life periods but can easily become a chronic condition if left unresolved. It is so prevalent in our lives and so it becomes important for us to develop ways of dealing with it. Not dealing with stress properly whether it be by avoidance, drinking or smoking will eventually manifest as illnesses. It can increase the chance of hypertension, gastrointestinal issues and can also worsen conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, for those with children, chronic stress can put your children at risk of developing Asthma. Excessive stress can even cause premature death. This article will suggest some healthy and straightforward coping mechanisms. One method of coping with stress is known as the problem-focused coping approach or in other words is to actively alter the stres...

There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds. - Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss That is all I want in life: for this pain to seem purposeful. - Elizabeth Wurtzel, Prozac Nation Are you happy? You wake up, survive the morning traffic, begrudgingly get to work, achieve things at work, gain more responsibility but are you any happier? You get yelled at by your boss, struggle to meet deadlines, you work harder, gain even more responsibility, get paid even more all while counting down the seconds till the clock strikes 5, dreading the struggle of the impending traffic on the commute home, you are annoyed, you want to vent out your frustrations but the local culture reveres the emotionless and stoic man, so you put up a brave front, unbeknownst to anyone that it is just a façade, a feeble attempt at masking the massive emotional bleed within you. Are you happy? Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common...

Almost everyone faces stressful situations throughout their lives, ranging from minor annoyances like traffic jams to hearing devastating news. When our emotions overwhelm our nervous system, our blood becomes flooded with chemicals that prepare us for fight or flight. Although the reaction is necessary for our defence, if constantly activated, it can wear our bodies down and take a toll on our emotional and physical health. Relaxation technique is any method, process procedure or activity that helps a person to relax; to attain a state of increased calmness; or otherwise reduce levels of pain, anxiety, stress or anger. Relaxation training is an important tool in behavioral medicine. Relaxation training produces a response which when activated causes the heart rate to slow down, breath rate to decrease, blood pressure to drop, muscles to relax and blood flow to the brain increases. Apart from the calming physical effects, the relaxation response also increases energy and foc...