How does stress affect your emotions?
by Karon Brandt
We all handle stress differently; some people obviously manage stress better than others. Some people turn stress into positive energy and push through something and then feel better. The stress seems to be gone.
Others misdirect the physical and mental discomfort caused by daily stressors, which build up to a seemingly-unmanageable level. Some people may over-react with anger, anxiety, withdrawal, sadness that turns into disabling depression, or they strike out verbally or physically at the wrong people or objects, pets or children. Others self-medicate with (legal or illegal) drugs, alcohol, or food.
We have all experienced stress, and we've learned how to avoid some stress-producing people or situations. Some can reduce stress to more manageable levels by using more positive, overt stress-managers like taking a walk, doing a high-level physical workout like aerobics, beating a punching bag, riding a bike or taking a swim. These self-comforting actions are great if they can be used when needed. But they are often temporary, and you can't always jump into a pool or hop on a bike.
Some people can take a warm bath or hot shower, drink a warm cup of decaffeinated tea, listen to soothing music or fill the room with relaxing aromas. Again, such sensory "fixes" are fine and should be used as often as possible to avoid stress build-up or aid in stress release.
This has all emphasized the physical, mental, and emotional reactions and solutions for stress. What about a solution that releases endorphins and good chemicals through thought processes like meditation?
Some people think meditation is some far-out, esoteric Eastern "fix" that isn't practical for Western culture. By thinking of meditation as the process of simply "being," most people can see the simplicity of this "solution." Transcendental meditation (TM) was made popular back in the '70's by Mararishi Mahesh Yogi. The practice was proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and breathing rates, allow the body's natural healing forces to re-energize, and allow the body to re-balance its mind/body/spirit aspects.
There are several forms of meditation and any is helpful, acceptable, and desirable. You can meditate anytime, anywhere (but, the world-renowned psychologist, Dr. Dyer recommends, with a wink, "Don't close your eyes while driving"), and you can do it for 1 minute or 20 without anyone needing to know.
The amazing thing is that results are cumulative: with daily practice and tension release, you will be able to manage inevitable stressors with more equanimity and more creativity, maybe even with humor, which is a wonderful stress reliever.
Simply sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes from visual distractions (and your ears from auditory disturbances, if possible), and breathe deeply while simply "being," not "doing" anything. Don't try to stop the mind-chatter, but simply relax. When an intruding thought springs up, simply change the "scene" by saying a cue like "next," and let the thoughts roll through.
Using the language of Dr. Deepak Chopra, M.D. the director of the Chopra Center in CA and author of over 50 books, and Dr. Wayne Dyer, Ph.D., a psychologist who has written over 30 books about self-development and spirituality, you are establishing a connection to your higher consciousness, your inner self.
Thoughts become matter and we can control matter with our thoughts. Dyer's book title, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" pretty much sums up what Dyer says we're capable of as human beings, not human "doings."
Even though Dr. Chopra is a medical doctor (specializing in endocrinology), only natural healing methods are used at his Center: meditation, diet, massage, essential oils, warm baths, positive thoughts, and other natural body processes that do not call for interference with drugs or invasive surgeries.
Even though some people experience a bit of nervousness or gain heightened senses for short-term energy bursts to resolve problems, ongoing, unrelenting, unresolved stressed can only produce negative effects on the physical body, mind and emotions.
But through a few minutes daily of "mindful meditation," in which you allow your body to relax, re-energize, and heal itself, you will find that you will handle stress with much greater control, more creativity, and more focus. Try it for three weeks to develop a positive habit, which your body and mind will look forward to.
Besides, meditation costs nothing, and it has no negative side effects!