17 psychologists talk about how they relieve stress on their own

[Lord777]

Physiologically
“Stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system because it relaxes your mind and body. There are various ways to do this, such as diaphragmatic breathing.

My favorite method is to lightly run one or two fingers over the lips. The parasympathetic nerve endings are scattered on the lips, respectively, touching the lips stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. It's amazing how this simple procedure immediately fills the mind and body with a sense of calmness. "
Toni Bernhard, JD

"I'm going for a walk. There is something about natural lighting that really calms me down. Any weather can be outside, except maybe pouring rain. But the sun, clouds, snow - everything is fine. I try to fill my mind with those what surrounds me, paying attention to the trees against the background of the sky, to the birds on the lawn, to the play of clouds in the sky. And all this somehow relieves stress."
Sophia Dembling, Psychology Today Blogger

“Take a deep breath or two first. And remember that even if you cannot control the event that is causing the stress, you are - at least to some extent - able to control your reaction to that event. wisdom: "You cannot control the wind; but you can adjust your sails."
Mindy Greenstein, Ph.D.

"One of the most effective ways I recommend to my clients to reduce stress and anxiety is progressive muscle relaxation. VUR works especially well for the somatic symptoms associated with chronic anxiety, as well as a variety of physiological symptoms (such as gastrointestinal tract problems) , which are very characteristic of social anxiety. What is nice separately, VUR can be used anywhere."
L. Kevin Chapman, Ph.D.

Interpersonal
“In my case, stress reduction is most effective when I talk to friends, but only with those who I know will take my problems to heart. They are great listeners, they will support me, and will almost always come up with something that will solve the problem, or at least show me the prospects. At worst, they will push me in the direction in which I will experience the least stress."
Susan Newman, Ph.D.

Behaviorally
"Do not rush in those periods of life when you have to solve some problems. Whenever the idea that you need to act quickly comes to mind, treat it as a signal that it is time to slow down."
Barbara Markway, Ph.D

"Learn to sit still and listen to yourself. Listening to yourself will help you understand yourself better. Understanding yourself is the first step in managing yourself, and therefore your stress."
Lynne Soraya, Psychology Today Blogger

"Make sure your schedule includes 'time for yourself' in which you take care of yourself. This will reduce your stress, increase your productivity, and help you be happy!"
Amy Przeworski, Ph.D.

"When you are exhausted, you may want to spur yourself on, while you need to notice this tendency and do exactly the opposite."
Nancy Rappaport, MD

"When you notice that your stress level is high, immediately slow down, no matter what you do, by about 25%. Pace as if you are now being shown in slow motion. You will feel the stress begin to slip out of your body and mind."
Toni Bernhard, JD

"Exercise regularly and vary it so you don't get bored."
Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D.

"Music is a great tool for reducing stress. Hide in your headphones and listen to something that will take you away from here. And if you can, learn to play an instrument and
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use this as part of your own therapy program."
Art Markman, Ph.D.

Cognitive ways
"My favorite way to deal with stress is to first determine if I am the source of my own stress or an external situation. If the second, I will try to seek help or set boundaries through assertive behavior. If I am the source of stress through creating horrible dramas in my imagination, for example, I will try to make my dialogue with myself more compassionate towards myself through what is described here: I found that if I can surround my negative thoughts with compassion, then it is quite easy for me to make them disappear and move on."...

Meg Selig, Ph.D.
“You may not be able to change a stressful situation, but you can change your reactions. Seeking goodness, finding humor in your predicament, or treating the situation as a test of your faith are all ways you can manage. your emotions and go through even the most difficult situations."
Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D.

"Remind yourself that you are doing what you can now, and this is due to both the circumstances and the resources you have. Train your flexibility so that you are able to see opportunities for change and use them to your advantage."
Fran Vertue, Ph.D.

"There is only the present moment. If you fill your cup with regrets from the past and anxiety about the future, there will be no room for anything else; it will all end up with nothing more than robbing yourself of the joy you could find in everyone. the breath you are blessed with. Empty your cup - if you are protected by the security of the moment, nothing can harm you unless you allow it."
Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM.

“When I am experiencing everyday, everyday stress, I find it useful to focus my attention on my immediate environment. For example, I can focus on some colors or contours of objects that surround me. thoughts to "cold" (emotionally neutral), and this will contribute to the emergence of a relaxed state of mind. "
Scott McGreal, MSc

“A great way to reduce stress is to learn to notice when you're in“ running your thoughts in circles. ”When you're in a bad mood and you start chewing on your mental gum, it gets in the way of solving the problem. Thinking long - some insight will come about the problem. Usually this does not happen. If stopping this mental gum is difficult, try using any of the tips above to reduce the physiological level of your stress or shift the focus of your attention. "
Alice Boyes, Ph.D.

 

[Teacher]

? Research: A stress-free life in carding has negative sides

Research has shown that people who are less likely to experience stress in their daily lives are in better mood and more emotionally stable. However, the absence of stress negatively affects their cognitive abilities, as well as their propensity for empathy and vivid positive emotions.

A team of psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania have found that there are drawbacks to a stress-free life. The researchers conducted an experiment: they selected 2,711 volunteers and asked them to regularly report on how they spent the day, as well as how they were feeling, for eight days.

The researchers were interested in the mood and number of stressful situations per day - disagreements with friends and family or problems at work - as well as what positive emotions the participants experienced during the day and whether they had ailments, such as headaches, sore throats and coughs. After being interviewed, they were asked to take a small cognitive test. The team published the details of the work in the Emotion magazine.

Analysis of the data has shown that there are some benefits to living a stress-free life. Thus, ten percent of the volunteers who never reported stress experienced during the experiment had a better mood during the day. In addition, they were found to be less prone to chronic diseases.

At the same time, they showed lower results on the test for cognitive abilities, less often they reported experienced positive moments. They also received less emotional support - and not so often provided it themselves.

David M. Almeida, co-author of the study, suggested that a little stress can stimulate the brain. “Stress forces you to solve problems and thus becomes beneficial for cognitive abilities, especially in adulthood,” he said.

Early work tends to address the negative effects of stress, psychologists say. But Almeida believes the problem may not be stress itself, but how people react to it. And it is a violent reaction that leads to a deterioration in the emotional state and the emergence of chronic diseases. “I think that experiencing mild stress during the day, such as an argument with someone, a computer malfunction, or a traffic jam, is a marker that a person has an interesting and fulfilling life. The presence of some stress is an indicator that you are involved in the world around you, ”concluded the scientist.