What causes stress and how can we prevent it? Are there effective alternative, holistic, and complementary practices to treating stress besides prescription drugs?
What Does Current Research Say About Treatment for Stress?
Current studies show that Americans are not satisfied with healthcare programs addressing stress.
A recent study entitled, “Stress in America™: Missing the Health Care Connection,” was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association, among 2,020 U.S. adults in August of 2012. The results of the study suggest that people are not receiving what they need from their health care providers to effectively manage stress and help them with necessary lifestyle and behavior changes needed to improve their health.
Stress in America – 42% reported that the leading stress symptom they experienced was anger or irritability.
A little more than half (53%) of Americans said they receive little or no support for stress management from their providers. Thirty-nine percent (39%) said that they have little or no behavior management support. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans said that their stress increased this past year.
The effects of stress on the body
What are Stress Symptoms?
Stress symptoms can be emotional, physical, behavioral and mental or psychological. A person under stress might have the following symptoms:
- easily irritated
- frustrated
- mood swings
- hopeless
- not able to relax
- low self-esteem
- paranoia
- trouble focusing
- lonely
- avoiding people and projects
- headache
- upset stomach
- diarrhea
- constipation
- muscle pain
- fatigue
- sleepiness
- insomnia
- sweating
- chills
- biting nails
- grinding teeth
- frightened
- panic attack
- trouble swallowing
- cold or flu symptoms
- shaking or shivering
- pacing
- drug use
- negativity (criticism or gossip)
How is Stress Diagnosed and Treated?
There is no specific medical test for stress but your trusted healthcare provider or family physician should do a thorough medical and psychological exam and evaluation. He or she will ask you about your family history, your work, your daily routine, and personal life to help determine “stress triggers” and discuss a plan of treatment. It might be helpful for you to keep a stress diary for a few weeks to determine causes of stress.
The doctor might also order blood and urine lab tests, EEG, EMG, MRI, or other tests to rule out other illnesses that might be triggering stress symptoms. Basic tests will include measuring your blood pressure and completing a questionnaire to test for depression. After making diagnostic or psychological tests have been completed, your trusted healthcare practitioner may recommend treatment.
Treatment may include lifestyle changes such as changes in diet, physical activity or exercise, meditation, or prescription medications. If you don’t feel comfortable with the doctor’s evaluation or plan of treatment, it is important that you trust yourself and your own body wisdom when making a decision. Make sure that you are working with a doctor as a member on your team, and that your healthcare professionals are working closely with you.
Which Types of Alternative Approaches Have Been Effective?
What holistic, alternative approaches are effective in treating stress?
There are many types of alternative approaches that have been shown to be effective in relieving stress, however, most approaches take time and training for the person to be skilled enough to use it successfully, or for the hands-on practitioner to be successful in working cooperatively with the client to achieve success.
Research studies show that alternative approaches can ]reduce or eliminate stress symptoms. Exercise has been well-documented as a stress-reducer, as has prayer, deep breathing, and meditation. Hypnosis and massage are also highly effective alternative treatments to prescription drugs.
Therapeutic massage is a well-documented alternative treatment for alleviating stress.
Some of the natural approaches to relieving stress are:
- Massage
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Qigong
- Deep Breathing
- Biofeedback
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Dance therapy
- Drama therapy
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
- Flower Essences
- Essential Oils
- Homeopathic remedies
- Light therapy
- Crystals or gemstones
- Guided imagery or visualization
Acupuncture can be a successful alternative treatment to reducing stress related symptoms
- Acupuncture
- Self-hypnosis
- Psychic healing
- Energetic healing/Reiki
- Counseling or Psychiatric
- Physical therapy
- Physical Exercise
- Sex
- Chiropractic
For more information about which alternative or complimentary therapies or approaches are best for your needs in treating anxiety or stress, consult with your trusted health-care practitioner, or check out the resources below.
Resources
The American Institute on Stress
The Stress Resource Center – Harvard
Healthfinder.gov – Stress Management
Holistic Stress Management for Nurses
American Psychological Association
Huffington Post -Reduce Stress Now
Mayo Clinic – Stress Management
Keil, R.M.K. (2004) Coping and stress: a conceptual analysis Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45(6), 659–665
Viner, R. (1999) Putting Stress in Life: Hans Selye and the Making of Stress Theory. Social Studies of Science, Vol. 29, No. 3 (June 1999), pp. 391–410
O’Connor, T. M.; O’Halloran, D. J.; Shanahan, F. (2000). “The stress response and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: From molecule to melancholia”. QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians 93 (6): 323–333.
LE Walker Post-traumatic stress disorder in women: Diagnosis and treatment of battered woman syndrome.
– Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 1991
Hayes, Steven C.; Wilson, Kelly G.; Gifford, Elizabeth V.; Follette, Victoria M.; Strosahl, Kirk. Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 64(6), Dec 1996, 1152-1168. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.64.6.1152, Special Section: Development of Theoretically Coherent Alternatives to the DSM-IV.
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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.
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