MANAGEMENT OF STRESS

MANAGEMENT OF STRESS

Dr. Poonam Godbole

Stress has become such a grave medical issue now a days. We find stress everywhere from children to elderly people. A small kid going to school also nowadays tells his parents that he is having stress as he has a lot of pressure at school or when he is facing an examination!! People going to job and those who are at home meet various forms of stress everyday. We all are facing this entity and trying to combat with it in our day to day life. But do we really try to fight it? Are we taking some serious steps to take the stress out of the life? These days since the people have become more awakened regarding medical issues, they take this issue seriously and have started finding their ways out to let this stress out of the body. But still a quite a few people are unable to take care of it or negligent regarding the seriousness of it and then land up in large numbers at a pyschology clinic.

Basically, stress is related to two types of causes; extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic or the external causes are related to physical enviroment in your daily life which includes your job and job settings, all the situations you are facing throughout the day, your home, your relationships in house and social circle. A conflict with your associate at the office, expectations from your boss, a small fight with your spouse at home, or a school issue of your child all these situations determine the extrinsic cause for your stress. Intrinsic or internal cause is your body's capacity to react to the extrinsic stress causing factors that is all the above situations. These determine your fitness, your mental health, your sleep habits, your nutritional status.

The effect of stress is reflected both at the mental and physical level and brings on the various common symptoms of excessive stress in an individual. These often vary from headache, GI disturbances, muscle aches, graying of hair, change in eating habits at the physical level; emotional distress, sleep disturbances, change in behavior, nervousness, lack of energy, mood swings at the mental level. Some individuals experience the various above listed symptoms at the same time and some may experience only one or two symptoms. This depends on the amount of stress you are handling and the capability of your body to react to this stress. Stress can be taken care of easliy if the symptoms are at a preliminary level; but if it has gone far beyond reach medical help becomes necessary.

When medical help comes into picture to handle the stress, there are various options which one can opt for. Homoeopathy is one of the medical stream which is by far very effective in treating stress. Since this science believes in treating the "individual as a whole" that is on the mental as well as the physical level it generally covers all the aspects of the stress in an individual under one remedy. In treating a case of an individual suffering from stress, the cause of it carries a lot of importance. The cause of the stress and the sphere of action of its effects will be a keypoint to differentiate between the remedies for a homeopath. These are some of the remedies which are very useful for stress :

AURUM METALLICUM: Generally useful for individuals who are so much under stress that they cannot face the situation, hopeless and weary of life, try to injure themselves, constantly have suicidal thoughts.

ARGENTUM METALLICUM: This remedy is suitable for those type of people who face stress due to their habit of being consistent. They are constantly under pressure to reach somewhere in time, be punctual in the appointments and keep their word. This need of punctuality is quite exaggerated in these type of persons.

IGNATIA: It is a wonderful remedy in stress related to grief and shock. The effects of stress are generally manifested on the head physically where the individual comes up with a dull headache which is worse on stooping. Also useful for the insomnia resulting from stress.

GELSEMIUM: A remedy with wonderful effects in school-going children approaching an examination and coming down with fever or diarrhea. Its a very good anti-anxiety remedy. As stated earlier, the individual's stress is generally manifested on the GI system.

KALI PHOS: This is a remedy which is suitable for people experiencing stress from overwork or exhaustion from illness. The sphere of action which is affected by this stress is especially the nerves resulting into muscular aches on and often. There is sleep disturbance along with difficulty in concentration.

NUX VOMICA: An ultimate remedy for the persons engaged in sedentary life style. Too much of stress due to overwork, generally performing high pressure duties. The stress disturbs the gastric sphere and causes sleep disturbances in the individuals, not able to get enough of sleep due to overwork.

NATRUM ARS: It is a remedy useful for stress arousing from suspicion in the relationships and trivial matters, individuals lack trust and believe their spouse to be deceitful.

Along with the medical help it is also necessary for the individual to do regular exercise to overcome the stress. Well-balanced diet along with regular sleeping habits is an added advantage to relieve the stress factor out of your life. Meditation along with optimistic and realistic views in life will help people to live a stress-free life.