Singh Neurology Medical Group

Are you feeling the effects of too much stress in your life?
Is there a sense of chaos & lack of “balance”?
Are workload demands stretching you to the limit?
Seems there’s not enough time and energy to make ends meet?
Is your personal&/or family life suffering as a result?

“Stress Management” is the new buzzword, and everyone understands that “stress” needs to be “controlled”. All of us get this simple advice from our loved ones that “you need to control your stress better!”, as if just by saying that, the person is going to wave a magic wand and the stress will disappear. As you are all well aware, it just does not work that way. Stress actually is a simple concept, but because of its myriad manifestations, it can become unnecessarily complex. It is important to understand stress and then determine practical approaches which are simple to employ by everyone, but at the same time are personalized to each individual’s unique situation.

Stress can be experienced at the conscious level, and at the subconscious level. Therefore, it is important to have the awareness of your own level of stress. Today’s work environments and family life are rapidly changing. It is becoming increasingly difficult to juggle the five important areas of an individual’s life: work, family, society, finances and recreation. As a result of the lack of balance across these major spheres of life, people are experiencing greater and greater stress. When you take the time to relax and take care of your own self, you will realize just how much of an effect this “unrecognized” stress has on your life.

The presence of a stressful event produces a cascade of physiological changes that has many beneficial effects, primarily those having to do with survival. For example, when you perceive a threat, the body prepares you for addressing the threat with what is known as the “fight or flight” response. This response is our body's primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival. This response is an acute response, and is beneficial only when it remains acute, and resolves when the perceived threat is over. For example, if you come face-to-face with a tiger, you need to either fight or run away, depending on which course will help you survive. Hence the name, “fight or flight” response.

This stress response is driven by hormones such as adrenaline (also known as epinephrine), norepinephrine and cortisol. These hormones immediately affect the different organ systems to prepare the body to fight or run away. This is a very powerful mechanism designed to save your life. However, in this day and age, the type of stress you normally face is not one of immediate threat to life. Constant activation of the stress response can wreak havoc, especially on your heart and brain, if it is not controlled. If the stress keeps getting activated, day after day, your brain gets literally bathed with cortisol, which has a devastating affect.

Most of the stressful events we encounter today are not a threat to our physical survival. Today’s stressors consist of getting up in the morning, rush hour traffic, too much pressure at work, missing a deadline, making enough money to pay the bills or having an argument with your boss or spouse.

Early warning signs of excessive stress buildup
Physical, emotional or psychological

• muscle tension
• headache
• upset stomach
• racing heartbeat
• deep sighing
• shallow breathing
• low energy/fatigue
• frequent “colds”
• increased sensitivity to     (fill in the blank)
• poor eating habits    anxiety
• irritability
• poor concentration
• depression
• hopelessness
• frustration
• anger
• sadness
• fear
• memory loss

Excess stress does not always show up as the "feeling" of being stressed. Some people have a predominantly physical response to stress, while others have predominantly psychological reactions. If you tend to have more of a physical response, the stress tends to affect primarily your body, and you generally cope with it through physical responses, such as pacing. Conversely, you may "feel" lots of emotional stress and have very few physical symptoms or signs in our body. If you respond mainly psychologically, the stress tends to affect primarily your mind, and you generally cope with it through mental or psychological responses, such as rationalization.

In order to decrease the ill effects of negative stress, you need to shift your focus to wellness. There are many definitions of wellness. According to the National Wellness Institute, wellness is an active process of becoming aware of, making choices and taking action towards a more successful existence. The key words here are becoming aware of, making choices, followed by taking action.

At SNMG, we take an integrative approach to addressing stress. The first step is in recognizing what stress is and how it affects your life.

How would you like to have more control over your life?
To have the vitality to do what you want, as much as you want, and when you want?

Before you can get this control, you need to recognize how stress is affecting your life. The following quiz will help you determine whether you are stressed or not, and how has stress impacted your life.

Listed below are some common problems which are often stress-related.
How often have you experienced each of these problems during the past three months?

               0 = haven't had this problem at all
               1 = occasionally
               2 = frequently
               3 = constantly or nearly constantly

• Tension Headaches____
• Insomnia____
• Fatigue ____
• Overeating____
• Constipation____
• Low Back Pain ____
• Allergy Flare-ups___  
• Feelings of Nervousness____
• Nightmares____
• High Blood Pressure____
• Migraine Headaches____
• Hives____
• Early Morning Wakening ___
• Loss of Appetite ___
• Diarrhea ____
• Neck / Shoulder Ache____
• Asthma Attack____
• Periods of Depression____
• Asthma Flare-ups____
• Common Flu or Cold____
• Minor Accidents ____
• Prescription Drug Abuse____
• Non-Prescription Drug Use____
• Indigestion____
• Worrisome Thoughts____
• Nausea or Vomiting____
• Ulcers____
• Heart Palpitations____
• Sexual Problems____
• General Angry Feelings___

My Total Score = ____
 
Interpreting Your Test Scores
If on the Test your score was 16 or below, you are within the normal range of stress impacts.
If, however, your score on the Test was above 16, there are clear signs that suggest you have been experiencing too much stress..... paying too high a price..... for some time.

If your score is above the normal level, then you would be well advised to consult with your family physician and to consider stress counselling.

At SNMG, you will learn how to apply new useful insights and tools, invest in yourself and see personally how these insights can make a difference for your life immediately. The providers at the Center will help you to build and act on your own stress management program.

The Stress Management Program will help you achieve the following:

• A new perspective on the “stress~balance~satisfaction” Connection
• What  your personal “Life in Balance” self-portrait looks like
• To develop your individual Action Plan (small steps) to make your “balanced life” picture a reality
• How to get more Satisfaction (+30%)  in your work and personal/family life
• Skills to get you in control & create more “winner” days for yourself
• Skills to motivate you & produce long-lasting change results

The KEY to success is choosing, affirming, and phasing in a series of small, concrete behavioural changes!

The unique approach utilized at SNMG has led to the following results:
Workplace results

• Work stress    32% improvement
• Work satisfaction    38% improvement
• Absence    18% reduction
• Disability days    52% reduction
• Grievances    32% reduction
• Productivity    7% improvement
• Quality measures    13% improvement

Personal results

• Doctor’s office visits    53% reduction
• Days absent from work    58% reduction
• Immunoglobulin A    31% improvement
• Stress hyper-reactivity [EMG]    46% improvement
• Stress recovery time [EMG]    36% improvement
• Ability to relax at will [GSR]    61% improvement