Hypnosis for STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS AND THE CITY ^(tm)

Report on Stress and Stress Management

This is a question-and-answer report on stress, it's causes, physiology, body-mind responses and what can be done about it, a Stress Management Program at New York Awareness Center.

An interview with the stress Management expert, Mark Schwimmer CH, CI, President of New York Awareness Center:

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Q. What is stress?

A. Stress is a physiological state which naturally occurs in our body whenever our nervous system responds to external stimuli. Those responses are trained and can be re-trained for effectiveness.

Q. What actually occurs when stress is imposed on the system?

A. The human nervous system contains an involuntary, or autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls all the functions that do not require conscious attention. Such as; heartbeat, respiration, digestion, glandular function, cellular interchanges, all functions that occur out of our regular awareness.

This part of the nervous system has two components; sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. In an ideal setting the two systems are in perfect balance, together creating actions in harmony with one another. The sympathetic nervous system is the sentinel. It operates the primitive Fight or Flight response. Whether real or imagined, any input that mobilizes the sympathetic nervous system causes a number of standard responses. Increased heart rate, increased and shallow respiration, secretion of adrenalin, release of fatty acids into the blood stream, secretion of coagulants into the blood stream, dilation of major blood vessels in the extremities, dropping blood pressure in the brain, and more. Essentially, the body arms itself to either run away, or fight. The brain becomes bathed in a cocktail that indicates fear, anxiety, and hyper alertness, while the body prepares itself for battle, and physical trauma.

Q. Does all stress cause this response?

A. No. When we are engaged in activities that maintain an equilibrium between sympathetic and parasympathetic function, balance is maintained and we continue to feel good. This is why what is stressful for one person, may not be stressful to another. We've all experienced facing a situation for which we had a limited skill set. This might create an imbalance, and we may experience anything from mild discomfort all the way to panic. Whereas the same situation presented to a person who is skilled and up to the task would maintain equilibrium.

Q. What are some of the signs of excessive stress in an individual?

A. The signs that excessive stress is creating imbalance in an individual are varied and many. A person who is stressed will often feel overwhelmed, unable to think clearly, be irritable with little provocation, have a sense of impending doom, have irregular sleep patterns, irregular sex drive, loss of or excessive appetite, easily distracted, sadness, anxiety, anger, panic to name a few.

The physical signs may include, shallow breathing, muscle aches, irregular heart beat, unhealthy weight gain, or weight loss, cardio-vascular issues, dizziness, a feeling of heaviness, and lack of energy, or hyperactivity.

The dis-eases caused by stress vary from chronic fatigue syndrom, to infertilty: frequent respiratory disorders: asthma;  heart diseases, diabetes, thyroid and other immune system disorders, allergies, eating disorders, IBS, weight gain, weight loss, emotional disorders: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self-sabotage, anger outbursts, drug abuse, smoking, sleep disorders, and many more....

Q. What can be done to manage stress?

A. The obvious answer is to remove oneself from the stressful environment, and retreat to a place of safety. This, however, sets up a pattern of moving away from any challenge to the individual, and might create an individual either unwilling or unable to meet the simplest challenges present in the world.

Think of it this way, once equilibrium is established in the system, the detrimental physical and psychological effects of stress are not present. When this is true, an individual faced with a challenge is able to call upon all his/her creativity, resources, and skills to produce a desired outcome. This is what we experience when we are in harmony and congruent with the task and purpose of our action. Like this, when we accomplish our goal, we feel great.

This being true, there must be a way that we can perform at a high level, without the consequent stress indicators prevalent in people throughout the world today. You can learn to manage stress by gaining the tools and insight to manage you Autonomic Nervous System.

Q. How does hypnosis help manage stress?

A. From the very first moment that you are guided into hypnosis by a skilled practitioner, your Autonomic Nervous System mobilizes to establish equilibrium. As the Parasympathetic Nervous System comes on line, different neuro-chemicals, endomorphins and oxytocins create a new chemical cocktail for your brain and a sense of well-being and relaxation ensues. Not a relaxation where you want to just rest, but a sense of relaxed energy pervades, and you become ready to act constructively toward your desired outcome.

This is what occurs when you train with a skilled hypnotist. Learn to use self-hypnosis to recharge and balance yourself in the face of overload, and mobilize your parasympathetic response.

From this position of balance you can harness your resources and perform at a very high level, consistently.

If you have any questions regarding stress, stress related; weight gain, or other stress related behaviors

please contact Mark Schwimmer at New York Awareness Center

tel.347-783-9136

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