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  • How Much Stress Am I Under?

    To measure stress according to the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, the number of‘life change units’ that apply to events in the past year of an individual’s life are added and the final score will give a rough estimate of how stress affects health.

    Anxiety

    Anxiety is an unpleasant condition stresscharacterised by a tendency to worry excessively. It can occur in up to 8 per cent of Irish men. This excessive worry is accompanied by physical symptoms, such as sweaty hands, irritability, restlessness, bowel symptoms such as wind, light-headedness, muscle tension and aches. Anxiety disorder can bring on physical illness and it has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease in particular. It can lead to alcohol abuse or other substance abuse. The key to treating and managing anxiety is to first recognise it exists. Canadian Health Care Mall

    Anxiety can be a prominent symptom of clinical depression, so if you are a man and feel anxious you should have a good chat with your family doctor, who will be able to help you decide if it is lifestyle factors, adverse effects of alcohol, anxiety disorder, clinical depression or a combination of all of the above that are contributing to your symptoms.

    Treatment

    Keeping a detailed lifestyle diary for a week or two, including everything you eat and drink, your exercise levels and your perceived levels of stress, can give you a very useful insight into the role your lifestyle is playing in your symptoms.

    Exercise can be an excellent way to combat the effects of stress and get rid of tension. It can often be worth quitting alcohol for a month or so to see what effect that has on your physical and mental well-being. At the very least, keep your alcohol intake within recommended limits (no more than 21 units per week, of which no more than 4 units per day). Minimise your intake of stimulants such as caffeine.

    Relaxation exercises, including deep breathing and meditation, can be very helpful for stress also. Counselling can sometimes be very effective for anxiety. Your doctor may prescribe some medication for you, particularly if he feels you are lacking in serotonin. The following are some tricks and techniques to help you de-stress.

    • Follow the breathing exercise outlined above.
    • Practice smiling.
    • Try not to clench your teeth.
    • Talk slowly.
    • Try not to interrupt.
    • Eat slowly and always eat at the table.
    • Monitor your use of language.
    • Don’t permit outbursts of anger. If you feel upset about something, pause, reflect and take deep breaths. Express yourself calmly.