Chronic Stress and its associated illnesses can cause serious illness and even death. I know because it happened to me (twice).
Tips to reduce Anxiety
Almost 30 years ago working as a senior manager, I was continually subjected to endless bullying, threats, and intimidation. About 5 years into the job, I was hospitalised with my very first blood nose. A blood nose that was like a running tap not leaky faucet. Imagine my surprise when the specialist advised my event had been caused by stress. I scoffed, snorted, and laughed thinking he was a “qwack”.
Fast forward to approx. 6/7 years ago where loads of outside influences were regularly attacking my ability to stay focused and stress free. Then let’s throw in my two auto immune diseases that started flaring up because of the stress and suddenly, I am now a casualty needing an urgent hip replacement. They were just the tip of the iceberg. I felt like I was in a snow fight with snowballs being thrown at me from all directions.
This stress was relentless and increased substantially with one challenging issue in particular which consumed every second of every moment of my thought’s night and day. That was until almost exactly two weeks after the major stressor was resolved, I was admitted to hospital with a severe leg infection. I was told My infection was turning septic and with my already challenged immune system and the fact they found an issue with my heart had formed due to the infection, I would not have survived sepsis.
I cannot cut open my brain to figure out what it was thinking but all the stress leading up to the event caused me to work longer, not eat properly, wasn’t drinking enough water and sleep was about the only thing going ok, so my belief is stress was indeed the thing that almost took my life.
I used my month-long hospital stay to practice self-hypnosis every day and listen to hypnosis audios as often as I could. I restricted visitors to I could concentrate on my wellbeing.
Every test every nurse every doctor said I wouldn’t be home for Christmas and my overall recovery and use of my leg would be months.
After 21 days in hospital, I walked out to spend Christmas with my family and was formally discharged from home nursing on the 23rd of January, 7 days shy of 2 months.
I have always been an advocate for practicing a stress-free lifestyle, now I’m like a ninja warrior dedicated to spreading awareness and strategies to combat stress related illness.
TIPS FOR MAINTAINING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH.
Sleep needs vary across our ages and lifestyles. Good quality sleep and regular sleep patterns are crucial to our wellbeing.
Recommended sleep times
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Primary school aged children: 9 to 11 hours
Teenagers: 8 to 10 hours
Adults: 7 to 9 hours
Older adults: may need less sleep of 7 to 8 hours.
Getting a good night’s sleep
There are lots of things you can try, such as:
making your bedroom an environment that’s a haven removed from the stresses of the day and as dark as possible.
keeping regular times for going to bed and getting up
getting some sunlight during the day
trying a calming bedtime routine. Have a warm bath, drink warm milk or herbal teas.
using lavender oil to promote a sense of calm.
taking away all electronic gadgets like phones, TVs, and computers
meditating last thing at night or writing in a gratitude journal
reviewing your day over a couple of minutes like a show-reel and then letting it all go as you prepare for sleep
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- Counselling can be beneficial for most individuals seeking emotional support, personal growth, or coping strategies. However, some people may prefer different therapeutic approaches based on their needs and preferences.
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- Hypnotherapy is not a cure for mental health disorders, but it can be a complementary tool in managing symptoms and facilitating positive changes.
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- The number of hypnotherapy sessions needed varies depending on the individual and the nature of their concerns. Some issues may show improvement after just a few sessions, while others may require more prolonged treatment.
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- Yes, combining counselling and hypnotherapy can be a powerful approach, especially for individuals dealing with complex emotional issues.