Stresshacker.com

The Stress-free Marriage – Part 1

Dr. Z — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:46:23 +0000

A good marriage is a stress-free, safe haven for both spouses. In its fold, both partners come to feel emotionally secure and emotionally stable. They become physically, emotionally and cognitively connected to each other. There is no challenge or difficulty that cannot be confronted and successfully managed together, as a … Continue reading →

Anxiety: Fear Turned Inward

Guest — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 14:40:54 +0000

Let’s say on more days than not you feel pretty good about yourself and how you do in most areas of your life. Then one day, you struggle, perhaps at work, perhaps under pressure from a boss who expects more of you at times than you feel capable of achieving. … Continue reading →

The 4 Sources of Stress

Dr. Z — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:50:09 +0000

Stress, the reaction that mobilizes our resources against a potential danger (real or perceived), can be produced by an almost infinite variety of single triggers. This variety is produced by the many different situations that can cause stress, in addition to the individual differences among individuals in their perceptions of these triggers. … Continue reading →

Stress and Memory: An Update

Dr. Z — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:43:26 +0000

Stress can interfere with the functioning of memory by either augmenting the impact and persistence of the recollection of an event, or by diminishing both. A recent article by Schwabe et al. (2012) summarizes and updates the most recent findings on the effects of stress on memory. Their research concludes … Continue reading →

The Seasonal Stress Buster

Guest — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:13:48 +0000

Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money. –Author Unknown I’m not sure where this year has gone, but all of a sudden Christmas is here. With so much going on at this time of year it’s quite common to … Continue reading →

Sleep More, Stress Less, Live Longer

Dr. Z — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:45:40 +0000

People who are sleeping less than six hours a night are at risk for more cardiovascular events, more likely to develop diabetes, and more likely to die sooner, according to a recent study. People who sleep at least seven hours per night have better immune systems, less stress and lower … Continue reading →

Worst Stress Relievers: Pain Medication

Dr. Z — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:49:48 +0000

Who is to say for sure how much pain I have right now, I had yesterday morning, or will have this afternoon? Only I can know for sure the pain I am feeling—and I can lie, to myself and to others. Herein lies the greatest challenge of addiction to pain … Continue reading →

Fear and Attraction: Racial Stress

Dr. Z — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:29:54 +0000

The coastal populations of Mediterranean countries lived for decades, stretching into centuries, with the fear of pirates, the strange invaders suddenly appearing from the sea. Inhabitants of regions bordering with sparsely settled or frontier territories lived in fear of the sudden appearance of “barbarians” or “savages,” variously labeled according to … Continue reading →

Sympathetic Muscle Tension and Stress

Dr. Z — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 01:36:45 +0000

One of the well-known phenomena that accompany the stress response is the spontaneous and uncontrollable action of the sympathetic nervous system on the musculoskeletal structures of the body. Stress, muscular tension and pain often go hand in hand. The Alarm or Stress Response of the Sympathetic Nervous System When the … Continue reading →

Is Time a Ferrari or a Donkey Cart?

Dr. Z — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:36:24 +0000

Time can be, and indeed is, for many people a source of stress. The perception of time or the use we make of the time we have can present a challenge to the mind and be causes of emotional distress. At times, and for some people, time flies by Ferrari-fast. … Continue reading →

The John Lennon Syndrome

Guest — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:23:13 +0000

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. John Lennon I love this quote from John Lennon and often share it with clients when they’re feeling frustrated because things haven’t gone the way they planned; they haven’t made as much progress as they’d hoped; or perhaps … Continue reading →

Stress and the Typical Male

Dr. Z — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:58:14 +0000

Although all men are fully capable of experiencing the full range of human emotions and can face a variety of challenges, certain issues can occur more frequently in men than they do in women. Among the challenges that occur more frequently in men, the most common are self-medication through the … Continue reading →

When Stress Hits You On the Nose

Dr. Z — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:41:14 +0000

Stress-induced upper respiratory symptoms are not unusual. Stress has a powerful effect on the immune system, as the circulation of high levels of the excitatory hormones that accompany stress undermines its defense mechanisms, often producing symptoms such as those of the common cold. How Does It Work? Stress suppresses the … Continue reading →

The Valor of Stress

Dr. Z — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:49:56 +0000

Unlike for physical injuries, no formal recognition is currently given by the US military for the biopsychosocial injuries sustained in combat, known as posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD. It is as if the many behavioral, emotional, and social consequences of traumatic stress are perceived to be of lesser impact, and … Continue reading →

Election Stress: What’s Remarkable

Dr. Z — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:31:42 +0000

Have you noticed how resilient, how unflappable, how remarkably at ease the Republican candidates seem to be with the ups and downs of the primaries? I see good public stress management in this. There appears to be an ability to maintain one’s composure in the face of the many gyrations … Continue reading →