Coping with Stress using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Coping with stress using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Coping with stress using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
It seems like an odd statement- but we actually all need a bit of stress to get things done. Think about it – if you never felt any pressure, how would you get anything done? Signs of stress include;
Physical symptoms
We tend to use the word ‘stress’ as a word to mean that we are struggling to cope with life when in fact what we really mean is that we feel ‘out of control’. Ask yourself a couple of questions;
Answering yes to the second question means that there are factors in your world creating stress and pressure for you that you can’t avoid. You can alleviate this type of stress by helping yourself to feel more in control of a situation.
Tips for coping
Take the stress at the top of your list and work through the options for coping listed below. Start with the first, action-oriented, and if that’s not possible, move on to the next. Over time, you should be able to move through all the stresses on your list. But don’t try to take on too many changes at once. Every time you deal with a single stress, you’ll have less on your plate, so it should be easier to deal with the next.
Action-oriented
If you can change it, change it. It could be saying no to that extra bit of work. It could be standing up to your partner about taking on some extra jobs.
Emotionally-oriented
If you can’t change it, can you change the way you look at it? Don’t think about all the things you haven’t got done, make a list of all the things you’ve managed to finish and congratulate yourself.
Acceptance-oriented
Look after yourself physically, and you’ll be able to cope with stress much better.
Drron :-)
Physical symptoms
- Tension headaches
- Backache and muscle tension
- Palpitations and chest pains
- Skin rashes like eczema
- Getting lots of minor infections like colds and sore throats
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling tense and edgy
- Feeling irritable and snappy
- Feeling unable to relax
- Getting anxious over little things
- Feeling very alone, or as if everything is too much for you
- Getting tearful
- Not being able to concentrate or think clearly
- Being forgetful and indecisive
- Getting things out of perspective
- Change in appetite or sleep patterns
- Overdoing things because you can’t stop and relax
- Neglecting your responsibilities
- Using alcohol to calm down
We tend to use the word ‘stress’ as a word to mean that we are struggling to cope with life when in fact what we really mean is that we feel ‘out of control’. Ask yourself a couple of questions;
- Am I trying to control the world and other people too much so that I always feel ‘out of control’ and stressed?
- Are there very real environmental factors in my world creating stress for me?
Answering yes to the second question means that there are factors in your world creating stress and pressure for you that you can’t avoid. You can alleviate this type of stress by helping yourself to feel more in control of a situation.
Tips for coping
Take the stress at the top of your list and work through the options for coping listed below. Start with the first, action-oriented, and if that’s not possible, move on to the next. Over time, you should be able to move through all the stresses on your list. But don’t try to take on too many changes at once. Every time you deal with a single stress, you’ll have less on your plate, so it should be easier to deal with the next.
Action-oriented
If you can change it, change it. It could be saying no to that extra bit of work. It could be standing up to your partner about taking on some extra jobs.
Emotionally-oriented
If you can’t change it, can you change the way you look at it? Don’t think about all the things you haven’t got done, make a list of all the things you’ve managed to finish and congratulate yourself.
Acceptance-oriented
Look after yourself physically, and you’ll be able to cope with stress much better.
Drron :-)
