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1. Relax in a warm bath.
2. Sit quietly and concentrate on deep breathing for five to 10 minutes.
3. Drink a soothing cup of herbal tea.
4. Read a
good book.
5. Solve a crossword or other type of puzzle.
6. Write your thoughts and feelings in a
journal.
7. Exercise–take
a walk or do some stretching.
8. Listen to your favourite soothing music.
9. Do something
creative, like painting, drawing, sewing
or cooking.
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Do a reality check
Learn to put stressful situations in perspective by asking these questions:
• What exactly is at stake?
• What are you saying to yourself right now?
• What are you afraid will occur?
• How do you know this will happen?
• What evidence do you have that this will happen?
• Are there other ways to look at this situation?
• What coping resources are available?
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 tress is the body’s and mind’s reactions to everyday tensions, changes and pressures. Too much stress can increase pain and make it harder for you to deal with the challenges of arthritis or related diseases.
Stress is a normal part of life. Many things can be stressful, such as a move to a new town, a job change, a divorce or the death of someone close to you. But stressful events are not always “negative” ones. Weddings, vacations and births are happy occasions that also can be stressful. With arthritis, it may take less to stress you.
People with arthritis or related diseases (such as lupus or fibromyalgia) go through the same kinds of stressful periods as everyone else. However, having a chronic disease can add a new set of challenges to your daily life. You may have to rely on family members and health care professionals more than in the past. You may have to make changes in your lifestyle or give up favourite activities because of limited abilities. You also may see changes in your appearance because of joint deformities or the effects of medicines.
How does the body react to stress?
When you feel stressed, your body’s muscles become tense. This muscle tension can increase your pain and fatigue and may further limit your abilities, which may make you feel helpless. This can cause you to become depressed. A cycle of stress, pain, fatigue, limited or lost abilities, and depression may develop. If you understand your reaction and learn how to manage stress, you can help break that cycle.
How to manage your stress
The key to managing stress is to make it work for you instead of against you. A complete
program for managing stress has five parts.
- Listen to yourself
Just as reactions to stress vary, so do signals of stress. Managing your stress begins with knowing its signs and symptoms. Some of the common signs of stress are tiredness or fatigue, muscle tension or pain, anxiety, irritability or anger, and upset stomach. Some of these symptoms may be caused by problems other than stress, such as the flu or your disease. If you are not sure the symptoms are related to a stressful event, consult your doctor. You also should tell your doctor during your visits if you think these symptoms might be stress-related. If you and your doctor determine that stress is contributing to the problem, you can work together to evaluate your situation, understand it and try to relieve it.
- Pinpoint the causes
Learning what causes your stress is a personal discovery. Once you know what the stressful aspects of your life are, you can decide how to adapt to them. Keep a stress diary to record the events in your life that cause you stress. Ideally, you want to be able to stop yourself when you feel your body or mind becoming overstressed. Record the cause of your stress as well as any physical or emotional symptoms you feel. Keeping this stress diary can help you track and manage your responses to stress.
- Change the situation
Once you’ve identified the causes of your stress, divide them into things that can be changed and things that can’t. For situations that are changeable, here are ways to take control:
- Make a list of your priorities. What must you do right away? What can you postpone? What can be eliminated? You may need to buy groceries today, but you can wash your clothes tomorrow.
- Take time to pamper yourself and do things you enjoy. Learn to ask yourself when you’re making a decision, “Does this take care of or work for me?”
- Set goals and develop a plan of action for reaching them. Remember to include hobbies and friends in your planning. Be flexible about the time you need to complete a goal.
- Don’t put off doing important things. Do your holiday shopping early so you don’t feel pressured by the holiday rush.
- Learn to say no without feeling guilty. It’s okay to let other parents help your child’s teacher with their class trip to the zoo. Turning down extra duties, even for a short period of time, can reduce your stress.
- Change your outlook
Realize that you can only change yourself, not other people. Some situations can’t be changed, so you have to learn to deal effectively with them. Being flexible helps you keep a positive attitude, despite hardships. Here are ways you can change your outlook:
- Develop a healthy attitude. Situations become stressful when you think about them in a
negative way. To be healthy, you should balance your positive and negative thoughts.
- Evaluate the situation’s importance. Being objective about a situation can sometimes help you put it in perspective and manage it effectively.
- Focus your attention on positive things you enjoy. Thinking about something you like can help you
relax and become less stressed.
- Develop stress-relieving activities. Find ways to express your feelings of stress in a positive way, such as writing in a journal or exercising.
- Develop and use support systems. Share your thoughts with family, friends, clergy or others who can help you see the problems in a constructive way.
- Reduce stress on your body
Learning how to relax is one of the most important ways to cope with stress in a healthy way. Relaxation is more than just sitting back and being quiet. It is an active process using methods to calm your body and mind. Learning how to relax takes practice. As you learn new ways to relax, keep these principles in mind:
- Not all relaxation techniques work for everyone. Try different methods until you find one or two you like best. You may learn that some techniques work well for specific situations.
- Remember that learning these new skills will take time. Practise new techniques for at least two weeks before you decide if they work for you.
- Be sure to get enough exercise, which helps relieve stress. Yoga and tai chi are two forms of exercise that can teach you how to relax.
Need to relax?
Experts recommend these techniques:
Deep breathing
Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor and your arms at your sides. Close your eyes. Breathe in deeply, saying to yourself, “I am …” then breathe out saying, “relaxed.” Continue to breathe slowly, silently repeating something to yourself such as, “My hands … are warm; my feet … are warm; my breathing … is deep and smooth; my heartbeat … is calm and steady; I feel calm … and at peace.” Always co-ordinate the words with your breathing.
Progressive relaxation
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, filling your chest and breathing all the way down to your abdomen. Hold your breath for a few seconds. Breathe out, letting your muscles feel heavy, and let your whole body sink into the surface beneath you. Beginning with your feet and calves, slowly tense your muscles. Hold for several seconds, then release and relax the
muscles. Slowly work your way through your major muscle groups using the same technique. Continue breathing deeply. Enjoy being relaxed for a few minutes before opening your eyes.
Guided imagery
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and hold it for several seconds. Breathe out slowly, feeling your body relax as you do. Release any tension in your body by taking deep breaths and relaxing your muscles as you breathe out. Think about a place you have been where you felt pleasure or comfort. Imagine it in as much detail as possible—how it looks, smells, sounds and feels. Do this slowly, enjoying each detail. Recapture the positive feelings you had then and keep them in your mind. Take several deep breaths and enjoy feeling calm and peaceful before you open your eyes.
Visualization
Visualization (also called vivid imagery) involves thinking of symbols that represent the pain or stress in different parts of your body. For example, you might imagine that your tense shoulder muscles are bright red. After creating this image in your mind, you try to change it. Watch the red slowly fade until there is no colour left. Feel your stress and pain disappear with the colour.
Distraction
Train your mind to focus on something other than your stress. This is especially helpful if
you feel overwhelmed or think constantly about your stress. Practising distraction does not mean that you ignore your stress. It means that you choose not to dwell on it.
Build your resistance to stress
Stress can have a negative effect on your
body. By taking care of your body, you can
build your resistance to stress. To take good
care of your body
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid drugs or alcohol.
- Get enough rest and sleep.
- Pace your activities and schedule rest breaks.
- Try to have more positive activities than
hassles in your life.
Get positive
Learning to release unhealthy stress in a positive way is good for you. Focus on positive thoughts and actions instead of negative ones. Rehearse positive statements so you can use them in real situations. Exercise, read, sing, laugh, socialize or call a friend—there are lots of positive ways to release your stress. •
Excerpted from “Managing Your Stress” © 2002 Reprinted with permission of the Arthritis Foundation, 1330 W. Peachtree St., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30309. To order a free copy of this brochure or other titles by the Arthritis Foundation, call 800-283-7800 or visit www.arthritis.org
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