There is quite a lot of evidence to show that a moderate degree of stress can be good for us - it improves performance, efficiency, productivity and many people strive on it. Indeed there are people who need stress, and function at maximum efficiency when they are under stress, but they are rare.

For most people, if stress goes beyond a certain point, everything disinteregates, and this can lead to both mental and physical illness. It is therefore, very important for us to come to terms with what causes stress, to recognise the part that it plays in our health, or, conversely, ill health, and try to find out how we can get rid of it or cope with it.

The most important thing of all is that you cope with stress, it's much less important how you cope with it.

In the long term, however, you must teach yourself to handle stress positively. One of the problems in a high stress situation is that your self-confidence is reduced. You remember your failures, think of your inadequacies, you become negative, when you really need to be positive. Positive thinking itself can be a great healer and can achieve remarkable results when used properly.

If stress can't be avoided, try one or all of the techniques listed below.

Dissociate

This means putting your worries out of your head. Some people can do this easier than others. Try to ignore the problem for as long as possible, the longer you ignore it, the more time there is for the body's fight and flight reaction to lessen, thereby reducing stress and anxiety.

Have Fun

Go out and enjoy yourself, laugh and have fun, go to parties and cheer yourself up. While you are having fun, and even after, you will notice how most problems will diminish in size.

Physical Activity

Work off stress through any type of exercise that you enjoy and are physically able to do. Physical activity of any kind always counteracts the effects of stress and will usually leave you feeling relaxed and rational about your problems.

Relax

Relaxation is a great way to fight stress. Try to lie down in a quiet place for twenty minutes each day in a darkened room, let nothing disturb you and just concentrate on feeling good about yourself. Another good exercise is to try to get ten hours sleep each night for a whole week. If you can manage this for a complete week you should feel a whole lot better.

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