Identify yourself

What will probably happen? I could get another ticket, but I'll probably remember what happened this time and make sure I don't. What will happen if I keep telling myself the same thought? I'll keep being upset with myself. What could happen if I changed my thinking? I'd feel better. What would I tell my friend or family member [think of a specific person] GLENNY if this happened to him or her? It's not that big a deal. So, what all these pros and cons mean for you is that the best way to select methods for decompression is to combine fast stress relievers, resilience builders, and lifestyle changes to create a holistic plan for managing your stress. You also want to think about ways that you can manage your stress in a natural and healthy way. Natural stress reduction is uncomplicated, and methods as simple as drinking water and self-massage to relieve a tension headache are safe and effective. These methods provide you with natural, non-medicinal, low-risk techniques that can easily become part of your daily lifestyle. Nutritional Stress-Reducing Food for Decompression Good Food, Good Mind, Good Body As you already know, stress can be relieved by performing various breathing, relaxation, and meditation techniques, but another very significant strategy is based on the kinds of food you eat. They say you are what you eat, and if you're eating unhealthy processed food, you're probably feeling unhealthy, too. Unfortunately, long-term stress might inspire you to continue eating the kind of foods that send your blood pressure and stress levels up instead of bringing them down. You need nourishment that will feed your brain, strengthen your body, lift your spirits, and give you a daily energy boost. One thing to note, in order for de-escalation to work you must let go of the need to be right. The person could be saying or doing the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard but don't try to prove them wrong.

This doesn't mean you necessarily have to say they are right, but you should make them feel like you are in agreement. You also need to be aware of what your body is saying and not just focus on your words. Eye-contact, finger pointing, sighing, shoulder shrugging, or quick-movements have the potential to work against you. Defending Yourself When avoidance doesn't work and you find yourself in a full blown physical attack, how do you defend yourself? You fight back. If you're not a fighter by nature you may be tempted to skip this section. Fighting back is less about fighting and more about escaping. But if your mind just criticises and judges you - `I'm hopeless at socialising. I can't tell jokes for the life of me. I always get flustered and forget the punchline' - that's unhelpful. Comparisons Our minds compare us unfavourably to others who seem to do it better, have more talent, or have it easier. The mind is very good at making comparisons. Sometimes it tells us the ways in which we are `better' than others, and sometimes it tells us the ways in which we are `worse'. If our minds compare us to others in a respectful and constructive way that allows us to learn, grow and develop, that's generally helpful. Suppose your mind says, `Tiger Woods can golf much better than I can. What sorts of things does he do to improve his game? So you forgot and made a mistake. You know how to avoid doing this in the future.

What would be good to do now? Get my mind off of this. Go for a walk. Testing Your Thoughts Worksheet, side 2. Copyright (c) 2018 CBT Worksheet Packet. Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Remember, thoughts may be 100% true or 0% true or somewhere in the middle. Just because you think something doesn't necessarily mean it's true. Eating too many unhealthy, fatty, and sugary foods is not conducive to lowering stress levels. Unfortunately, these are exactly the foods that stressed-out people are often drawn to because they make them feel better, even if it's just for as long as it takes to eat them. Thankfully, Mother Nature provides us with lots of tasty foods and healthy treats that specifically neutralize the effects of stress. Here are a variety of healthy foods that help reduce stress and anxiety and that you should add into your diet (Funston, 2020): Green Leafy Vegetables - Spinach and other leafy vegetables contain folate, which releases dopamine (the feel-good chemical in the brain) that makes you feel calmer and happier. Turkey Breast - Turkey contains tryptophan and amino acid, which both help to produce a chemical called serotonin. This chemical regulates feelings of well-being and happiness. Tryptophan, which has a calming effect, is often used in supplements. Oatmeal - People often crave carbohydrates when they feel stressed because carbs can help produce serotonin in the brain and make them feel better. Oatmeal is a complex carb, which is a healthier and less sugary option than simple carbs, such as a doughnut. Use whatever skills or tools are available, thus providing an opportunity to get away. Let's look at tools for fighting back.

SELF DEFENSE SKILLS To learn self defense skills, enroll in a self-defense class. Self defense classes teach you awareness, assertiveness and physical techniques with a goal of giving you the tools needed to escape, resist or survive an attack. One of the benefits of a self-defense course is a boost in your self-confidence. It's very empowering to be out in public and know that you have knowledge and skills to protect yourself and your children. If you are ever facing an attacker, you won't be thinking, What was that technique I saw on the Ellen Show? Plus, you can't argue the fact that a self-defense class is a great workout. Self defense classes are offered in community centers, colleges, YMCA, private gyms and occasionally they're offered at gun ranges. How much practice does he do? How can I emulate some of those strategies? But if your mind just blathers on about how others are so much better than you are, or how much easier they've got it, then that's not likely to be of much use. Predictions Our minds predict failure, rejection or other unpleasant outcomes. As you know, our minds evolved to warn us of danger; So when your mind starts predicting failure or disaster, it's only doing its job. Now suppose it does this in a constructive manner: realistically appraising the risks, planning how to respond in the worst-case scenario, and reminding us how we can learn from the experience. For example: `Yes, it's true, if I write this article there's no guarantee that it will get published. The fact is, many articles don't. Spend just 5-10 minutes to complete the Thought Record. Note that not all questions will apply to every automatic thought.

Here's what to do. When you notice your mood getting worse, or you find yourself engaging in unhelpful behavior, ask yourself the questions on the reverse side of this worksheet and write down the answers. It will probably take about 5-10 minutes. Not all questions apply to all automatic thoughts. If you'd like, you can use the list below to identify cognitive distortions. You may find that more than one distortion applies. Spelling, handwriting, and grammar don't count. It was worth doing this worksheet if your mood improves by 10% or more. Yogurt - Apart from being rich in protein and calcium, yogurt contains probiotics that help relieve gastrointestinal inflammation often caused by stress. These probiotics can also help reduce the chemical activity in areas of the brain connected to the handling of emotions. Salmon - Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory elements that can counteract the effects of cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones. Omega-3 is often used as a supplement to help reduce anxiety. Blueberries - Blueberries contain phytonutrients and antioxidants, which boost white blood cells and help defend against the negative effects of stress. Pistachios - Phytonutrients found in pistachios help to lower high blood pressure, reduce stress, and supply antioxidants to support cardiovascular wellness. Another perk is that the rhythmic action of cracking open pistachio shells is relaxing and therapeutic. Dark Chocolate - The darker the chocolate the better! Cocoa contains antioxidants that not only help lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation but also help lower stress and anxiety levels by reducing stress hormones. Dark chocolate also contains a natural substance that creates a euphoric sensation (almost like being in love). Check out martial arts studios, too, but realize not all martial arts schools teach practical personal protection strategies that will be helpful in the real world. For more realistic training, consider Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense system.