Very high stress levels have been linked to Fibromyalgia as being an aggravating factor.  It may be that you’ve been placed under too much pressure through work, home life, relationships or financial struggles, or it could be that you haven’t been feeling well for a long period of time and are struggling to cope with the day-to-day challenges.  So it’s important to recognise when you get stressed, realise your triggers and find ways to combat it.

 

Stress can affect how you think, how you feel, how you behave and how your body operates.  Some of the most common signs of stress are insomnia or disturbed sleeping patterns, loss of appetite, irritability, anxiety, low self-esteem, sweating and difficulty in concentrating.  As stress levels build you can find yourself suffering from muscle tension, dizziness or headaches, as well as high blood pressure.

 

Stress may also manifest itself in other ways such as anger, depression, apathy, feeling drained, a lack of motivation, grinding teeth, crying for no apparent reason, skin irritations, rashes, breathing problems… the list is really very long.

 

If you don’t know what your own triggers are – and they’re not always immediately obvious – then it can be a good idea to keep a diary and write down any stressful situations you find yourself in.  Keep a note of the date, time and place, what you were doing, how you felt and what you were thinking, how you reacted and who you were with.  This may help identify certain situations which you find difficult to cope with, and help to give you a better understanding so you can move forward and release the triggers.

 

Stress played a big part in my life for a long time as I didn’t understand why I couldn’t cope with my life on a daily basis.  I was feeling unwell a lot and was suffering with bizarre, random pains on a daily basis, but not understanding why, and most daily chores became more and more of a struggle.  I couldn’t get any answers from the doctors as – at the time – they didn’t have any idea what was wrong which made it even harder to cope.  

 

I became more and more exhausted and drained, my self-esteem dropped completely off the radar and things became increasingly difficult.  Looking back – and knowing what I learnt from CBT – I know I was just trying to do too much and not allowing myself any respite.  I permanently gave myself a hard time for not doing all the things that I wanted to do, and for not doing more, yet everything I was trying to achieve would be considered too much for a ‘healthy’ person!

 

Whilst there is no quick fix to cure stress there are several coping mechanisms and steps you can take to help reduce and manage it.  First and foremost – very simple – you need to be kinder to yourself, make allowances for yourself and give yourself ‘time off’.  Learn to say no – or ask for help – and admit when you can’t do something.  If you need to rest, then sit down and rest!  Ask yourself how important it is to get certain tasks done – are they really that urgent or can they wait?  Can someone else do something for you?  Or can they just wait for another time?

 

It could be that you’ve put unhealthy coping strategies in place which, although they can provide short-term relief and a temporary high, they will have a more adverse effect in the longer run.  Examples of unhealthy coping mechanisms include smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or caffeine, comfort eating, consuming too much junk food or, at the other extreme, not eating enough, withdrawing from social activities and spending hours in front of a TV or computer.

 

Everyone has a unique response to stress and so there’s no one solution that works for everyone, it’s about identifying your own sources of stress and experimenting with different strategies to relieve it and take control again.  You have the choice of changing a situation, or changing your reaction to it. But one factor that is very important and relevant across the board is a healthy diet, incorporating plenty of foods rich in amino acids and vitamins, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar and junk food as much as possible.

 

Another real stress-buster is expressing your feelings and emotions rather than bottling them up.  It’s very cathartic to share what’s going through your mind with someone else.  It’s also very important to share your feelings and thoughts to help those closest to you to understand what’s going on.  

 

Some things you just cannot change, so the only option is to learn to accept it.  Not easy I know but when things get really tough then try and focus on the positive aspects of your life and appreciate them.  This helps you to maintain a sense of perspective and balance, and can have a real calming effect.  If you notice any improvement in pain levels, for example, then acknowledge it and celebrate it.

 

Any form of exercise can be therapeutic too, and can help you to clear your mind.  So (if you can) go for a walk or do an aerobic workout, if you need something more gentle then maybe do some gardening, or yoga, tai chi or pilates are all good for body AND mind and are adaptable to your own limitations.

 

Meditation is another good stress-reliever, or simply relaxing and practising deep breathing, savouring peace and quiet (if you can find it!).  Finally, make sure you get plenty of sleep as a lack of sleep can seriously aggravate stress levels and may make your thinking more irrational.

 

If you’ve tried self-help techniques and they aren’t working, or if you are simply unable to cope and find it all too overwhelming, then please talk to your GP about it.  It could be that you have low serotonin levels which will aggravate stress, or your GP may suggest referring you for counselling.

 

The most effective form of counselling that I found was Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I found it very challenging but very positive as it really helped me understand negative patterns of behaviour.  I learnt many coping mechanisms and techniques to cope with having a chronic medical condition.  CBT can help you to take charge of your thoughts and emotions, help you work towards a more balanced life and teach you how to deal with problems and situations more effectively.

 

There are other treatments that have been shown to be helpful in relieving stress including bowen therapy and hypnotherapy.