Add to the above tagline, headlines about the economic downturn, job loss, foreclosure, and the most recent unemployment figures, and it’s not too difficult to see why we have an ever growing number of people feeling stressed. What may less obvious however, is identifying how this increase in societal stress is affecting our children.

The Sammamish Reporter recently ran a front page article by Jake Lynch titled, “ Children start to show signs of recession stress.” He states that elementary and pre-k children are exhibiting the signs and symptoms of stress in their lives at home and at school. Lynch states, “I had a fourth-grader say they were worried they were going to lose their home.” Lynch’s piece draws attention to the multi-systemic effects of stress on society; as parents, children, classmates, teachers, principals, and counselors are being exposed to a variety of stressful information in multiple settings.

In my relaxation coaching practice, I often emphasize the systemic effects of stress and how we as people energetically take on the feeling and sensate state of those around us; be it at the store or shopping mall, at school, or in the workplace. A beginning strategy to start confronting and changing stress is to start noticing what’s going on around you and what’s happing within your body. Like the common cold, we need to be aware of how we are spreading stress in our own lives so as not to inadvertantly displace that stress onto our children.

Here are some quick tips for relaxation now:

• BREATHE: This is believed to stimulate the Vagus Nerve, sending an “a, OK” response to the brain.
• PRACTICE COUNTERTHOUGHTS: Tell yourself “it’s all ok. This too shall pass. Everything is as it should be. I feel a sense of calm.”
• TRY PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION: Tighten your shoulders as tight as they can be; hold for 3 minutes and relax. Tighten your fists; hold for 3 minutes, then release. Experiment with other areas of your body until you feel better.
• CHANGE THE SCENERY: Focus on something positive. Notice what is going well in the moment.
• GET ACTIVE: Go for a walk; ride a bike; play with your children and get engaged in something phsycial.

Whatever you do, find what works best for you and your children. Develop these skills with each other. Children’s lives are stressful too, and now more than ever before, they need healthy ways to counter the stress they are picking up from us.

The first thing you will need is some music which gets you shaking. Osho produces a Shaking Meditation CD, however you can find anything that will get you actively moving. If desired,  listen to the sampler and locate music with a similar instrumental beat. Next, find a safe place to shake away your stress. Since you will be moving about, you’ll need to locate a setting where you won’t inadvertently knock something over, or bump into something while you shake.

Now you’re ready to relieve that stress.

Step 1: Start Shaking! Shake your arms, your wrists, your fingers, your legs, your gluts and anything else you can get moving. You’ll want to put your entire muscle strength into the process. Vigorously shake your entire body for a total of 15 minutes.

Step 2: Slow it down.Now that you’ve just shaken your body, you’re heart rate will be elevated and it’s time to bring it down into a healthier range. Put on some music that you like to groove to and twirl, dance, move about. This isn’t designed to be a vigorous activity, so you’ll want to select music that is somewhere in-between making you want to jump and shout, or fall asleep. Gently move for another 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Lie down and relax. Let your body rest while lying on your back. Close your eyes and practice deep diaphragmatic breathing. This is the time to allow your body to take in the feeling of calm. There is no time limit to this part of the exercise. Just be in the moment and enjoy the state if relaxation brought on by movement.

This mediation may also be done with your friends, spouse or partner. However, I often recommend that you close your eyes while engaging in a shaking meditation as it can look or feel really silly (for some of us). 

Gives new meaning to the phrase, “shake, rattle and roll.”

Our brains are wired to take cues on how to feel from our thoughts. Positive, upbeat people have learned this key principle . . . keep negative thinking on the down low.

To do this, it take s a bit of practice. Here’s a simple exercise to help lift you “UP” during down times.

• First, make a list of all the negative thoughts which have been bothering you.
• Second, counter these thoughts with a positive affirmations.

Here’s an example:

• Negative thought – I’m never going to have enough money to pay my bills.
• Positive affirmation- I have all Ineed.
• Negative thought – I feel so stressed, I can’t do it all.
• Positive affirmation – I feel calm, and everything is as it should be.

By taking control of our negative thinking, we can feel, look and become happier.

Best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing!

The first question that comes to mind is, “how do we change the perception of mental health issues?” If a friend has a broken arm, we empathize and console them. But if it’s more mental than physical, people unconsciously stigmatize those who suffer with various mental health related conditions.

Like a broken arm, agoraphobia is a treatable condition. It generally arises from feelings of anxiety which are reinforced as the person engages in behavioral changes. B. F. Skinner, a noted psychologist, referred to this as operant conditioning. I’ll share an example:

Susie is going about her day as usual when she suddenly experiences changes in her body. Her heart rate accelerates to the point she feels like it will come out of her chest, her palms get sweaty, her breathing changes, and she feels a sense of terror. To Susie, the experience is so profound and frightening that she NEVER wants to feel this type of sensation again. She literally becomes anxious about what just happened. This is a valid physiological fear response. It is not strange or weird. It’s actually what keeps us safe from harm.

Unfortunately what happens next is where the problem develops. Susie, now anxious about having another panic attack like the one the other day, changes her normal daily routine. The very act of changing her daily behavior reinforces the anxiety (operant conditioning) which makes the fear response stronger. The brain, being a powerhouse of neural patterning, looks for other situations to avoid. Susie begins to worry, “What if this happens in the car, or on the bus, or at work?” Susie’s amygdala, doing what it is perfectly designed to do,  reminds Susie with a physiological reinforcing fear response any time she simply thinks about the original panic situation. This thought becomes linked in the brain to other situations which may invoke the same type of panic she had originally felt. Susie then starts to avoid any situation which may cause similar types of distress or embarrassment. Susie then decides it’s best not to leave the house.

Susie’s original one time feeling of panic has now developed, been reinforced, and linked to situations which make it difficult to leave the house at all. Susie’s original anxiety is now growing into agoraphobia. 

Her story, although a case example, is not strange, it’s absolutely biologically sound. Her body is responding exactly how it is designed. Without a healthy sense of fear, we’d all put our hands on a hot stove. Instead, all it takes is one accidental brush with a hot burner and we’re cured for life of ever repeating the same behavior. The problem in Susie’s case is that the fear was not linked to a situation that would cause her harm. As she unconsciously reinforced her bodies physiological reaction by changing her daily routine, the fear became intensified.

There are a variety of treatments for agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy works with individuals to reverse and extinguish the fear response and get to the heart of the original anxiety which precipitated the descent into agoraphobia. Other forms of therapy which are effective include various forms of relaxation therapy which calm and control the physiological response.

If you, or someone you know is suffering from anxiety, talk to a professional who understands and can offer some assistance. The earlier the cycle of anxiety is treated, the more quickly a person will be able to resume a healthy lifestyle devoid of panic and anxiety.

Tip: The next time you feel fearful and anxious and you’re not in immedidate danger, do the opposite of what your body is urging you to do. Reinforce what you’d like to do, not what you are afraid of doing.

Welcome to the stress, anxiety depression lifecycle. One way of interrupting this circular struggle is to reduce stress and increase your ability to accept, adapt or change the way you view the problem.

Numerous studies by health professionals and psychologists alike have confirmed the importance of exercise in reducing symptoms associated with stress, anxiety and depression. UT Southwestern Medical Center studied adults aged 20 to 45 on the effects of exercise on depression. They found that “depressive symptoms were reduced almost 50 percent in individuals who participated in 30-minute aerobic exercise sessions three to five times a week.” This is a fairly significant reduction in mild to moderate depression.

At Heavensfield, I have implemented short walks to both treatment facilities as a means of promoting health and wellness.

What type of exercise will you introduce into your life that will help mitigate the effects of stress?