Treating stress

Identifying sources of stress. You may want to keep a stress diary in which you record the occasions that were stressful to you, triggered anger or anxiety or caused a physical response like sour stomach or headache. Jot down the time of day and the circumstances that led to it, then try to identify the types of events or activities that cause stress. See if you can alter or avoid these circumstances.

Restructuring priorities. Examine your priorities and goals to determine which stressful activities or situations can be eliminated. Learn to replace time-consuming chores that aren't really necessary with activities that are pleasurable or interesting, for example. Find ways to balance the stress inducers you can't eliminate - like unpleasant working conditions, an unhappy family situation or a significant loss - by including stress-reducing activities in your day. A recent study indicated that daily pleasant events have positive effects on the immune system. Making time for recreation is as essential as paying bills or shopping for groceries.

Adjusting your responses to stress. You can change the ways you respond to stress. Because you can't simply wish some stresses away - you can't just quit your job or walk out on your family, for example - you have to learn how to respond to stress to reduce its effects. Some ways of adjusting your responses to stress include:

• Discussing your feelings. Feelings of anger or frustration that are not expressed in an acceptable way may lead you to feel hopeless and depressed. The suggestion of letting your feelings out is good advice. The goal is to assert yourself and your needs in a positive way; doing so in a negative way (yelling and behaving aggressively, for example) can be counterproductive. Also important is learning to listen, empathise and respond to others with understanding. If you can't talk to a trusted friend, try writing in a journal or composing a letter.

• Keeping your perspective and looking for the positive. Focus on positive outcomes in stressful situations. It helps by thinking of the worst possible outcomes and assessing the likelihood of those coming to bear (usually small). Then, envision a positive outcome and develop a plan to achieve that outcome. Also helpful: remembering past situations that initially seemed negative but ended well.

• Using humour. Keeping a sense of humour during difficult situations is a common recommendation from stress management experts. Laughing releases the tension of pent-up feelings and helps keep perspective. Research has shown that humour is a very effective mechanism for coping with acute stress.