The Dangers of Stress

It is estimated that 80-90% of all doctor visits are actually due to stress-related symptoms and conditions. Many of these symptoms and illnesses are literally caused by stress, while many others are worsened greatly by stress.

Stress is the chronic involuntary fight-or-flight response of our physiology, working overtime, even when there is no credible threat to our immediate safety. The fight or flight reaction is fine for pumping up our adrenaline when a lion is about to attack you...but when the body is in a constant state of stress, it exhausts our system, both body and mind, and has a very negative impact on our health, our minds, and our ability to function.

Some of the many issues created by stress:

• Headaches
• Chronic Pain
• Back, shoulder and neck tension or pain
• Gastrointestinal problems - Cholitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Constipation, Acid Reflux, etc.
• Sexual Dysfunction, Erectile Dysfunction, Decreased Libido
• High Blood Pressure
• Decreased Concentration
• Memory Problems
• Sleep Disorders
• Weight Gain, Compulsive Eating
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability or Agitation
• Work performance problems
• Relationship Problems
• Habitual Worrying
• Addictions (drugs, alcohol, smoking, pornography, shopping, etc.)
• Dissociative Symptoms, eyesight problems, poor coordination, increased accidents and injuries.
• Fatigue
• Autoimmune disorders

....and the list goes on and on.

Very often, when I suggest to people the idea of "thinking less" or learning to be "still" or "in-the-moment," they say: "WHAT'S THAT??"

No matter how productive, brilliant, intellectual, capable, powerful or creative you might be -- if you can't let go of your thoughts, if you can't relax, if you can't drop down into the present-moment awareness and FEEL the peace of being still, and be content in the Here-and-Now... then you aren't living! You're living in your head and in the future, and you will never enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you lost your job, or you retired; or if there was a massive black-out and you couldn't plug-in; or if you were forced (god-forbid) to take a day off - or even a little vacation, with no books, no computer, no media, no entertainment - just quiet time on planet earth - would that be heaven - or would it be hell for you?

The Benefits of Reducing Stress

If we were not experiencing so much stress on a regular basis, we would experience:

• Greater Joy
• Peace of Mind
• Much better physical health
• Much less physical pain
• Easier, more satisfying relationships
• More efficient use of time - producing more, with less effort
• Better Concentration, more patience, and clarity of mind.
• A much stronger sense of purpose and trust in our intuition
• Trust in our instincts, rather than being filled with self-doubt, inner conflict, ambivalence and fear.
• More Love, Connection, and Acceptance of ourselves and others.
• Focusing on Solutions and Ideas, rather than on Problems and the things that are lacking.

Please explore the many tools available on this website for reducing your stress. There's no need to put it off.

My first recommendations are meditation, EFT/Meridian Tapping, Yoga and Exercise.

If you sign up for my free newsletter, full of tips and tools for transformation, you will get a complimentary guided meditation download to use right away.

[from Newsletter 1.11.11 - Mind Over Matter, by Ben Schwarcz]