Stress is a natural response when you think that obstacles will get the better of you. This can be anything from people you don’t get along with to situations that seem difficult to overcome. When we think that the demands we face are too much for us, we are over thinking to the point that we trigger our flight response.

That is not to say that it is completely unhealthy. Positive stress can be channeled to improve general, academic and athletic performance but excessive amounts can lead to several health issues. When we stress out, our brain releases copious amounts of cortisol and adrenaline. This elevates blood pressure and increases heart rate, two factors that can lead to strokes and weaken our immune system. Long term health effects associated with stress can be detrimental to ones health.

Stress can be triggered by both internal and external factors but one thing is for certain – it is created through our perceptions and our ability to manage stress effectively. This leads to anxiety and other negative issues that can seem stressful, but are quite manageable if we think about it. Unfortunately, very few people can break that chain.

Human beings are not made to endure distress for indefinite periods of time. Stress forces us to do this because it keeps our mind focused on people and events we think we have no control over. This leads to a number of ailments and health issues such as:

• Headaches and migraines
• Blood pressure issues
• Chest pain
• Insomnia
• Shoulder pain
• Forgetfulness
• Chronic fatigue
• Upset stomach
• Constipation
• Nerve damage
• Inability to concentrate
• Depression

If the stress causing these symptoms is not nipped in the bud, it can lead to a number of serious conditions. In fact, these stressors can prevent you from living a normal life which is injurious for both mind and body. The longer you are under stress, the unhealthier you will be. If it turns chronic, it could tear you apart body and soul.

Things can get from bad to worse very quickly if you resort to alcohol or drugs to alleviate your stress levels. Instead of relieving stress, substances such as this will cause more harm than good after you come out of the relaxed state.

Coaching along with some additional techniques such as Matrix Therapies and Time Line Therapy® are powerful alternatives against stress because unlike medication, it has no side effects and is equally effective. In other words, you won’t get addicted to it and will get long term benefits no drug can promise.

Unlike stress relief meds, coaching gets to the root of the problems causing anxiety and changes the way you respond to them. A trained Coach will help you deal with the emotional and physical stressors that are causing you to worry more than your mind can handle.

In other words, a Coach can put you back in control by reprogramming how you think, feel and respond to potential stressors. The sooner you acknowledge why and where stress is coming from and learn how to effectively manage stress, the better off you’ll be all round.