Build a toolkit to address stress

METRO DETROIT — From the contentious political climate to the economy to the rapid pace of modern life, stressors are everywhere and impact people of all ages. A 2022 survey by the American Psychological Association reported that 76% of respondents experienced at least one stress symptom in the past month.

Prolonged periods of stress can put people at risk for many medical conditions, including digestive problems, weight gain, headaches, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and problems with memory and concentration, according to the American Heart Association.

All of this means that stress management is vital for overall health and well-being. Fortunately, there are tools people can acquire to reduce stress and improve their quality of life.

Kristina Mansour is a therapist and part owner of Reflective Therapy Center in Troy and Northville. She said anxiety “is a fictional land” the mind creates, so focusing on the senses — what you see, smell and hear around you — can ground a person.

Challenging automatic negative thoughts is another tool.

“We don’t even recognize that it’s happening,” Mansour said of these intrusive thoughts.

She said it can take a lot of effort — and sometimes time — to do this, but the benefits are worth it.

Mansour said they use the ABC method to counter negative thinking. “A” is for the activating thought, such as being on a plane. “B” is for the belief, such as the fear the plane will crash. “C” stands for the consequence, or the emotion that comes from this thread.

She said patients keep the same “A” — so they’re still that person on the plane — but they’re asked to come up with a different “B” and “C,” such as thinking that they’re going to be seeing loved ones when they land, which would result in a happy emotional outcome. Mansour said she recommends that people journal an ABC once a night for the day to come, coming up with one negative and one positive scenario. It’s all about reframing.

“It’s just about redefining what the ‘A’ leads to,” Mansour said. “You have control (over that).”

Cognitive behavioral therapy is something she said she does with many patients.

“It just allows you to recognize you really have more control than you think you do,” Mansour said.

The ABCs can be recorded in a journal. Mansour said journaling is useful for many people, as they can refer back to previous entries and see the progress they’ve made.

A deep breathing exercise is something Dr. Jayanti Mischra, a psychologist at Mind Empowerment in Troy, recommends for people of all ages. It involves inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds and exhaling for four seconds, which can be done several times in a row.

“It helps a lot with people who are feeling stressed,” Mischra said. “It helps you to focus in that moment on the task that you are doing.”

Getting up from the chair or couch can help, too.

“I also recommend moving around,” Mischra said. “If you are at a workplace and you feel that tension in your back and your head, walk around the building for 10 minutes. If it’s possible to be outside, that’s the best thing to do.”

While walking, she said a person can also practice deep breathing for an additional calming effect.

Mischra said positive affirmations, such as, “I’m going to have a good day,” and having a positive conversation with yourself — speaking to yourself in a positive way, instead of a negative or critical way — can be helpful as well, whether these conversations and affirmations are said aloud or silently.

Mischra advises people to spend at least 10 minutes each day practicing mindfulness and meditation; she said guided meditation is especially good for people who aren’t used to meditating and there are guided meditation videos on YouTube and apps like Headspace and Calm that can assist newcomers.

We are often our own harshest critics, so Mischra said she asks patients to list three positive things from their day.

“It helps to be gentle to yourself and reflect on your day,” she said.

The mind-body connection is powerful. Mischra and Mansour both said they ask patients about their diet and sleep habits.

Sugar, caffeine and water intake, for example, “can contribute to emotional stressors,” Mansour said.

For better sleep, Mischra said people should turn off their TV and avoid looking at devices like their phone or laptop at least 45 minutes to an hour before they go to bed. Limiting stimulants like caffeine and sugar before bed is critical as well.

“Following good sleep hygiene habits helps to combat stress,” Mischra said.

Stress might seem like an insurmountable mountain to climb, but it can be done.

“If you put in the work, you will see that success,” Mansour said.