Stress Management
To control symptoms of PTSD and the everyday pressures of your job, people need to manage their stress. But how? They can learn a variety of effective techniques and methods that may include rest and relaxation, exercise, nutrition, yoga, deep breathing, journaling, hypnosis, massage and meditation. They could involve humor, Tai Chi, time management strategies, assertiveness training, spiritual awakening and establishing support networks.
Allen Kates once gave himself a gift—once a week for a year he got a massage. And it was the best thing he'd ever done to relieve the stress. Bob Hope said that the reason he had lived so long was because he got a massage everyday. In fact, his massage person traveled with him around the world. He was so relaxed he couldn’t help being funny. For those of us without Hope’s financial resources, every once in awhile is a great thing to do.
There are no rights or wrongs in stress management, only what works for you. The Internet offers an abundance of sources for understanding and employing stress management. Here are just a few of them.
American Institute of Stress (AIS)
Run by health professionals, the AIS serves as a clearing house for information on all stress related subjects. The group can provide a great deal of information on stress in police and law enforcement officials as well as on PTSD. Among the founding members were prominent figures like Hans Selye, Norman Cousins and Linus Pauling.
Online, the organization provides fact sheets and links to other stress resources. Readers can order in-formational packets on stress or health related issues, videos and books.
Members of the AIS Board of Trustees serve on the advisory boards of organizations devoted to understanding PTSD and stress in law enforcement officials. These subjects are regularly addressed in AIS’ monthly newsletter, as well as at the annual International Montreux Congress on Stress.
Go to: http://www.stress.org. Write: Director of Communications, The AIS, 124 Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10703. Phone: 914-963-1200.
Institute for Stress Management (ISM)
A consulting and training group, the Institute offers free reports, articles and posters online. The articles feature stress management tips, frequently asked questions about sleep as well as other subjects.
Go to: http://www.hyperstress.com. Write: The Institute for Stress Management, 3023 Shannon Lakes, N., #102, Tallahassee, FL 32309. Phone: 850-668-0696.
Self-Help Magazine for Good Mental Health
Among other resources, this online publication offers a free newsletter, articles, and information on how to relax, meditate and manage stress. It provides discussion groups on many topics, including alcohol use, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, terrorism and death of a loved one.
Go to: http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com.
Street Survival Seminar
Calibre Press is the world’s foremost independent source of law enforcement training materials, books and seminars. Offered around the U.S., its three day Street Survival® Seminar focuses not only on surviving threats on the job and hostility in court, but Day Three concentrates on speeding up emotional recovery from traumatic events, and how to improve family communication at home and on the job to reduce stress.
For Calibre Press or the Street Survival Seminar go to: www.CalibrePress.com. Write: 7616 LBJ Freeway, Suite 405, Dallas, TX 75251. Phone toll free: 800-323-0037. Main: 214-545-3060.
The Stress Doc
Sometimes we take things so seriously we forget to laugh at our own foibles. AOL’s and the Internet’s “Online Psychotherapist”™ Mark Gorkin, LICSW, a.k.a. The Stress Doc, is a therapist who uses humor as a therapy tool. His website entertains while exploring the management of stress and creatively dealing with conflict. He is the author of Practice Safe Stress.
Go to: http://www.stressdoc.com. Write: Mark Gorkin, Stress Doc Enterprises, 9629 Elrod Road, Kensington, MD 20895. Phone: 301-946-0865.
Stress Education Center
John Mason, Ph.D., gives stress relief seminars to many organizations including police and fire departments. His website offers information and articles about coping with stress. His book Guide To Stress Reduction and audio stress management tapes are available.
Go to: http://www.dstress.com. Write: L. John Mason, Ph.D., 1258 Eagle Crest Drive, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Phone: 360-593-3833.
Stress Free Net
Health care professionals at Stress Free allow online visitors to take a free stress vulnerability test. Other features include a therapist directory and stress audit.
Go to: http://www.stressfree.com.
Stress Management
Created by Mark Perloe, M.D., P.C., this web page examines the concepts of optimal stress, managing stress better and eliminating stress.
Go to: http://www.ivf.com/stress.html.
Stress Management from Mind Tools
With over 4,000,000 visitors each year, this popular website offers a great deal of information about what stress is, how to avoid burnout, and what techniques you can use to lessen the negative aspects of stress. It explores the idea of good stress versus bad stress. It offers a burnout self-test, and many worthwhile links.
Go to: http://www.mindtools.com/smpage.html. Write: Mind Tools, Ltd., 2nd Floor, 145-157 St. John Street, London EC1V-4PY United Kingdom
The Web’s Stress Management & Emotional Wellness Page
Ernesto A. Randolfi, Ph.D., provides a wealth of information about stress management on his website. His links cover a wide territory, exploring areas such as humor, relaxing your body, crisis intervention and PTSD, stress in the workplace, and emotional self-help links. To access the many links, click on The Web’s Stress Management and Emotional Wellness page.
Go to: http://www.OptimalHealthConcepts.com. Write: Optimal Health Concepts, 1250 Kootenai Avenue, Billings, MT 59105-2088. Phone: 406-657-2123 (day) or 406-252-9797 (eve).