Festive Stress and Hypnotherapy

 


Almost time for Christmas and this year, for many, it can’t come quick enough. Managing the online shopping and working out who is in the support bubble as well as how many can we celebrate with all add to the stress. After the stresses of 2020, we can speculate as to what next year will bring.

While Christmas is a time to celebrate, the preparation and everything that goes with it can become stresses in itself.

Psychologists acknowledge the effect that life changes have on people and their well being. I’m sure that we can all understand the stress someone feels at being made redundant or the breakdown of a relationship, these are as the title suggests: life changes. These big changes to our usual status quo.

What about those day to day stresses?

Those things interrupt our routine? Forgetting something, the traffic jam making you late to that important appointment, the argument you had with someone, all act as irritants to the smooth running of our lives.

Of course on their own, they present nothing more than a problem that can be overcome, but when they add up they can present more of a problem to the persons well being.

Accumulation and Amplification

Those small daily hassles accumulate along with the stresses they create. The negative effects of daily hassle stress are compounded until it only takes a small hassle to tip us over the edge: the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Likewise, the effects of life changes (plenty of those in 2020) amplify the negative stress of those daily hassles. The person who finds themselves consumed with stress over simply misplacing their keys is feeling the effects of a life change (or accumulated stresses) which finds its outlet through a simple daily hassle.

Christmas is a time when extra pressures are placed upon us. My clients often describe that while they find it enjoyable once it’s here, the daily hassles that lead up to it can sometimes be too much. The intended relaxation and recuperation that the holidays can provide can come at the price of stress.

Stress and Illness

How many people do we know get poorly around these times? Coughs and sniffles are, for some, a part of the festive experience. The link between stress and illness is well documented.

Research suggests that mild, short term stress can actually boost the immune system, while more long term stress has been shown to inhibit the functioning of the good cells in our system.

It is not all doom and gloom, though! The good news is that the change to our routine that Christmas provides can be healthy. A change is as good as a holiday and the time to stop and reflect on what we want from the new year is beneficial for our well-being.

Help is Available

Hypnotherapy is an easy way to learn to use relaxation techniques to beat the negative effects of stress. Applying simple psychological techniques and learning self-hypnosis can be an effective way to reduce the negative impact of daily hassles.

For more long term effects or those life changes, Hypnoanalysis helps to work through the bottled-up stress and its effects, allowing the person to get back on track.

We all have very busy lives - doesn’t it make sense when things get too much use help on offer to deal with it and get back on with life?


David treats clients at Kettering Osteopaths and Oundle Osteopaths, Northamptonshire. 

You can contact him for a free initial consultation on 01536 350328 or visit www.ketteringhypnotherapy.com

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