Deal with Stress After a Trauma

Dealing with stress, especially after a trauma, can be rather difficult. But if you take the time to heal and process what you've been through, as well as to explore what makes you feel calm and whole again, you can come out the other side better than ever.

Steps

 * 1) Get some exercise. It will make you feel energetic and happy, especially if you do it a lot. Exercising, whether it be jogging or lifting weights, is a good distraction from stress.
 * 2) *Instead of focusing on your thoughts or distracting yourself while you exercise, really focus on your body and how it feels as you move.
 * 3) *Exercise that is rhythmic and engages both your arms and legs—such as walking, running, swimming, basketball, or even dancing—works best.
 * 4) *Notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example. Or the rhythm of your breathing, or the feeling of wind on your skin.
 * 5) *Rock climbing, boxing, weight training, or martial arts can make it easier to focus on your body movements. After all, if you don’t, you could get hurt.
 * 6) *Try to exercise for 30 minutes or more. If it’s easier, try three separate 10-minute spurts of exercise per day are just as good. Move as often as you can throughout the day.
 * 7) Get lots of sleep. This is most important because it rests not only your mind, but your body. Try going to bed at least a half hour earlier than usual.
 * 8) *If you usually read or text for a bit before going to sleep, cut down on that sort of activity. It wakes up your mind, not relaxes it.
 * 9)  Get active socially. If you like or liked to call people or text or write letters, then start doing that! It will engage you socially, making you feel relaxed with your surroundings.
 * 10)  Express your feelings, rather then hide them. Bottling them up will only produce more stress.
 * 11)  Learn to forgive. After all, we live in an imperfect world with no perfect people. Knowing that nobody is perfect might give you a little relief.
 * 12)  Develop a stress relief tool box. It can contain multiple things, mental or physical, like
 * 13) *Go for a walk
 * 14) *Spend time with nature
 * 15) *Call a friend
 * 16) *Play with a pet
 * 17) *Take a long bath
 * 18) *Get a massage
 * 19) *Watch a funny movie
 * 20) *Work in your garden
 * 21) *Read a book
 * 22) *Take a nap
 * 23)  Set aside relaxation time for yourself every day. This can be just sitting in your bed reading a good book, or listening to music on the radio.
 * 24)  Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" of caffeine and sugar provide a crash in mood and energy after that initial boost is gone. It will eventually feel like your days drag on if you use lots of sugar and caffeine.
 * 25)  Avoid alcohol and drugs. While you may think that using these during a stressful period will relax you, they will make the stress worse. Never use them in a situation like this. Who knows, it might be the cause of your stress?
 * 26)  Maintain a healthy diet. Eat fruits and vegetables. Keep track of your weight. Lifting weights every now and then is also part of this. It will give you something to keep track of while in a stressful period.
 * 27)  Positive, relaxing images can be an effective tool for relieving stress. Try it. You might enjoy looking at a collection of nature photos online, or read a National Park guide <-- those have plenty of pictures and explanations for each one.
 * 28)  And finally, stay calm. No matter the situation, you must always be calm. It will help your mind be more open to new possibilities.

Sources and Citations

 * http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm
 * http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/traumatic-stress.htm
 * http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/emotional-and-psychological-trauma.htm
 * http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/coping_with_stress_tips.html
 * http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder.htm