Stress Management and Stress Therapist in Los Angeles
Stress management can help you live a better and healthier life from many of your medical conditions. Many people around the world suffer from stress, and this affects their physical health. Managing your stress can positively clash with your physical health and quality of life.
According to stats, about 33% of people suffer from extreme stress. 77% of people experience stress that affects their physical health, while 73% of people experience stress that impacts their mental health. Most people even have trouble sleeping because of pressure.
What is stress management?
Stress management is a broad scope of techniques, tools, therapies, and strategies that help control and reduce a person’s stress level, usually to improve the person’s physical health and overall well-being.
Various techniques, tools, and strategies can be used to manage stress, including mental, emotional, and behavioral processes.
Who does stress affect?
Chronic stress can have severe effects on your entire body. Stress can affect every system in your body, including the musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems. Stress can negatively affect your mental, emotional, & physical health.
Stress can affect both young and old. Whether you’re at a young age or older, stress can affect your general wellness. Engaging in stressful activities and not taking time to rest can cause stress and negatively impact your public health.
What are the three types of stress?
The three types of stress are;
1. Acute Stress
Acute stress is a common type of stress. It is often caused by an unfortunate, unexpected, or traumatic occurrence such as losing a loved one, being in a car accident, witnessing or being the victim of an attack, or being diagnosed with a chronic illness.
Acute stress can also be caused by increased anxiety or over-excitement, such as preparing for a job interview, going to the doctor or dentist for a checkup, or having an exhilarating ride on a roller coaster. It can also occur simply by anticipating important moments or significant life events such as your wedding day, the birth of your child, starting a new job, or moving to a new environment.
Acute stress is short-term, though it can significantly impact your mental and physical health.
2. Episodic Acute Stress
Episodic acute stress refers to frequent, consistent periods of acute stress. It is caused by repeated events that cause acute stress. It can occur when you’re worried about a negative experience or possibility that could happen in the future or repeatedly.
Regular presentations at work, recurring doctor’s appointments, seeing a lawyer discuss a divorce, tight work deadlines, and other stressful and adverse events can cause episodic acute stress.
With episodic acute stress, you don’t usually have the time to return to a relaxed and calm state. The effects of critical episodic stresses accumulate over time.
3. Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is an ongoing, constant, and long-term stress. It is common among people dealing with disabilities, chronic health issues, or individuals taking care of someone with chronic health issues. Events or situations that cause chronic stress don’t give you time to rest or relax because it never ends.
Chronic stress can also occur in people experiencing long-term abuse, long-term divorce, long-term housing issues, ongoing financial difficulties, and individuals living in constant fear.
Emergency medical service workers, firefighters, police officers, military, navy, and crisis response workers are more prone to chronic stress due to the nature of their jobs.
What are the symptoms of stress?
There are many symptoms of stress. Signs of stress may vary depending on the type of stress you have.
Symptoms of Acute Stress
- Faster breathing rate
- Increased perspiration
- Increased irritability
- Having no or limited memory of a traumatic event
- Avoiding people, places, or things that remind you of a traumatic occurrence
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling restless
- Being easily startled
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Feeling tense
- Having distressing thoughts, dreams, and nightmares of traumatic events
Symptoms of Episodic Acute Stress
- Increased heart rate
- Panic attacks
- Heartburn and indigestion
- Muscle pain and tightness
- Feeling irritable and angry
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Frequent headaches
- Feeling of fear
- Feeling tense
Symptoms of Chronic Stress
It can lead to various health conditions such as;
- High blood pressure
- Higher risk of stroke and heart attack
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Headaches
- Insomnia and fatigue
- Weakened immune system
- Increasing risk for the flu, infections, and viruses
- Nausea and digestive problems
- Vomiting
- Weight gain
- Fertility and reproductive issues
- Low sex drive
- Memory problems
- Difficulties concentrating
- Depression, irritability
- Emotional instability and low self-confidence
- Substance use and abuse
Tips For Stress Management
The ways to manage acute stress are pretty different from ways to manage chronic stress.
Acute Stress Management
If you’re experiencing acute stress, you must make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor can help resolve whether you should consider medication to manage your stress or if you need to be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist for specialized assessment and care.
Since acute stress usually occurs from traumatic events, undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy can help reframe your mind, thoughts, and emotions from such traumatic events.
You may also need to undergo trauma-informed therapy that incorporates elements of exposure to help reduce your risks of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dealing with acute stress on time can help prevent it from evolving into a complex and prolonged issue.
Episodic Acute Stress Management
The only way to manage episodic acute stress is to book an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor can help determine whether you need anti-anxiety medication or medications that can help you reflect on challenging situations with minor panic, distress, and worry.
Having cognitive behavioral therapy can also help change negative thoughts and distressing feelings. Relaxing and stress management techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, and meditation can help keep you calm and reduce the negative impact of stressful and challenging situations. Exercising, eating healthy, and having long hours of sleep can also improve your condition.
Chronic Stress Management
Identifying and resolving the cause of chronic stress can help reduce or eliminate its effects. If a chronic disease or disability is the cause of your chronic stress, managing and treating the illness or disability can help to improve your condition.
If systemic, environmental, financial, or social factors cause your chronic stress, find a lasting solution and explore areas or individuals that can help solve your problems. For example, you can apply for social assistance, a loan, or housing that better suits your income status. You can also explore government community services in your area to help you solve your problems.
What are the five long-term effects of stress?
The five long-term effects of stress are;
- Heart disease
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Sleep problems
- Memory and concentration impairment
Stress Management Therapy
Stress management therapy can help you better manage your stress. These therapies can equip you with coping strategies for recent and future focus. They generally help to improve your physical, emotional, and mental health and your general quality of life.
Below are the most commonly used stress management therapies:
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a standard stress management therapy that helps address your thoughts and behaviors. It is a psychotherapeutic treatment that helps you learn how to identify and change disturbing or stressful thought patterns that negatively influence your behavior and emotions.
CBT focuses on changing the negative or disturbing thoughts that can contribute to or worsen your emotional difficulties, depression, and anxiety.
CBT identified the disturbing thoughts and replaced them with more objective, realistic, and relaxing views to reduce the impact of your triggers.
2. Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy involves changing your responses to stress to create new patterns and possibly avoid further stress.
Behavioral therapy helps identify and change potentially self-destructive or unwholesome behaviors. It’s based on the idea that all conducts are learned and can be changed. Behavioral therapy aims to reinforce good behaviors and eliminate unwanted behaviors.
3. Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy helps you identify thought patterns that may dictate behavioral responses. Psychodynamic therapy may be best suited for stress caused by long-standing disturbing issues which are part of other mental health requirements, such as anxiety and depression.
Psychodynamic therapy concentrates on the psychological roots of stressful and emotional occurrences. It involves a deeper understanding of your emotions and other mental processes to improve your quality of life.
The idea behind psychodynamic therapy is to talk about and understand the problems to learn and develop the skills needed to address them.
Types of Stress Management Therapy to Relieve Stress
There are many different therapies to relieve stress. These include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Music therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
The Benefits of Stress Management Counseling
Stress management counseling is one of the ways that professionals can help patients manage their stress. A professional psychotherapist can help identify the causes of stress and also help to understand the role that your thoughts play in increasing your stress level to provide a lasting solution.
6 Ways of Therapists Stress Management Method
Therapists can relieve their stress through;
- Mindfulness meditation
- Learning relaxation approaches such as yoga and tai chi
- Getting enough sleep
- Deep breathing
- Taking time off work to relax
- Eating healthy
How much does it cost to see a Stress therapist in Los Angeles?
The cost to see a therapist in Los Angeles generally ranges from $70-$300 or more per hour. The average price to see a therapist in Los Angeles is about $250 per hour.
FAQs
Do therapists help with stress management?
Yes. A therapist can help manage and relieve your stress. Therapists can help you understand the root cause of your anxiety and how to deal with them.
Which therapy is best for stress management?
The best therapy for stress is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It helps to address your thought patterns and behaviors. It also allows you to learn how to identify and change disturbing or stressful thought patterns that negatively influence your behavior and emotions.
Who can I talk to about stress management?
You can talk to psychotherapists, mental health therapists, or trained psychologists.
Is stress a mental illness?
Stress is not considered a mental illness, but it can increase the risk of developing a mental illness.
Can stress cause me to gain or lose weight?
Stress can cause weight gain in some people and cause weight loss in others. For some people, stress may reduce their appetite, making them skip meals, thereby losing weight. For others, pressure may increase their desire, causing them to overeat, thereby gaining weight.
What kind of therapist is best for stress management?
A psychotherapist is best for stress.
What else helps with stress?
You can also see a psychologist or a mental health therapist.
What are the 4 A’s of dealing with stress management?
The 4 A’s of dealing with stress include:
Avoid – You can avoid stress by avoiding things or situations that cause stress.
Alter – You can deal with stress by altering or changing situations or behaviors that cause stress.
Accept – You can also deal with stress by accepting things the way they are, having a positive mindset, and learning from your mistakes.
Adapt – Adapting to situations can also help you deal with stress. Changing or adjusting your standards or expectations can help deal with stress.
Why does stress affect me physically?
Stress is a natural mental reaction to everyday occurrences and experiences.
Your central nervous system is in control of what is known as the “fight or flight” response. During a stressful or fearful event or occurrence, the hypothalamus in your brain tells your adrenal glands to escape the stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol).
These hormones increase your heartbeat. These hormones also increase blood flow to the areas that need it most in an emergency, like your heart, muscles, and other essential organs.
When the stressful or fearful event or occurrence is gone, the hypothalamus should tell your adrenal glands and other systems to return to normal. You will continue to experience the adverse effects until the central nervous system fails to return to normal.
Should you go to therapy for stress management?
Yes. If you have stress, it is best to see a professional therapist. An experienced therapist will advise you on the best therapy for you.
What are the four C’s of stress management?
The four C’s of stress management include:
Confidence – Be confident and do not give up when things become challenging.
Challenge – Challenges are what you should overcome. Overcoming challenges whenever they come is a way to deal with stress.
Control – Having control over your mental, emotional and physical health can help you deal with stress.
Commitment – Be committed to your goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them regardless of the difficulties or challenges that may come your way.
RenewMe MedSpa: Best Medspa to get Stress management and Stress Therapist in Los Angeles
If you’re suffering from acute, episodic acute, or chronic stress, you need to get stress management to help with your stress and improve your general well-being.
RenewMe MedSpa is the best medical spa in Los Angeles, where you can get a comprehensive and satisfying stress management experience.
At RenewMe MedSpa, we have professional stress therapists that can help improve your mental, emotional, and physical health. We help you comprehend the root causes of your stress and how to overcome them.
Visit us or book an appointment to learn more about your stress and how to deal with it.
