Taming Stress in Multiple Sclerosis - National Multiple Sclerosis ...

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Taming stress in your mind Stress often evolves from the way we interpret situations—and the way we relate to the world around us. So much in life could lead to stress: lost buttons, long lines, irritating people, unreasonable requests, insurance forms, voice mail. Take a look at your stress producers. In what ways can you reinterpret situations so that they don’t cause you so much stress? How can you relate differently to people to avoid stress? If personal thinking patterns create or increase stress, new thinking patterns can be learned. Here are some examples of thinking that increases stress: ∫ You think: “total failure” whenever you’re short of absolute perfection. (Alternative: “I did a pretty good job—I’ll do it better next time.”) ∫ You think: you are responsible for everything: “I wonder what I did to make him feel like that?” (Alternative: “I am not the center of everyone’s world.”) ∫ You think: “should” about everything: “I should be treated fairly.” (Alternative: “I’d like to be treated fairly, but...”) 6 TAMI NG STR ESS IN MUL ULTI PLE SCLE LEROSIS
Common Signs of Stress Emotional signs ∫ Chronic irritability or resentment ∫ Feeling down in the dumps, demoralized ∫ Continual boredom ∫ Excessive nervousness or anxiety ∫ Feeling overwhelmed ∫ Nightmares Thought-related signs ∫ Worrying every day ∫ Distractibility ∫ Expecting the worst to happen much of the time ∫ Difficulty making everyday decisions Physical signs ∫ Clammy hands or sweating ∫ Constipation/diarrhea ∫ Dry mouth ∫ Headache ∫ Heart palpitations ∫ Stomachaches, knots, cramps, or nausea ∫ Muscle spasms or tightness ∫ Lump in throat ∫ Faintness ∫ Fatigue/weariness ∫ Sleeping too much/too little ∫ Short and shallow breathing STAYING WELL 7
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Page 5 and 6: Stress and MS Having any chronic il
Page 7: We all have finite reservoirs of co
Page 11 and 12: your illness and the difficulties y
Page 13 and 14: percent of people with MS will expe
Page 15 and 16: Cognitive impairment and stress Unt
Page 17 and 18: ook with you if waiting may be nece
Page 19 and 20: questions you want to ask, what que
Page 21 and 22: There is no one right way to relax.
Page 23 and 24: Clear your mind The “Clear Your M
Page 25 and 26: 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Do two or three c
Page 27 and 28: Progressive muscle relaxation Progr
Page 29 and 30: 8. 9. Move your head slowly backwar
Page 31 and 32: Tai chi Tai chi involves deep breat
Page 33 and 34: Further reading Multiple Sclerosis:
Page 35 and 36: The National Multiple Sclerosis Soc

Taming Stress in Multiple Sclerosis - National Multiple Sclerosis ...

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