Stress Management: How to Remain Calm in a Crisis

I was speaking with one of my students just the other day.   She mentioned that it is difficult nowadays to not be afraid and anxious.  She added, “Since 9/11, it’s hard to go anywhere without feeling panicky.”  She describes herself as having a “Type A” personality. Besides being anxious and afraid, she has been diagnosed with high blood pressure and a kidney disorder, both of which are stress induced. She is only

23-years-old.

I am sure that since September 11, 2001 many people have felt more stressed and anxious.  I have had numerous patients come to my office presenting with symptoms of anxiety and fear that they did not have until after the catastrophic events of that day.  However, I know that there are individuals who were not handling stress very well even prior to 9/11.  When I decided to write this book, it was with these issues in mind.  But then I started thinking about what I want to communicate with this book.  What do I want people to get from reading this book on stress management when there are so many books and tapes, out there, on the subject?

The goal of this book is to help readers become centered, i.e., to become more in touch with themselves, who they are and their purpose in life.  I don’t mean that they will become self centered, rather they will become other centered.  They will recognize their unique purposes for being on this earth so that they can share them with others. For without a purpose in life, one becomes hopeless and depressed.  The countless depressed individuals who come to my office can attest to that.

Through centeredness or being centered, one can find peace and calm even in the middle of turmoil.  By being centered, one can be assured that no matter where he or she finds himself in life, it is the place where he was to be, at that time.  Therefore, even if one is faced with his death, he can remain calm knowing that it is where he is to be, at that time.

I use to have a fear of flying – even before 9/11.  However, I over came that fear by implementing relaxation techniques and centeredness.  I realized that if I am on a plane and it happens to crash and I am killed, then I have obviously fulfilled my purpose in life and my time here is done.  With that is the realization that we all, i.e., I, must face death at some point.  So, if I have lived my life to the fullest, death would not be something to fear or fight, but it would be welcomed as the next progression of life.  Don’t misunderstand me, I DO NOT have a death wish; I want to live as long as I possibly can! But in living, I realize that I have a purpose on this earth and an appointed time to leave it.

If you have detected a hint of “spirituality” in my words, you are correct in one sense and incorrect in another.  Being centered implies being spiritual.  I place the word “spirituality” in quotes because everyone, nowadays, seems to have their own definition of the word.  For some it is being in touch with nature.  For others it is being in touch with self, and for still others it is being in touch with “something greater than themselves.”  For the purposes of this book, spirituality refers to centeredness and centeredness refers to one’s relationship with God.  Regardless of one’s religious affiliation we all have a need to be in touch with God.  This is not intended to be a “religious” book.  On the contrary, it is intended to help individuals to come out of religiosity and to come to the truth of their existence.

The information provided and the stress management techniques presented are intended to help individuals better understand the mechanisms of stress, their specific responses to stress, potential contributors to their stress responses, and to learn methods for better managing their stress responses.  One must be centered in order to accomplish the calm that comes with managing stress, effectively, while confronted with stressful situations.

So, I begin Chapter 1 with a discussion of the significant roles of attitude and perception in the experience and interpretation of stressful situations. The chapter also encourages readers to assess their own attitudes and perceptions – towards life.

Chapter 2 is a discusses how the body works by