Resilience in my humble opinion will help to reduce stress. That might mean to change some attitude towards life, but I think it is worth it. The seven pillars of resilience are: acceptance, to leave the situation of victomhood, result orientated, taking responsibility, optimistic, future orientated, network orientated.

If you look at these pillars and realise which have to be stressed, I think the stress will reduce, because you decide which way things will go.

In addition it might help to have a look at the five pillars of wellness. Those are: emotional wellness, physical wellness, spiritual wellness, social wellness and familiy wellness.

Proper communication of feelings without using toxic language and discussion of concerns with the rest of the team can help a lot in reducing stress in medicine.

I agree with Rola.Mere introspection of one's own feelings,making conscious efforts to eliminate precipitating ego,always being in the role of a teacher/learner/collaborator certainly facilitates self growth.If one chooses to walk up the path of Maslow's heirarachy to achieve self actualization, each moment becomes "Good Bye Stress". Quick Yoga Breathing Techniques are also short lived.

Using color, light, sound and smart design for calming energy environments. Additionally, integrating stress management techniques such as breathing, exercising and proper nutrition throughout the day can alleviate most of the stress. I would also agree with Rola regarding the sensitivity surrounding one's feelings by remembering how yourself would feel if spoken to poorly.

My friend, Dr. Paul Getty used a trick : say to yourself " Relax, Relax, Relax." 3 times.

If the practitioner is stressed it can adversely affect patient care , or the properfocus on research at hand.

Are you talking about stress at work place? Simple stretching and breathing exercises will help to overcome. Being healthy overall is a necessary prerequisite for everyone!

I recommend the understanding of Emotional Intelligence , a concept popularized by Goleman and good old meditation with yoga. Great for destressing is just get out of your desk and walk, walk every day, walk alone or walk with somebody u care about .Great discussion Sonali Vadi

It is very easy to say ..... Relax and go for Yoga etc. But before that let us confirm that which type of stress is? Severity of stress etc. Then first of all go for Ayurveda because in Ayurveda some plants are mentioned to reduce stress For ex. Jatamnasi (N. Jatamansi) Brahmi (B. monnierri) Mandukparni (C.asiatica)etc. Also some procedurs are mentioned under haedin PANCHKARMA means internal body purification, To reduce stress Shirodhara and Shiribasti these two are specially mentioned for stress so try for this with Yoga

It is very easy to say ..... Relax and go for yoga etc.But first of all see which type of stree is ? What is the severity? Etc Becuase in Ayurveda some plants are mentioned, which reducess the stress strin etc. For ex. Jatamansi (N. jatamansi), Brahmi(Bacopa monnieri) Mandukiparni (Centela asiatica) etc. But just we have to know the exact root cause. Also there is one pocedure mentioned in Ayurveda known as Shirodhara and Shirobasti etc.

As a result of the endocrine hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis the release of cortisol and adrenaline is in part mediated by prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) and its precursor is arachidonic acid, an omega three oil. If you eat more omega three oils, its congener is a tenth as effective (PgE3). You'll notice the butterflies in stomach going away also. Trans fats can also disrupt the natural order of things. Works for me and those who I've counseled. Doing this also does a lot more for stabilizing mental states. Oh yes, tryptophan can be good for hypothalamic control. Best food sources are okra, cashews, beets, dates, figs or try 5-HTP from Griffonia simplicifolia plant (seeds). Turns right into serotonin.

My personal experience in stress management for a healer and researcher is the eat right-sleep right-have positive attitude. the stress produced by the negativity around and within us is only countered by the positivity which we generate and retain in ourselves whether it be physical or spiritual.

I agree with Saurabh Srivastava, with eating right and sleeping right, and from the Ayurvedic perspective, using Pranayama (breathwork ) techniques one can calm the nervous system easily without drugs. This is due to the effects of the exhalation on the parasympathetic nervous system, which is calming.

Alternatively, the effects of the inhalation on the sympathetic nervous system are stimulating. This is supported by a review of basic Anatomy and Physiology studies on the nervous system.

Try epsom bath

agree to Saurabh Srivastava as for "countered by the positivity which we generate and retain in ourselves". You can't avoid stress either in medicine or in life, but what you can do is - change your attitude. Since even "Father of Stress" said: “I cannot and should not be cured of my stress, but merely taught to enjoy it.” — Hans Selye

Visit a massage therapist in the mountains for a full body massage in an entranced ambient setting with air of new age tunes and notes of sandalwood. Oxytocin will then do the trick .

I also enjoy reading through the publications on this website. It allows me to collect myself while sparkling new ideas in the depths of what I think I am.

To assist patients in managing stress (which is ubiquitous for all of us), the patient must be supported to implement life-style changes -- good, restorative sleep (based on the patient's implementing your sleep hygiene recommendations/habits), diet & nutrition, and regular exercise. But remember, when the patient says they have "stress," it is important to determine how it is affecting them, in terms psychologic symptoms, and in terms of how their "stress" is affecting their live -- what they can't do because of it, etc. This means a thorough psychosocial history and a good mental status examination. If there are significant, impairing and persistent problems with anxiety, depression, anger outbursts, or problems with EtOH or substance use, one should determine if a mental health disorder is present. If the clinician is not comfortable pursuing that line of inquiry, referral to a mental health specialist should be considered.

It is important to avoid medical errors, one of omission rather than commission: i.e., the clinician who is unable or unwilling to pursue this line of inquiry is unwittingly violating the medical maxim "primum non nocere" - do not harm - by implicitly reinforcing and supporting the patient's avoidance of dealing with the psychological symptoms in their lives, that if expertly addressed by accurate diagnosis and treatment, can make a difference in their functional outcomes and "stress"-related symptoms.

This is also the breeding ground for quackery -- the charismatic doctor who charms the patient into believing that they have "the cure", and about the whom the patient believes - "he/she is really cares," and that he/she has found "the answer". The "answer" is in fact never a cure, and the patient's improvement is in fact minimal, based on that individual's empathy and placebo effects.

Yoga and Ayurveda are complementary to each other. For psychological stress Yogic therapies are more suitable. Also, Ayurveda has Pancha karma therapy in relieving the stress.

Say to yourself " This too will pass away", and start engaging in other actions that involve both physical and mental activities like cleaning the house, washing dishes, gardening, beekeeping, talking to your wife, children, neighbors and friends. And of course start to ponder on the purpose of living on this planet earth. Where do we come from ? what are we doing here ? and finally where are we going to ?

I'm still a medical student, starting my last year of school, so take my input with a grain of salt. So far the best coping mechanism for me has been working hard to preserve a hint of balance in my life. For me that means exercising, trying to get to the gym or run at least 3 times a week, and taking time to catch up with friends (even if it means losing a little sleep). Also, sometimes it is too easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day issues of practicing medicine. At those times I find it helpful to take a step back and remember the bigger picture of why I'm becoming a physician.

Try using vibroacoustic therapy.

Vitamin C 1000 mg / day has been shown to decrease stress indicators, increased cortisol levels and adrenalin. Also Theanine appears very effective with 3 week course of 400 mg per day and thereafter according to need. B-comlplex 1,6 and 12 as well as inositol 2000-4000 mg per day relieve stress induced sleeping disorders.

I do not understand the question. What is unhealthy compettion? You can have a lot of stress in medicine without compettion - and this stress can be very negative! But in medicine you can have compettion with 'positive stress', that motivates you doing a lot of work without having the feeling of being 'stressed'. So competition is not negative, I think, but it is the way we cope with these situations.

I think one should deal with stress in medicine exactly like one should deal with stress anywhere:

1. Reduce stressors

2. reduce mental stress enhancement (with methods like MBSR)

3. increase palliative treatment (like go jogging, offer free access to a nearby fitness center )

4. Monitor stress level (like by measuring absentism) and feed back to management.

i dont think medical stress could be simply referred to any other stress...in any medical field there is pressure and we have to be skilled and knowledgeable about what we do to avoid complications....but it can be reduced : social life, zumba, enjoying what we do, knowing to what limits we can perform and most of all sharing workloads with colleagues..

Resilience in my humble opinion will help to reduce stress. That might mean to change some attitude towards life, but I think it is worth it. The seven pillars of resilience are: acceptance, to leave the situation of victomhood, result orientated, taking responsibility, optimistic, future orientated, network orientated.

If you look at these pillars and realise which have to be stressed, I think the stress will reduce, because you decide which way things will go.

In addition it might help to have a look at the five pillars of wellness. Those are: emotional wellness, physical wellness, spiritual wellness, social wellness and familiy wellness.

Hi, If its related to unhealthy competition, one should always remember that ones work and perseverance is what matters at the end. Continue doing your good work and always analyze what improvement you have made as compared to yesterday. You will always feel better. Also if you wont take care of yourself, who will take care of patients!

Well said Harita, I know some Doctors who have not swayed with the flow of unhealthy and adulterated practice and may be have not reached the heights matching the competitive world, but at the end of the day have peaceful sleep and a stress free satisfactory life. Being truthful to self and serving with dignity matters a lot, may it be any profession.