Your Everyday Guide to Stress Management

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

There’s no denying that we all experience stress in our day-to-day lives. While small doses of stress are good for us, it can cause big problems when it gets piled onto us.

For those of us who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, there is hope. And yes, it’s possible to transform from a stressed worrier to a stress warrior. But where do we start? And what are some ways to control stress—and not let it control us?

Audience Questions

In this session, Dr. Chris Palmer provides tips on stress management, shares ways to reshape our stress reactions, and answers audience questions about stress.

  • Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably. Can you define the difference between stress and anxiety?
  • How can we best determine if we are experiencing burnout? What are a few key questions we can ask ourselves or symptoms to look for that can lead us to know if that may be an issue?
  • Many people are in situations with challenging family lives and stressful work environments. What can we do to alleviate and help manage stress regarding situations we cannot help being in?
  • How does stress affect our breathing? If we feel stressed and notice a difference in our breathing, what should we do?
  • Any other tips for stress management that don’t involve yoga or deep breathing?
  • How can we better help our patients lean into their fears? And is there a name for the therapy regarding facing stressors with a therapist?
  • Would you be able to provide an example of facing and tolerating a stress trigger?
  • I am sometimes in a position where I speak in front of a room full of people. I’ve unfortunately had more than one panic attack while doing so. Do you have any suggestions for when people find themselves in situations like this?
  • How does diet affect stress?
  • How do we address the people in our lives who tell us to take deep breaths and move on? I don’t want to shame people, but at the same time, it would be nice if they were able to accept that their responses are not helpful.

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Resources

You may find this additional information helpful:

About Dr. Palmer

For over 20 years, Christopher M. Palmer, MD, has focused his clinical work on treatment-resistant cases, and recently he has been pioneering the use of the ketogenic diet in psychiatry, especially treatment-resistant cases of mood and psychotic disorders. He is currently the director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Learn more about Dr. Palmer.

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Originally aired on January 7, 2021