The "Fight or Flight" response was first proposed by Walter Cannon in 1929. It basically states that all animals, when confronted with a stressful situation, will either fight the proposed threat or flee. 

Unfortunately, human beings (we animals) have unwittingly continued to increase our own stressful environments via constant communication, population growth, environmental degradation, etc. We keep our minds in a constant "fight" posture that drains our physical and mental resources.

Western civilization, (that's us again), has also embedded in our way of thinking an aggressive stance to life or it's injustices, by always wanting "to fight" to solve the issue at hand. We "fight" cancer, zoning ordinances, sports contests, extradition, city/state/US laws, job titles, child custody, and on and on. Everything seems to be a battle and we are in a perpetual defensive or offensive position-
The "Battle of the Bands", "Battle of the sexes"etc.

In the early days of civilization, people could move away from stressful situations or other people without much fuss. However, with our overpopulated and totally wired earth, we now have the ability to see and talk to anyone anywhere in the world, whenever we like. This supposed improved communication network has drastically reduced our options for fleeing. Matter of fact a recent study stated that the average person checks their cellphones over 150 times per day and on vacations.

Is it any wonder that we all are facing increased levels of self imposed stress which has led to "heart disease" as the number one killer of both men and women. Neuroscience experts believe humans have reached the upper limits of future physical brain expansion in our skulls and we are running "21st" Century software that continues to increase the need for a bigger brain. Physics will tell you that this convergence will create even more serious mental/physical issues with the increased stress levels.

So what to do? First, step back and evaluate your daily life patterns and see if you can find time to "detach" from it all. Take your vacation time with no communication devices. Learn how to relax both mentally and physically. Take a walk.Devote one day for yourself and do not watch tv, listen to radio, or talk on the phone/read text messages. Unplug for one day and see how better you will feel. Make it a habit because we are all in the fourth quarter of life and we know we will lose this game. So, relax and have fun.

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"You've got your troubles, I've got mine!"

No truer words were ever spoken than the title of the 60's hit song made popular by the Fortunes.

 

It has significance to all lost souls battling stress, anxiety or depression. We seem to wrap ourselves in self pity and feel sorry for ourselves, when the other person is probably or likely going through a rougher patch than you. When you walk down the street or look out of the car or office window at other people, try to imagine what may be bothering them. Allow some empathy to enter your world, for we are all on the same planet for just a brief period of time and we all experience life's challenges.

 

It is probably fair to say that there have been millions or even billions of people that have come before us that have experienced the same, if not worse, situations that you may be going through at this time.

 

Some of our fore fathers allowed their "illness" to take over their lives and remained miserable until they passed on, sometimes at their own calling. Others learned how to cope and have gone on to accomplish wonderful things for themselves and others.

Abraham Lincoln fought clinical depression all his life, and if he were alive today, his condition would be treated as a "character issue"—that is, as a political liability. His condition was indeed a character issue: it gave him the tools to save the nation. He also lost his son and his wife went "bonkers" with the loss of their child.

 

Lincoln is a great role model for handling intense stress and melancholy. He battled his demons and losses with humor and logic to bring the US together and release the grip of servitude to help make us all better.

 

If you can step back from your issues and see all of  humanity having their own struggles, it helps put your issues in context of the bigger picture. It will help lessen your fears, so you can, with confidence, control or eliminate your "demons" and learn to deal with them in a healthy, constructive manner.

 

Come see us at www.stressless.com