Learn to identify stress
It is essential to be able to identify stress before you can
do something about it. Sometimes stress makes itself completely obvious, such
as when you are stuck in traffic and late for an appointment, or your dystonia
symptoms suddenly worsen at the most inconvenient moment. But sometimes we get
so accustomed to the pressures of everyday life and the added demands of living
with a chronic disorder that we don’t realize how stressed we really are. One
technique for assessing your own stress levels is to imagine a “Stress Scale”
that measures from 1 to 100. One is the calmest and most relaxed you could be,
and 100 is the highest extreme of fright and panic, equal to how you’d feel
during a major catastrophe. Ask yourself how you feel at this moment—where are
you on this scale? This may give you a new insight into how you are feeling.
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