Work with nature to alleviate stress

Businesses with a highly stressed workforce manifest reduced levels of creative risk-taking, let opportunities pass them by, waste energy on ineffective communications and have increased industrial relations problems.

This we already know. But a new book by Dublin-based stress management consultant, Dr Pradeep K. Chadha, takes a refreshingly broad yet practical look at the effect of stress on the human spirit and how it can be calmed.

Divided into three parts, the first part of The Stress Barrier - Nature's Way to Overcoming Stress looks at nature's role in life; the second at the person in a state of stress; while the final section explores the "de-stressed state".

In looking at nature's role in life, part one considers topics like working with nature, acceptance and respect, emotions, and animate and inanimate worlds.

It considers what the author regards as the principles of nature, namely the principles of freedom of choice, balance, least effort, "temporariness", cause and effect, life and death, responsibility for self and what he calls the spiritual basis of life.

Part two looks at the physiological basis of stress, including, for instance, the role of the nervous system, physical and mental stress, stressors and the "mind-body connection" in stress.

It explores how stress affects perception, thinking, memory, behaviour and emotion.

It considers what it calls the cycle of stress, surveys the all-too-familiar signs of stress, argues that stress is infectious and suggests how we can diminish it.

There is an exploration of the long-term effects of stress. Areas covered include: physical and psychosomatic illness, mental illness, addictions, weight problems and eating disorders, abuse, complaining and blaming, obsessions, its effects on child rearing, and the part played by stress in religious and political fanaticism and racism.

Affairs in the workplace, family life, decision-making, corruption, the relationship between stress and de-stress, the words we use and the advantages of stress are also explored.

Part three looks at the longterm effects of a de-stressed state, including spirituality, acceptance, open-mindedness, abundance, wisdom, self-discipline, freedom of spirit, adaptability, humility, physical and mental health, optimism and positive thinking and growth.

This final section also looks at "slowing down and stopping", resources for de-stressing, "having a holiday every day of our lives", how physical exercise reduces stress and economical ways of de-stressing ourselves.

The book concludes with 17 simple exercises, some of which, if regularly practised, can bring calmness, says the author.

It is a highly stimulating read and its intermingling with scientific thought communicated simply for the lay reader is admirable, such as his take on Einstein's hypothesis that energy and matter are inter-convertible: "We, who are animate, are made from inanimate objects. We, in time, will get converted into inanimate elements and objects again."

The author's argument is always to work with nature. By being aware of what he regards as the principles of nature, we can de-stress.

For instance, on his principle of least effort, he says: "We need very little effort to achieve great things in life. Whatever effort we spend over and above what is needed is a waste."

Or, on the principle of temporariness, he says: "Everything in this universe changes. . . So happiness and unhappiness are changeable moments in our lives. Acceptance of this fact makes our lives easier. . . Sadness, if allowed to go, never lasts forever."

Thought-provoking panels are found throughout the book. For example, "Rule of Thumb: We can afford to be under stress for some of the days most of the time, for most of the days some of the time but we need to do something definite when we feel stressed most of the days, most of the time."

Dr Chadha is crystal clear about who to blame or complain to if we feel stressed: "The responsibility of dealing with our stresses and our internal stressors rests with us."

And whether we're happy or unhappy, that too is down to us: "The responsibility for our happiness or unhappiness lies within our own selves."

One very simple way to distress is to move from using words like "don't", "do", "should", "must" and "won't" and make a habit of using "maybe", "can", "could", "possibility" and "perhaps".

The former list betrays mental rigidity, which will create stress for the speaker and the listener, while the latter list is less authoritarian and creates a distressed state when used.

Dr Pradeep K. Chadha, The Stress Barrier - Nature's Way to Overcoming Stress, Blackhall Publishing, 1999, £12.99. Joe Armstrong is at jmarms@irish-times.ie