Contents
Introduction 7
Part 1 Understanding stress: What is stress and how might it affect you? 9
1 Why worry about stress? 11
2 What is stress? 19
3 When does stress start to become a problem? 28
4 The physical impact of stress 39
5 The emotional impact of stress 48
6 Why are you reading this book? 58
Part 2 All about you: What makes some people particularly vulnerable to stress? 67
7 I feel, therefore I am! Emotions and how they relate to stress 69
8 Anxiety: fighting the fires 80
9 Personality and stress 89
10 I think, therefore I am! Thinking styles, stress and creating emotional bonfires 99
11 Self-esteem: knowing who you are 111
Part 3 Here and now: How to deal with a high-stress life 125
12 What if you are at crisis point (or fear it might be just round the corner)? 127
13 What to do - and what not to do! 137
14 Emotional gardening 147
15 Learning how to relax 158
16 Fitting relaxation into your life 167
17 Dealing with sleep problems 176
Conclusion 186
Notes 188