Stress Test

I hit the wall today. Yep. A full-on head first crash into the wall of no return - or at least it feels that way.

The pressure of work and church responsibilities, family worries, and school concerns all combined to overload my brain to the point of undiluted frustration. No amount of chocolate, Diet Coke, or other comfort food could, in fact, comfort me.

Funny. My melt down comes as I'm reading Chrsty Matta's book, "The Stress Response." Matta claims it's not stress that's bad for us. It's our bodies reaction to stress that's bad for us.



Duh. I could tell you that even before I bought the book. And I'm not even a therapist.

My current stress relief comes in two main forms - food and hiking. Not necessarily in that order. And when those two fail me then I'm really in deep trouble.

Matta says when you're stressed you need to take an inventory of how you're feeling. What's happening with your body? How are you breathing? Are you hot or cold? Jumpy? Washed out?

Then she says you should take inventory of your head. Not whether or not it's still on your shoulders, but what's happening in your brain. What are you thinking about? Are your thoughts rushing through your brain like a freight train? Do they jump from one subject to another? I don't know what I'm supposed to do after I take these notes. Maybe wad them up and throw them at someone or something. I guess I learn that when I read a little farther in the book.

I know the book is based on using DBT skills - or dialectical behavior therapy. I know a little about DBT because one of my colleagues, Craig Smith at Discovery Ranch, uses it with his troubled teen clients. It's something about being mindful and letting choices, not emotions, govern your actions. I don't know much about DBT but Craig's the therapist, not me.

Tomorrow I'll probably feel better. I'll clean off my desk, dust off my determination, and shift the kaleidoscope of my emotions just enough to make me see my world in a different light.

Right now I'm wishing I had a brownie to go with my Gatorade. And it's way too hot for a hike. If you've got a better stress reliever, please share! Just do so at a safe distance.