Stress Relief Meds

[TenDreams]

Apologies if there are already posts on this, but my searches didn't come up with any...

I am looking for any kind of OTC stress relief, preferably natural and nothing heavy. I know absolutely nothing about this, but I need an alternative to booze. I think I have seen 'stress tab' type things in the pharmacists, does anybody know what this is, and if it works? Or know of anything else?

I work out almost everyday, and never used to drink during the week, but that seems to be the only thing that helps at the moment...

EDIT: It's work related.

Edited November 12, 2008 by TenDreams

[Soulwy]

Can't help you with that...

Have you ever tried acupuncture? Valerian tincture? Yoga, massage?

I assume having an other work/lifestyle is not possible right now?

[phaethon]

I assume having an other work/lifestyle is not possible right now?

Seriously, address the cause not the symptoms.

[Sheryl]

The standard "natural" remedy is Valerian but you may find it hard to lcoate in Thailand.

I think the "stress tabs" in the pharmacies are jusdt hiogh potency vits/mionerals, not meant for mental stress per se. They won't hurt though and if as a result of your stress you aren't eating properly, may help. Deficiencies of the B vitamions and also Magnesium will make you edgy so either be sure you are eating a balanced diet or take a good supplement.

Traditional Thai massges (body or just foot) also very helpful altghough of course the stress will re-accumulate.

A course of meditation will help you get at the root of ther stress reaction if you're willing to nvest the time.

Good luck

[TenDreams]

Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately I don't have much time to look into yoga etc at the moment, but I would like to when/if I ever have time.

I looked at the stress tabs yesterday, agree, just appear to be vitamins.

Guess it's just a rough phase at work....the cause is pretty clear, but there's not a lot that can be done about it right now.

Thanks again.

[samuibeachcomber]

even if your very busy work wise or under extreme pressure at work try and find 5 or 10miutes just to sit in a quiet place and relax by taking deep regular breaths.that can help.

[girlx]

try passion flower extract. a pharmacist in malaysia recommended it to me as an alternative to xanax. it is not as strong as xanax but for an herb it works pretty well. i have a bottle from a company called solaray, i take 330 mg x 3 when i need to chill the f out. otherwise try deep breathing exercises (look up alternate nostril breathing) and yoga, which have also helped me immensely in the past. you could also go get a prescription for xanax but i have known too many pill junkies in my life to recommend that to any but the worst cases.

[AlexLah]

How about terminating your contract?

I was in a similair state some time ago.

Terminated my contract.

As if a wheight of 1000 Kilo felt off.

I know, a bit drastic but sometimes that's the best.

I could no longer deal with all the moronic incompetence of the top management and them just laughing at me when I was pointing out all their mistakes.

Buggers...

[girlx]

or convince them that you can telecommute

[AlexLah]

Girl-X,

That might not be the solution.

OP, could you give a litlle bit more info as to why you are stressed and what the influence of your work is related to your stress?

- Is it long working times

- Meeting deadlines

- Poor management

Any other?

The good thing is that you recognise that you are in severe stress.

For example I only found out after I finished my contract that a lot of the problems I had where related to my job.

What you could do in any case is ask for 1 or 2 months unpaid leave and tell to your management that you need some time to solve some domestic problems.

It will give you some time to get yourself back together and think about things.

That is what I should have done.

Alex

[girlx]

well switching to telecommuting (rather than ending the job) worked very well for me. i have a lot of freedom and work on my own terms. i actually do better work this way as well so my clients love me.

[JSixpack]

If you're resorting to alcohol now, I don't see what your objection to prescription meds might be.

[Neeranam]

Take 10 min out and watch a Youtube vdo.

This is the most powerful yoga I've ever learned:-

http://www.bkwsu.com//whereweare/center

[percy2]

Do you exercise in the morning?

Try switching to the evening.

I've found that I suffer much less stress than I used to and also sleep much better and most importantly drink much less. I must admit I now work out first thing and again about 6pm.

Alcohol will actually increase your stress levels when you are not pissed.

Cheers

[TenDreams]

Do you exercise in the morning?

Try switching to the evening.

I've found that I suffer much less stress than I used to and also sleep much better and most importantly drink much less. I must admit I now work out first thing and again about 6pm.

Alcohol will actually increase your stress levels when you are not pissed.

Cheers

Just as an update...

Well, I work out in the gym when I can (usually mid-day), but never any time for much before work or after (12 hour work days, not a job that can be done by telecommuting).

I would love to find the term to learn meditation techniques or Tai Chi, maybe next year...

I started taking high dosage vitamins, stopped drinking booze, and have reformatted my work system/got a helper in.

This has helped a lot...things are working out at the moment.

Cheers.

[mommysboy]

Apologies if there are already posts on this, but my searches didn't come up with any...

I am looking for any kind of OTC stress relief, preferably natural and nothing heavy. I know absolutely nothing about this, but I need an alternative to booze. I think I have seen 'stress tab' type things in the pharmacists, does anybody know what this is, and if it works? Or know of anything else?

I work out almost everyday, and never used to drink during the week, but that seems to be the only thing that helps at the moment...

EDIT: It's work related.

I do sympathise OP but think that the long term answer lies in developing a less stressful life, in which the giggle juice is just an enhancer to a pleasant evening. In fact I may be in a similar prescription. Of course rest and sleep, and good recreation is the medicine.

I think I'm right in saying there is no OTC medicine, and any 'prescription type' medicine is not to be taken with alcohol.

Something like Actifed,Suledin acts as a mild sedative/anti anxiety pill, but that may need a doctor's note in UK/US.

[Sheryl]

In Thailand, the mild tranquilizer Atarax is sold over the country (close relative of Vistaril, a prescrioption only mild tranquilizer in US). It is actually both an antihistamine and mild tranquilizer; the 10mg dosage is antihistimaine and 25 mg are for anxiety or insomnia (insomnia dose can be 25- 50 tabs). Main side effect is dry mouth and, just like prescription tranqs, abolsutely cannot be taken with alcohol nor should even the low does be taken if driving a car or moto (unless taken only at bedtime with 8-10 hours between then and when you drive).

It has a good safety margin for people without allergy or other underlying condition (e.g. liver or kidnet disease), but safety for long term use has not been established; it is meant for just occasdional or short term use. Basically a stop gap measure until you can correct the underlying cause.

Basically there are 2 sides to the stress equation: the stress factors and how you respond to them.

Good diet, exercise, enough recreation are all helpful in increasing your threshold in terms of how much stress you can take without short-circuiting. Meditation can make an enrmous difference and increase your ability to face what would previously have been very stressful situations without forming a stress reaction.

On the stress factor side of the equation, a very simple approach I have twice used when I began to feel really stressed out: make a list of all the stress factors in your life right now. Then go through each one and identify what, if anything, you could do to eliminate that stress factor. Then go through those that you identified as possible to eliminate and select at least one to act on. Even if you jettison just one stress trigger this may be enough to get the total back to what you can handle without overload. Sort of like removing the straw that broke the camel's back.

Short-term therapy can help work both sides of the equation: it can help you identify the stressors in your life and decide what, if anything, you can do about them, and it can also help you improve how you respond to them.

Lastly re insomnia: be sure to eliminate or reduce caffeine (intake of which often accomopanies high stress jobs), and if it is still a problem understand that this is a warning sign from your body and mind to you that it feels under threat, all is not well. Nature has designed us so that we are only able to fall asleep when we are safe and there is no danger that we need to be vigilant about, for obvious reasons. In the course of human evolution the threats have changed in nature and complexity and are far less obvious than the sabre toothed tiger of yore, but the basic principkle still applies. You can;t sleep because your mind at some level perecives a threat to your well-being and your body responds to this by going into a hyperalert mode which is incompatible with sleep. Take an OTC or herbal or even precription remedy if you must to get through the night, but don't fail to heed the warning and get to the bottom of it and resolve it.