Module Content

Segment One – Introduction

• An overview of the module
• Why it’s essential to know how stress and anxiety loops work

Segment Two – An overview of the stress process

• Five major ways the stress response can be triggered
• How all five trigger a release of adrenalin and other chemicals and hormones
• How the release of adrenalin, etc., results in the body preparing itself for physical action
• Details of some of the physical changes that occur
• The three different ways people may perceive the physical changes that occur: neutral, positive and negative
• Why taking a neutral (it’s ok, this is normal) approach avoids stress loops
• Why viewing the physical changes positively also avoids stress loops

Segment Three – Stress loops and panic attacks

• Why a knowledge of stress loops can prevent panic attacks from occurring
• An example of how panic attacks can occur
• How worrying about the physical responses that may be occurring, eg. a racing or palpitating heart, triggers the stress loops process
• Why trying to take a deep breath when you are feeling very stressed is often disastrous
• The rationale for focusing on breathing out not in
• The high percentage of people rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack who were actually having a panic attack
• How it’s possible for the symptoms people experience when having panic attacks differ from person to person

Segment Four – Avoid trying to take direct control

• Why telling your heart to slow down when it’s racing is often disastrous
• The fact that physical responses such as heart rate, trembling hands, etc. are under subconscious, not conscious control
• A quick exercise that demonstrates the difference between direct control and indirect control
• How to use indirect control to moderate our physical symptoms

Segment Five – Stress and anxiety loops

• How ‘high speed’ trips around the loop generates panic attacks
• How ‘low speed’ trips around the loops generates anxiety based problems
• The link between stress and anxiety loops and chronic fatigue
• Why people placed on stress leave often get worse, not better
• Why the symptoms that a person notices and worries about become the symptoms that develop
• How it is possible for people who are not particularly stressed to suddenly get trapped into a stress loop
• An irritable bowel syndrome example
• Why understanding the stress and anxiety loop process is the ‘foundation stone’ for overcoming stress and anxiety related problems