Depending on the individual this will mean different things. For many this entails practicing more effective time management, for others it means learning to improve communication skills, building more effective relationships, or finding more appropriate personal goals. The first step of any stress management program should be to eliminate unneccessary stress - to reduce or modify existing stressors. We will examine a variety of strategies to work in this area. Selye was fond of saying that stress never killed anyone but our thinking is capable of doing so.
Some people are prefectionist, some are worriers, some are excessively hostile.
Beacuse of their thinking and personalities these individuals become their own worst enimies. Changing the way one thinks about issues can be very difficult but this can also be the most rewarding area of intervention. Techniques of cognitive restructuring are employed at this level. If one is not able to change or remove the stressor, and they are not completely able to change their thinking about that stressor, then they must learn to physically relax their body. Emotional arousal interventions involve a host of relaxation techniques.