Recovering from Stressful Events

There are many things you can do to help yourself recover from stressful situations. First, you can resume your regular, healthful habits. Eat well, start exercising again, get enough sleep, and reach out to other people to love and be loved.

In addition, you can start practicing relaxation/visualization techniques twice a day. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mental imaging, and meditation help your body return to a more normal, healthy state after intense or prolonged stress.

How you think about what happens to you is just as important as what actually happens. Pay attention to the words you use to tell yourself the story of your life. Consciously choose to interpret events so that you’re as optimistic as possible, interrupt negative and self-destructive thoughts, and banish negative images. Pay attention to the specifics of your situation so that you don’t make the mistake of generalizing your distress.