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Managing the Stress in Your Life
Simple changes in your lifestyle may help reduce the amount of stress you are feeling, which may in turn help to reduce the frequency of your outbreaks. Here are some tips on how to manage your stress:
- If you find yourself getting angry often and easily, try the following to help manage your negative feelings:
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At the first twinge of anger, count to 10 and then take 3 to 4 slow, deep breaths. |
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If someone says or does something that bothers you, talk about it calmly. |
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If you can, take a short walk until you calm down. |
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Distract yourself with something else such as listening to music. |
- If you are feeling tense, try progressive muscle relaxation to reduce muscle tension. Lie down in a quiet room with your arms at your sides. Tighten the muscles in your face for 5 seconds, and then relax. Tighten your shoulder, arm, and hand muscles, and then relax. Continue doing this with all the muscles in your body, from your head to your toes. Finally, lie still and breathe slowly. Progressive muscle relaxation can relieve stress symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety.
- Spend more time with loved ones and friends. Researchers have proven that strong relationships reduce anxiety. Open up to a friend or loved one and talk about what is stressful for you.
- Getting enough rest is important. If you are having trouble sleeping:
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Take a warm bath about an hour before bedtime |
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Keep a regular schedule of going to sleep and waking up at the same time, including during the weekend |
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Try not to skimp on sleep |
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Establish a good sleeping condition such as a cool dark room |
- Counseling and support groups are often recommended to deal with the emotional and psychological stress of having genital herpes.
Stress Management Techniques
Many people respond well to stress reduction and relaxation techniques. Some popular techniques include:
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Massage—soft tissue structures of the body are manipulated to prevent and lessen pain, discomfort, and muscle spasm, along with promoting health and wellness |
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Meditation—concentrated focus on a sound, object, or visualization to reduce stress and promote relaxation |
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Yoga—physical and mental exercises to achieve self-transcendence or enlightenment |
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Tai chi—ancient Chinese exercise to promote health and relaxation benefits |
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Hypnotherapy—treatment that uses hypnotism or induced prolonged sleep to achieve relaxation and relieve stress |
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Acupressure—a form of touch therapy in which finger pressure is used to alter the energy flow in the body |
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Acupuncture—sharp, thin needles are inserted in the body at very specific points to alter the energy flow in the body |
Talk to your doctor about the different stress management tools that are available. He or she may be able to recommend the most effective one for you, along with a healthcare practitioner who is trained, certified, or licensed in a specific therapy.
Get tips on talking to your partner/family about genital herpes
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