It is now recognized that, “… the infectious diseases have been replaced as major causes of death by the so-called degenerative diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease.” but one might argue the cause to be non-degenerative, and possibly psychopathological. Considering that the recognized major ‘killers’ of modern society are cancerous and cardiovascular in nature, and furthermore that chronic stress, both directly and indirectly, contributes significantly to both of these issues, one immediately has to acknowledge the importance of the inclusion of all relevant education to all forms of learning curricula. Not only is it necessary to study psychological stress in order to understand the mechanisms of these major complications, but all treatment of its associated physiological pathologies will in essence be highly ineffective if these psychosocial stress related roots are not dealt with.
The good news lies in the fact that so many very effective tools are available in the treatment of stress and its relatives and so one should emphasize a multi-disciplinary approach. Exercise and nutrition have been found to have antidepressant, stress resistant and immune boosting effects. Mindfulness based therapies, meditation, reading, yoga, pranayama, Tai Chi and Qigong are among some more therapies that have all been proven time and time again to directly combat stress as well as its extensive list of side effects extremely effectively. Insufficient knowledge or inadequate treatment are not to blame, rather it is a lack of the incorporation of the wisdom that has already been practiced for millenia.
Lets calm down, lets get breathing.