Have you ever faced a difficult situation in which you felt crippled by stress and anxiety? We have all been there. It is important to remember that the next time you confront a difficult situation, it does not need to play out in the same way. In the words of the late Stephen Covey, “Live out your imagination, not your history.”

How does Stress Inoculation work?

By practicing picturing yourself being relaxed in a situation that would normally create stress for you, you can take control of your feelings. There are times for us all when stressful situations are unavoidable, but if they are beginning to have an effect on your physical or mental health, then this is the time to change your behavior and attitude to them.

When you are relaxed, begin by remembering what it is in the moment of the stressful situation that makes you anxious, tense or non-assertive. Identify those specific triggers or cues, so that you can acknowledge them objectively. Picture yourself confronted with them and remaining calm and not affected.
 
How to practise Stress Inoculation?

There are two steps to this technique:

1. Revisit and recognize the stressful situation – what was it that made you angry at the that moment? What was the comment that made you feel insecure? What was it that made you feel you were unable to cope? This requires a great deal of openness and honesty with yourself. Sometimes, you go into the situation feeling defeated – self defeating internal dialog patterns also must be addressed.

2. At the end of one your deep relaxation sessions, when you feel totally chilled and calm, imagine the up and coming stressful situation. Imagine yourself being able to say and do whatever was needed – think positively. If old, negative patterns of thought or feelings come up, acknowledge them, and just simply go back to your place of calm. When you practice like this in the deep relaxation state, it is easier to carry this through to the actual real-life situation.

How often?

You can utilize this technique whenever you are going to be confronted with a situation you usually feel stressful in. Perhaps you are a public speaker who gets terrible heartburn before a big presentation, or you are a teacher who experiences headaches before taking a particular class  – the day before the event, use meditation or other targeted breathing techniques to enable you to enter that deep relaxation state. Then in your minds eye imagine yourself in that situation, dealing with it appropriately and calmly, and all being well.

Tips and caveats:

 – Using this technique will sometimes get you thinking about special problems in your life. Be prepared for that.

 – Perhaps involve a friend if you feel you can’t imagine the stressful situation going well – other people deal with the same situation in very different ways.

 – Some people use this technique to think about the past, and past feeling and behaviors, and that of the future.