Stress, let it go. When you feel chronically stressed, we need support. Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, shares top expert tips on what stress management looks like.
About the person:
Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch is a resident specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy at the Areion Competence Center in Neu-Ulm, focusing on the treatment of stress-related illnesses. Previously, she worked in various inpatient facilities, e.g., the University Hospital of Ulm, the Kilchberg Sanatorium in Switzerland, and the Center for Psychiatry in Ravensburg. She also completed training as a business coach at CIP Munich. In addition to her therapeutic work, she offers seminars and workshops for companies. Her key topics include burnout prevention, healthy employee management, and resilience building.
How do I achieve balance in everyday life?
In general, it is important to allow the body a balance between activation and regeneration. In everyday life, however, we often "rush" through the week without taking a breather. We then demand that our body "quickly" switch off and recharge its batteries on the weekend. Unfortunately, this is unrealistic, as the alternation between activation and regeneration should ideally take place every single day.
What are the sources of strength?
I therefore always discuss with my patients how important it is to know and cultivate personal resources (sources of strength). These can be divided into 3 areas. First, there are the "WHAT resources" (What activities give me strength, what helps me switch off?). There are the "WHERE resources" (Which places do me good?) and the "WHO resources" (Which people do me good?).
Ultimately, the psyche functions much like a battery. It must be recharged regularly to achieve consistent performance, and this is exactly why resource maintenance is important. However, most people neglect these precisely during phases of increased stress because they are not deemed "absolutely necessary," which can create a vicious cycle. The factor of regular exercise also has a particularly high priority here, as it actively reduces stress hormones and releases happiness hormones.
How do I recognize exogenous and endogenous stressors?
Of course, it is just as important to investigate the causes of increased stress levels. Are they located more in the environmental conditions (known as "exogenous stressors") or more within the person themselves ("endogenous stressors")? Here, it can certainly make sense to involve professional counseling, coaching, or therapy to analyze the stressors more precisely and, of course, to change them if possible. Frequently, changing one's "inner drivers"—such as increased internal pressure to perform or the need to please everyone—proves to be quite stubborn and therefore requires some "training"...
How can herbal supplements, vitamins, etc., support me during stress?
In cases of chronic stress, depending on the severity of the symptoms, it may temporarily be useful to add medical support to calm the vegetative stress nervous system somewhat. This can be done via herbal supplements, which are mostly based on hops, valerian, lemon balm, or lavender, or, in the case of more severe symptoms, on a chemical basis; of course, a specialist should always be consulted to assess the individual situation.
Preventively, it is certainly useful to ensure the body has an adequate supply of Vitamin D, B12, and magnesium, especially during stressful phases. Here, too, a prior blood test by a general practitioner to determine the current status is sensible before beginning any supplementation.
Conclusion
With chronic stress, it is about regularly relieving, regenerating, and recharging body and mind in everyday life. There are various sources of strength for this: WHERE resources, WHAT resources, and WHO resources. Recognizing what triggers stress is also important. This is referred to as exogenous and endogenous stressors. Regular exercise is important for stress compensation. Herbal supplements as well as certain vitamins and magnesium can provide support.
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Mini-series in our online magazine on nutrition, the psyche, and mental health with psychiatrist Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch
Together with Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch, Medicom will explain the correlation between nutrition and mental health in a mini-series and provide simple health and nutritional advice. This allows everyone to read and apply tips and advice individually. This does not replace a visit to a specialist. It is a good approach to get informed, stay motivated, and find ways to strengthen your mental health through the right diet. This is how you actively care for your own well-being.
• Would you like to read more on the topic? For example, how I can identify early warning signs of stress? Or how food influences our psyche and vice-versa? Written by our expert Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch
