The WHICH? Guide to Managing Stress

A useful paperback book by Mark Greener covering a lot of material about Stress and how you can manage it well. Published by Consumers' Asociation, publisher of WHICH? In an introductory section the author says:-

How to use this book

Managing stress is a voyage of self-discovery.  You need to understand the factors that cause you stress and develop a personal plan to combat it, as well as discover the best way to implement the changes.  By tackling the causes of your stress, you will learn more about yourself.  You will have a clearer idea of where you are going and how you are going to get there.  Manage your stress, and you will manage your life more effectively.

This book explains what stress is, and how it affects different people.  It makes suggestions that will help you beat stress and stay at the peak of your mental and physical powers.  Not all of these will be appropriate for you - so take what you find useful and experiment.

Chapter 1  describes the nature of stress and explains its biological basis.
Chapter 2  reveals how our personalities play a large role in determining our reactions to the events around us - from daily hassles to major diasters - and, therefore, our susceptibility to excessive stress.  Each of us draws on a number of innate and learned strategies to counter the effects of stress.  However, as will become clear, not all these stress defences are appropriate.  Indeed, many common defences are counter-productive and maintain or worsen stress instead of countering it.
Chapter 3  shows you how to develop an individualised plan to identify - and tackle effectively - the most pressing causes of excessive stress in your life.  It outlines the techniques of 'assertive coping', and offers some problem-solving approaches to put you back in control.
Chapter 4  examines the challenges people face at different times in their lives.  This should help you identify they key issues affecting you and your family, and help you develop suitable assertive coping techniques.
Chapters 5 to 9  explain how stress can cause or exacerbate several common physical and psychological illnesses.  They provide information that will empower you to develop suitable techniques to cope with your health problems.
Chapter 10  provides a directory of stress-beating strategies that can bolster your defences against the trials and tribulations of everyday life as well as more significant life events.  Many strategies also offer effective first aid for generalised stress.

Throughout this book the author refers to recent scientific studies, quoting key authors and researchers where appropriate.  The relevant publications are listed in the Bibliography on pages 259-273.  Further reading suggestions are made at the end of most chapters.