If you are living, you'll have stress.  No getting around that.  How you cope with the stress is what makes or breaks you.  For most people unexpected situations lead to stress.  But for Veterans and their families, stress can be a simple as getting out of bed.  Needless to say an appointment with the Veterans Clinic would be a "Top 10" on the stress-o-meter with the waiting for the appointment, waiting at the appointment and then waiting for something to be done concerning your circumstance.  I've been there and so has my family.  Unfortunately situations happen good or bad but the fortunate thing is you are in control of how you deal with it all.

Stress is necessary for us to survive.  You need motivation to get things done and stress accomplishes that goal.  Happy or joyful events can be just as "stress-full" as the ones that make you feel bad.  When things get overwhelming and out of control that is when intervention is needed. 

There are several tools to help with stress.  Behavioral Therapy can be very beneficial for those with a mental illness such as PTSD, Bipolar and Obsessive Compulsive.  A counselor helps you relearn ways to work around what you are no longer able to do or control.  Mindfulness practices can be a great tool especially for those that get anxious or depressed.  Mindfulness helps you concentrate on the moment and not dwell on the past or future.  Meditation is another way to relieve stress.  There are many meditation CDs that will lead you on a guided meditation.  This is very helpful for those of you who aren't sure what to do.  Those people who meditate are found to have fewer health problems than those who don't.  Homeopathies have been found to relieve ailments that bother us.  Homeopathies uses the premise that "like cures like" or tiny particles of what makes you sick can make you well.  Vaccines and allergy shots are a type of homeopathic remedy.  Exercise is an undervalued stress reliever.  Everybody tells you to do it but it may be the hardest to get around to doing.  At our house the word "exercise" is a 4 letter word and I have made my husband substitute words like "fun" or "movement" for it.  We do the same things but just call it by a different name.  It works for me!  Don't forget the old adage, laughter is the best medicine.  It is true that laughter can make you healthy.