Episode 33: The #1 Self-Help Tool and Stress Solution with Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli

Most people are stressed. High achievers have even more stress than the average Joe. Stress causes the body to release cortisol, which causes chronic inflammation in the body, leading to things such as weight gain, hair loss, breakdown of muscle tissue, depression, anxiety, memory loss, and cancer. This is why it’s critical to find the solution to stress. The author of “The Stress Solution”, Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli, states that by controlling negative thinking and eliminating cognitive distortion, we can see things as they are and not drive this stress response in the body.

To give you an idea of just how extreme this stress epidemic is, here are just a few of the statistics. 75% of Americans state that they suffer physically or psychologically from stress everyday. 75% of visits to primary care physicians last year were due to stress. And 50% of Americans state they wake up every night due to stress. 

Those numbers are staggering. The stress epidemic has amplified dramatically in the last few years. Americans have fewer friends, trusts rates are down, prejudice rates are up, and empathy is down. “Being busy” is the definition of successful.  

That’s why Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli decided to write a book specifically to solve this daunting epidemic. Dr. Arthur and I discuss how stress is mainly caused by perception. Being able to perceive accurately is the key to decrease stress, says Dr. Arthur. Not only is stress psychological, there’s also a stress response that happens on a biological level. When we release the stress hormone cortisol on a regular basis, it causes negative thinking, inflammation, weight gain, hair loss, break down of muscle tissue, flabbiness, depression, anxiety and memory loss.

By being more empathetic, we can produce calming neurochemicals naturally. Dr. Arthur discusses the fact that Americans are medication-oriented, trying to fix internal problems with external agents. He states that it is critical to discover the cause. Through empathy and cognitive behavioral therapy, we can stop the stress response, while developing deeper relationships with those around us.

Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for several years, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alter­native Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts.

In this episode…

• Why stress has become a chronic problem in today’s world.
• Stress is a driver of inflammation.
• What stress does to the body.
• Why high-achieving people are the most stressed and most likely to develop illnesses that stem from chronic stress and inflammation.
• Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are the most comprehensive self-help tool to date.
• Sympathy vs. empathy.
• Why certain people overreact to stressful situations.
• Perception is key to reducing stress.
• Six steps to become empathetic and develop deep, lasting relationship with those around you.

To find out more about Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli, you can visit www.balanceyoursuccess.com 

To enter to win a FREE copy of Dr. Arthur’s book The Stress Solution, join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nuvisionexcel/?ref=br_tf

 Stay connected with Dr. Nick Zyrowski at http://www.nuvisionexcel.com

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