The Virtual Woman: A Woman's
Weekly Guide To Cyberspace
Don't Get Stressed, Get Wired
This column is all about stress. And here's why: I bought a house. Yup-- did the offer, the escrow and the inspections. I've experienced the thrill of an accepted offer and the agony of Buyer's Remorse. I thought I knew stress, thought I'd faced that back wrenching, migraine making, sleep disturbing Monster in the eyes. But then, like I said, I bought a house. And always the icing on the cake in these matters is The Move. Which for me was Today. Along with the help of two hulking guys who lifted my furniture like cotton swabs I made The Move. House buying and moving are two big stressors. I've learned this the hard way.So maybe you're not moving, buying a house or getting married. And maybe you're not even getting divorced either. Still, you could probably benefit from firing up the old modem and checking out this week's column to see what the web has to offer on stress information and management.
Dear Virtual Woman:
Ahhhhhh! Okay. Basically, I need
a Web site that can give me ways to decompress at home while my kids practice the music
lessons. Here's how a typical day looks: I work about 60 hours a week, take my kids to
music class, try to go to yoga, pick up the kids, go home and listen to what sounds like a
never ending a car wreck-my kids playing the violin and flute. You'd think my yoga class
would help me relieve my tension, but just hearing my daughter place rosin on her strings
winds me up!
- Uptight, Portland, OR
Dear Uptight:
I hear you. BM (Before Move) I used to have a garage (note how close in spelling that is to garbage) band across the street. I never thought I was inclined towards violence but then this horrible band wouldn't stop. Maybe some day I'll finish this story but let's just say that it definitely stressed me out, for sure. Okay, since you're yoga person you may also want to see what the virtual world has to offer at Yoga World (http://www.yogaworld.com/). This site has a good overview of Yoga and also offers a Daily Pose that might come in handy for that breather you need at home. I particularly liked the fact that you can sign up to get the pose emailed to you daily. Another good place to check out is Dr. Koop's website at http://www.drkoop.com. On the left hand navigational bar you'll see a Health and Wellness center. From there you can click on the Prevention Center. When you arrive, click on "Stress Management." It's fairly intuitive once you get to the site, so don't stress (is that the last thing you need or what??). For more preventative maintenance you may want to go to the stress section of Health-Center.Com (http://www.health-center.com/english/brain/stress/). You can discover how to evaluate stressful circumstances, coping styles, types of stressors, symptoms, and more.
Dear Virtual Woman:
In the past three months
I've gained a husband, bought a house, started a new job and all the while, I've picked up
several colds (sneezes, coughing, little annoyances). Everyone I know says this is related
to a busy schedule and little sleep. All in all, they say stress is the culprit. Any
thoughts on where I should go for answers about this possible enemy?
- Katharine, Fairfax, VA
Dear Katharine:
Can we talk? What sort of house? What kind of mortgage did you get? Have you moved yet?
Do you have Buyer's Remorse? Were they paving your street too while you were trying to
move? Write to me! Okay, let's move on. Without knowing your friends, it sounds like
they're on the right track. You've had more life changes in three months than most people
have had in the last 10 years! Stress could definitely be affecting your well-being. To
get the basics on stress, of course check the links mentioned above but there's another
great site that's as easy on the eyes as it is well organized and stuffed with
information. Check out
VIRTUALpsych (no relation) at
http://www.virtualpsych.com
Besides that, you may want to also peruse
All Health (http://www.allhealth.com/) to
strengthen your well-being at this time in your life. You can find support groups and new
friends to de-stress with and you'll find informative tools like "Virtual Check-Up" which
give you the chance to analyze your personal health profile.
Happy Surfing!
Find these links and more at WWWomen.Com (http://www.wwwomen.com) the web's largest search directory of topics for women online. Email the Virtual Woman with your Internet questions or send snailmail to: WWWomen.Com, Attn: Virtual Woman, 3701 Geary Blvd., #325, S.F., CA 94118. Copyright, 1998-99. WWWomen, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Contributing Editor: Mary Ray
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