SAS Urban Survival Handbook (3 page)

There are great dangers in presuming that all over-the-counter medicinal preparations are totally safe—and appropriate for the condition YOU think you have. Many people dose themselves up to toxic levels.

Children are probably at greatest risk—young developing bodies won’t process chemicals efficiently. In some countries (including Britain) it has been decided that aspirin and products containing aspirin are NOT suitable for children under twelve years of age. As we get old, our bodies become more delicate again—it’s wise to take a smaller amount and reduce the maximum dosage period of drugs like paracetamol.

The threat of poisoning is ever-present, though—with the bewildering range of toxic and potentially-toxic substances in the house, garden and garage/shed (see POISONS).

Substance abuse

It should not be necessary to warn about hard drugs—in most countries they are illegal—but drug-taking has long been common among young people and those under stress. Quite apart from the physical and mental damage which misuse of drugs can do, obtaining drugs requires ‘stepping outside the law’, in most countries. Funding a serious habit sometimes leads to further involvement in crime.

Drug tolerance (larger doses are gradually needed for the same effect) and dependency can develop very rapidly—DON’T RISK GETTING HOOKED!

It has often been claimed that the occasional social use of cannabis does much less harm than smoking cigarettes. Prolonged use of cannabis may carry a higher risk of lung cancer when mixed with tobacco. Animal tests have indicated that the immune system may be weakened and that the sperm count in males may be lowered. Cannabis does not create physical dependence—there are no definite withdrawal effects.

Greater danger may be in contaminants which are likely in cannabis—powerful weedkillers have been found in some samples. In a purified form, cannabis is being considered for various medicinal purposes.

The effects of amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, heroin and heroin derivatives, solvents, glues and other ‘abused’ substances are much more quantifiable—and much more harmful. All have been associated with countless deaths. But while you sit shaking your head with dismay that so many people seem to abuse their bodies with so many chemicals, how much alcohol do you drink? Although legal and socially acceptable in most countries, alcohol IS poisonous. It causes millions of deaths directly by poisoning and indirectly through accidents, violence and loss of judgement.

Tranquillizers are taken by thousands of people every day and can lead to the same ‘addictive’ pattern of tolerance and dependence as ‘illegal’ drugs. They should, if absolutely necessary, only be taken for short periods. As soon as you find yourself desperately wanting or needing a repeat prescription to be able to cope with life, you are on a dangerous path. You MUST try other methods of relieving stress. You need to talk about your problems, solve some of them, find a counsellor or help-group. These will give you long-term help—tranquillizers WON’T. Investigate relaxation techniques.

WARNING

If you use any relaxant, hallucinogenic or mood-changing drugs—tranquillizers, alcohol, cannabis, LSD, cocaine, heroin, for example—do NOT drive a vehicle or operate machinery while under the influence. You may feel perfectly capable, but your reactions and decision-making abilities are affected. If ALCOHOL is combined with other drugs it can cause serious problems, even with prescribed drugs. For pregnant women these are even more serious since the foetus can be affected.

ARE YOU AN ADDICT?

There are other ‘social addictions’ that can produce adverse effects. How many cups of tea or coffee do you drink in a day? Tea contains tannin, both contain caffeine—as do soft drinks such as ‘cola’. Caffeine acts first as a stimulant and then a depressant. It can cause insomnia, nausea, gastric disorders, palpitations and nervous anxiety. Links have been suggested with cancer and benign lumps in the breast. There may be risks to foetuses during pregnancy and to breast-fed babies, if large quantities are consumed.

STRESS

Stress is an unavoidable part of living and it’s VITAL that you learn to minimize it—and to cope with it or reduce its harmful effects. Every life has its problems, but city life tends to magnify stress. Travelling to and from work in crowded public transport or driving in rush-hour conditions can be a considerable twice-daily strain. Fear of attack in the streets, dodging traffic, being buffeted by crowds—it all adds up.

At work—and work problems rate very highly amongst causes of stress—pressures may be enormous. Some people live in constant fear of being sacked or made redundant. There may be delivery dates or deadlines to meet and aggressively competitive colleagues. Management may be difficult or unsympathetic. There may be sexual or racial harassment. You may have to deal with ill-tempered customers or clients. Strangely enough some people seem to ‘thrive’ on such pressures, but for most of us it’s quite impossible. Sometimes, if anything else happens to us in other areas of our lives, the pressure just gets too great to bear.

Being unemployed can be just as stressful—it affects both public- and self-image and deprives you of MONEY—which is unfortunately vital for urban survival.

Stress is really a blanket term for excessive emotional pressure. It can be provided by (or focused on) something quite minor—a dripping tap, a persistent smell, or constant background noise, such as that produced by air-conditioning.

Poor living conditions are not only physically unhealthy, but depressing and stress-inducing. Fear of illness, attack or robbery can all prey on the mind. Research increasingly supports the contention that people are more susceptible to depression and stress at certain times of the year. When days are shorter and light levels lower, more people succumb to stress.

Worries about sexual matters and relationships can be very destructive, but the most stressful events in most people’s lives are those which create sudden changes. Death of a family member or a friend, divorce, redundancy, unemployment, moving house, starting a new job are all at the top of the list for causing stress. Even ‘happy’ events such as a marriage or the birth of a child can cause great anxiety.

RESTORE THE BALANCE

Stress puts extra demands on the body, burning up nutrients to fuel your nervous energy. That is why people under stress tend to lose weight and anxiety produces a drawn and gaunt appearance. To help the body cope with the physical effects of stress, make sure it has the particular nutrients that are important for the nervous system and body functions.

Calcium and zinc are burned up under stress and need replacement. Vitamin B1 is needed to control nerve conduction and reaction. Vitamin B2 is needed to control the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates in the liver to ensure wastes and toxins do not accumulate, making you more tired and sluggish. Vitamin B3 is needed to help control the amount of oxygen-carrying red cells in the blood. Since B vitamins are NOT stored in the body, because they are water-soluble, you need a constant supply.

Parents may worry—sometimes excessively—about their children. Often these worries don’t subside when the children are grown into adults themselves!

Dealing with stress

Recognizing the causes of stress in YOUR life is the first step. Make it a challenge to identify and sort out problems—don’t let things pile on top of you. Stress really drags you down mentally and puts you at great risk physically.

You need to find something better to do than worry. If you can sort out your day-to-day life to reduce stress, you can start to look ahead to possible problems and try to avert disasters before they happen. If you’re overcome by your present problems, how will you cope if anything major goes wrong? You are starting from the wrong place!

Overcoming stress requires great self-control. You need to be able to clear your thoughts and make both body and mind relax. This also helps create a calm and balanced attitude which will greatly reduce the impact of stress situations.

CAN YOU REDUCE STRESS?

Are you ALWAYS rushing about? Do you NEED to place yourself under so much stress? Can you have the occasional quiet day or evening? Can you travel at a different time or use a different route or another form of transport? Is it really necessary to be so competitive? Is that difficult relationship worth the damage it causes? Take a look at your lifestyle, review it and assess what you want. Think about changing your job for something less demanding. Let life centre around something else!

Different people have different ways of relieving tension. Tranquillizers, alcohol, smoking, drugs, eating and violence are NOT solutions. They are the traps people fall into. If you’re lucky and have a creative hobby, the concentration involved can be very therapeutic. When a project is completed, you may feel genuinely proud of yourself. Anything which can build confidence and self-esteem is worthwhile.

Work out your problems

Finding solutions to your problems is obviously the best way of removing stress. When that seems impossible you can free yourself for a while by concentrating on physical exertion to help the mind and body relax. Exercise is a great way of overcoming stress. After a good workout your problems don’t seem so bad. The tension and anxiety go from your body and you see things in a different light.

Repetitive exercises can be calming and the burning up of energy is like releasing a pressure valve to rid you of built-up tension. Don’t get hooked on exercise, though, and make sure your diet compensates for the energy expended. Try to ‘train’ with a friend—you can pace each other and it’s a lot less boring than doing it on your own.

Relaxation

Proper relaxation is not just putting your feet up and watching television—though that can have its role in taking your mind off worries. Learn to relax properly. There are numerous relaxation ‘techniques’—each person needs to find one that works for them. Try this:

1 Put on some loose clothing and lie on your back on a bed or on the floor. Reach out with your toes and the top of your head, making yourself as ‘tall’ as possible. Release and relax.

2 Try to empty your mind. If you can’t, focus on something peaceful and restful—the sea, the sky, a tree. If you can’t keep your problems from popping into your head, mentally grab hold of something simple and familiar—an egg, a cup, a button. Don’t let anything else into your mind. Imagine you are floating on air.

3 When your mind is clear, begin to tense and release all the body’s muscle groups in turn. Start with the toes, one foot at a time. Follow with the legs, buttocks, abdomen, back, chest, fingers, hands, arms and neck. Do one group at a time, relax that group and move on to the next. Finally tense the whole body then relax.

Try a variation on this relaxation exercise. Imagine each part of your body is growing very heavy and sinking through the floor. You should soon feel the tension drain away. Investigate local relaxation classes or try yoga or meditation.

Learn to breathe!

Controlled breathing is another way of combatting stress. When you are tense your breathing tends to be short and shallow. Slow it down and make it deeper. Pay attention to how you exhale. As you do, let your whole body relax.

Stand with your hands on your hips, elbows slightly forward, shoulders slightly rounded. Now breathe in for a count of three, hold for three and exhale for three. Keep this going until you have full control and the rhythm becomes natural. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Use your lungs completely. Let your abdomen rise and fall—don’t let your chest heave up and down. Try it lying down in a darkened room. Imagine the room is filled with pure clean white light—your body is filled with dark smoke. Each time you breathe in you take in the white light. Each time you exhale you release the dark smoke.

REMEMBER

Relaxation and meditation techniques can be learnt, but just being alone and calm from time to time may give your mind a chance to relax. At the very least, this sort of ‘private’ time enables you to devote your thoughts to sorting out your problems.

MASSAGE

Relieving physical tension is the first step to relieving mental stress. If you have a partner get them to massage your neck muscles, your shoulders and the top of your spine. Even better, go to a masseur and enjoy the luxury of a full massage. To release neck tension on your own move the head rapidly backwards a few times in a very gentle motion. Push it slightly further than it wants to go with a bouncing action. Now bounce it forwards and to each side—again, very gently. Let it loll relaxed to one side and roll it through a full 360 degrees, keeping it relaxed. There, did that help?