Sheepdog Tip of the Day, Before Combat tip 100
The "bathtub model of stress" is a useful tool for understanding the long-term effects of stress. We use this to help West Point freshman, the plebes, deal with the stress of their new environment, and believe me they definitely need it. Think of your body as a bathtub and stress is the water that pours in. Now, the drain can only release so much, so if water comes in so fast that the drain cannot handle it, the water begins to rise. If it rises too high, it overflows and damages the floor. If five gallons are suddenly added to the tub, you have got to get out from under the faucet for a couple of days to let the water--the stress--subside. You have to be able to control your stress throughout your entire life. Life is a paced marathon, not a sprint; think of it as a four-quarter game. If you are in good physical shape, your tub is a little larger and you can handle a little more water before you overflow. The best way to make your drain bigger, so that you process stress out faster, is to engage in appropriate management dynamics, specifically, daily vigorous physical exercise.
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Combat
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Additional Resources
For PTSD, Shepherd Resource Group.