Stress-reduction therapy eases home, workplace pressure

Eighteen months ago, Kent Garcia felt he was ready to blow.

The 48-year-old Ventura resident felt pressured at work, where he often put in 12- to 14-hour days sitting at his computer working as a designer for a machine shop. At home, his stepson was having legal trouble and his teenage daughter was acting up. He and his wife were fighting about the kids.

As stress mounted, back pain and migraines flared, along with his temper. He started getting regular epidurals for his back pain and popping Imitrix, a potent migraine medication, 10 or more days a month. His Type 2 diabetes was worsening, along with his relationships with his family. His doctor encouraged him to enroll in a stress-reduction class.

"As soon as I learned how to let the tension go, wow! What a difference," he said.

Garcia now meditates daily, including on his breaks at work, does deep-breathing exercises when he begins to feel tense, and consciously reframes problems. "Now when my daughter acts up, I remind myself that she's not doing this to me, so I don't take it so personally."

As a result, he's healthier and happier at home.

His proof: In the two years before he took the class, he had nine epidurals to treat his back pain. In the year and a half since, he's only had to have two. His use of migraine medication dropped from 10 to 15 pills a month to eight pills a year. His diabetes numbers have improved, and he's getting along better with his family.

"I used to blow my stack. Now when I have a problem I don't explode," he said. "I take a few breaths and just wait and think about what's happening. I've stopped seeing everything as tragic."

-- Marnell Jameson