NEWS FROM THE BSCH

STRESS IN PARADISE

Barry Laine

It is paradoxical that such a high level of stress can be

found in a place referred to as "paradise", where life runs at

a slow pace, there is no rush hour; the sun shines all day

and every day except for the occasional outburst of rain that

keeps paradise greener than the emerald isle. The

temperature rarely falls below 24C (75F) and rise to 30C

(86F), green back turtles come ashore to lay their eggs and

dolphins swim in the surrounding seas. The ecosystem is

comparable to the Galapagos Islands and there are so many

World Heritage Sites administered by UNESCO. Such a

place is regarded as out of reach for most people because

of the high cost of taking a holiday in this paradise on earth.

and further afield than from South Africa.

The place has remained unspoiled by binge drinkers, lager

louts and young people seeking all night discos and sex on

At one point five airlines made twice weekly flights to

the beach like in some parts of Spain. Even the 2004

Seychelles, including British Airways bringing many

Tsunami had no adverse effect on these shores. This is the

necessities by air. The indigenous flagship airline Air

safest place on earth for a holiday.

Seychelles brings most of the cargo to Seychelles. The cost

of airfreight makes the goods in the shops very expensive.

The Seychelles

Oil and heavier materials for house building have to come by

ships usually when transversing between Africa and India

I am referring here to the Seychelles. Cast adrift in mid-

from Europe. The intervals between ships can be quite long.

ocean long before mammals evolved to claim supremacy

So while the geographical position of the islands makes it

over the rest of the earth, Seychelles is a group of 115

ideal to be called "paradise" it can hardly be the case for the

islands situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean about 4

inhabitants. The inhabitants call themselves "Seychellois" a

degrees south of the equator. Its isolation has created a

word you will not find on any application form in any country

unique world unspoilt by traffic, pollution, noise, hustle and

in the world because most people are not aware that the

bustle, and in many ways time has stood still. A great deal of

inhabitants of the Seychelles are called "Seychellois".

conservation effort has been spent in keeping the

Perhaps some old colonial French men and women might

authenticity of this group of islands where you will be made

recognize this word created by them during the French rule

to feel very welcome. The air is clean and most islands do

of the Seychelles. The political instability over the last 25

not have cars. Here you will find tranquillity and peace while

years has also had an effect on creating stress in the

lazing on golden beaches with sugar white sand, blue sky

inhabitants. It is hard to live with peace of mind when you

during the day contrasted with a plethora of shining stars at

don't know when the army is going to stage a mutiny or

night. If you get a chance to visit "Vale de Mai" known as the

when mercenaries are going to land and try to overthrow

Garden of Eden on Praslin, the second largest island, then

the communist style government. The inhabitants have

you will without doubt feel you are in a truly tropical

experienced bullets being fired ad lib around their homes by

paradise. That's fine if you are a visitor or holidaymaker and

poorly trained soldiers and mercenaries. So stress has been

you come for two or three weeks and you are pampered to

endemic amongst the inhabitants. As always it is what the

the hilt so that you will come back time and time again as

tourists and visitors do not see that are the defining factors

indeed so many people do. Your hotel, whether it is two-star

in any country.

or five-star, has the pick of everything to make your holiday

comfortable and enjoyable. This is acceptable because the

Even in Europe, Tour Operators do not tell you the truth,

Seychelles' main income is tourism, therefore tourists have

they tell you what you expect to hear which is that your

to be made to feel welcome and comfortable. But if you live

destination is paradise on earth and as long as you hang on

there life is different. The things that can stress you out are

to your handbag and you do not put your wallet in your back

numerous. The treatments I offer treat both the mind using

pocket you will have the time of your life. Not true for most

Clinical Hypnotherapy and the body using Clinical

holiday destinations. Yet, in the Seychelles, crime is

Aromatherapy and if necessary applying Lymphatic Drainage

extremely low and it is rare that any tourist gets robbed or is

and Acupressure as one integrated treatment. The success

abused in any way. Even amongst the inhabitants crime is

rate of this combination is astounding. I treat a number of

low and robbery is mainly due to carelessness of the owner

ailments and disorders - phobias, stomach problems,

to lock the door or window properly. One reason could be

muscular problems, sexual problems - but by far the most

that there is little to rob anyway because the majority of the

common ailment that I have been treating in Seychelles has

general public is poor. This is changing as more and more

been stress.

inhabitants start to acquire colour TVs, Hi-Fi, DVDs etc.

Robbery is now on the increase but not to the scale found

The Cause of stress in paradise

in Europe, America, Canada and Australia.

There are many reasons and these vary from person to

The thing that creates stress is what the locals call "Napa".

person of course. However, the overall cause of stress is the

The local language is Creole, a patois of broken French

absence of basic material necessities to live a comfortable

going back to the slave days when the French and British

life and carry out a business venture. The islands are a

brought slaves to the islands, the latter of which they used

thousand miles from the nearest shore of Africa and the

as a staging post during their seafaring trips between Africa

nearest shore is not in itself very productive and

and the sub-continents of India and Asia. "Napa" means

accommodating. Even South Africa is not a place where the

there is none, nothing, nil, don't have any, zilch, etc, in any

inhabitants of Seychelles will rush to buy the everyday

language you may choose to call it.

necessities. More goods are imported from China, Europe

Summer 2005

7

London College of Clinical Hypnosis