Stress And Anxiety Management — Mental Health Problems -
For many of us, anxiety is an integral part of our daily lives. While sometimes medication and therapy are necessary, adopting tips and strategies for better stress management can also make all the difference.
Stress and anxiety: what exactly is it all about?
The Today, the bear has been replaced by a multitude of insidious and recurring In addition, we experience constant tension, arising from our mental interpretation of events, which stimulates our Anxiety is defined as a feeling of imminent and undetermined danger,” says Margo Watt, a clinical It’s the body’s way of letting you know to be prepared to attack or flee.” psychologist, associate professor of Although they’re often confused,” she adds, “ anxiety is different from fear. The latter occurs in response to a real threat, for example when you suddenly come face to face with a bear in the middle of the forest,” adding that anxiety is rather an anticipation of that fear. an anxious person simply won’t go into the woods in case they encounter a bear.” psychology at St. Francis University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and co-author of Overcoming the Fear of Fear- How to Reduce Anxiety Sensitivity.
stressors, such as traffic jams or overwork.
nervous system and makes it feel as though we are facing real danger.
We are conditioned to anticipate danger, a reflex that dates back to cave days when our survival depended on our ability to respond to danger.
Whether you’re worried about your children or your financial obligations, or about a “positive” event in the future, such as a wedding or a birth, stress is part of everyone’s daily routine.
According to Watt, anxiety is a normal response to stress and occurs “when the pressures and demands exceed one’s ability to cope.
Anxiety, which affects women more than men, becomes a problem when you are unable to put your situation into perspective (what the clinical psychologist calls “catastrophism,” or imagining the worst).
One imagines that the children will be expelled from school, that one will lose one’s home, or that the baby to come will be afflicted with an incurable disease.
acute anxiety attack, with shallow breathing, heart palpitations, and paralyzing distress, is not far away.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder are all considered anxiety disorders, not to mention phobias, which are even more debilitating. anxiety disorder, which occurs when the distress is so severe that it prevents us from functioning: for example, we are unable to work or have normal relationships.
Treatment and prevention of stress and anxiety
Some people are more prone than others to If your It is essential to take time each day to stress and anxiety.
anxiety causes distress and prevents you from having normal relationships or doing the things you normally enjoy, you should seek help.
Mental health professionals, especially psychologists trained in cognitive-behavioural therapy, can be of great help.
Consult your family doctor first, who will refer you to a therapist or to services in your area.
However, the ultimate solution to anxiety lies in the ability to manage your stress so that, in difficult situations, it does not completely dominate your life.
relax, even when you have a busy schedule.
Margo Watt also advises regular exercise to dissipate the energy of anxiety. Exercise,” she explains, “conditions us physically and mentally to better manage our stress. “
For people prone to anxiety, she also recommends deep (or diaphragmatic) breathing four to six times a day.
This advice is particularly for women who, out of constant concern to tuck in their stomachs, come to breathe only superficially.
Shallow breathing sends a panic signal to the body, which exacerbates stress; however, a few deep breaths are all it takes to slow down the heart rate instantly.
“It’s not so much the amount of stress that affects health and well-being, but how you react to stressful situations,” says Pamela Smith, a dietitian and wellness consultant.
Meditation can help bring you back into the present and therefore help you to put things into perspective.
Here you can learn how to distinguish between good and bad stress so that you can turn it into a productive rather than a counterproductive force.
Some of the best ways to deal with stress and anxiety are to exercise
To overcome feelings of anxiety and combat your stress, there’s nothing better than getting out of the situation quickly by starting to exercise. Physical activity keeps the blood circulating and releases endorphins.
Colour to relax and take your mind off things
Colouring books for adults are becoming increasingly popular and are believed by many to be effective in significantly reducing the symptoms of anxiety and stress in people suffering from these ills.
Colouring would have about the same effects on the body and brain as meditation. It’s a great way to relax, take your mind off things, regulate your heartbeat and restore blood pressure to normal levels.
Find a job that you really like to reduce your daily anxiety level
Your work is a huge part of your daily life and your adult life. It is therefore essential that your work is not a stress amplifier in your life. Of course, some jobs are more So make sure that your job really contributes to your
stressful than others. But not everyone is cut out for this kind of life.
So make sure that your job really contributes to your happiness… not just your boss’s happiness!
Avoid misunderstandings and when they occur, clarify the situation
Do you ever drag home discussions that didn’t end well with you in the evening? Misunderstandings are a major cause of stress in everyday life. Therefore, avoid situations where communication can be Prefer person-to-person conversations rather than those that take place indirectly, through a screen, for example. It is difficult to capture a person’s tone by email or text message. Therefore, avoid situations where communication can be misunderstood. Also, if a conversation turns out to be a bit negative, try to resolve the problem before the end of the day.
Prefer person-to-person conversations rather than those that take place indirectly, through a screen, for example. It is difficult to capture a person’s tone by email or text message. This increases the risk of misunderstandings.
Take a hot bath to calm down, relax and unwind
At the end of a hard day’s work, there’s nothing better than a nice hot bath to relax and clear your mind.
In the long run, if we don’t give ourselves similar moments of attention, stress builds up and quickly turns into anxiety or much greater health problems. It is therefore essential to take this time for yourself, to relax and unwind.
Make others happy in order to put your anxiety level in perspective and reduce your anxiety level
Smiles are contagious! To lower your own anxiety and stress levels, be kind to others.
Take the time to smile at them, to do them a favour, to please someone for free. You will feel good and your stress will be reduced.
You will help make someone’s day better. Which is, in itself, a commendable action worthy of making you proud.
To help you manage anxiety and combat stress, cut down on caffeine sources
Caffeine can increase feelings of nervousness and anxiety. That’s why it’s a good idea to consume caffeine in moderation during stressful times. Important sources of caffeine include chocolate, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and some prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Go to bed early to calm down and reduce your anxiety level
Lack of sleep is not recommended for people suffering from anxiety and stress.
Fatigue tends to increase stress symptoms or even cause more frequent panic attacks.
To get a good night’s sleep, scientists recommend going to bed early, since the most restful sleep cycles occur before midnight.
Leave your cell phone aside to relax and lower your anxiety level
When you’re out with family or friends, get away from your cell phone and make the most of the moment.
Nowadays, our cell phone is everywhere, in our work relationships, in our interpersonal relationships and in our moments of relaxation.
reduce anxiety and stress, it is important to be able to take a break from these elements by putting your cell phone aside. This will prevent work and everyday problems from following us at all times.
Don’t worry about future problems
Many people are caught in a cycle of assumptions and concerns about future problems. Ask yourself, “Am I sure it’s going to happen and what can I do about it now?” If one of the answers to these questions is “no” or “nothing”, then you’ll have plenty of time to think about it later.
Avoid traffic jams to reduce stress and anxiety
If you live or work in the city, try as often as possible to avoid getting stuck in a traffic jam on your way to work.
These are very stressful situations that, when experienced on a daily basis, can greatly increase your anxiety and stress levels.
There are many other ways to get around that will reduce your anxiety and stress levels. Consider carpooling, public transit, and if you can, ask to change your schedule to accommodate your travel.
Originally published at https://wellnesminds.blogspot.com.
