Everyone experiences stress and anxiety from time to time. Some jobs are considered high-stress jobs, such as being a stockbroker. Other people become anxious before taking a test or going on a blind date. Whatever triggers stress and anxiety within us can be managed. It is a matter of recognizing the source of the stress and anxiety and finding effective ways to manage it.
Causes and Symptoms of Stress
Stress influences our physical, emotional and mental well-being. Stress can be triggered by deadlines, a performance, speaking in front of people, death, toxic relationships, debt, unemployment, poor time management and lack of relaxation.
If circumstances become overwhelming, stress levels can increase. Unmanaged stress, especially for a long period, can result in mental and physical symptoms such as shaking, weight loss, weight gain, headaches, lack of sleep, rapid heart rate and lack of focus.
Not everyone handles stress the same. What may overwhelm one person may be an adrenaline rush for someone else who is working on deadline.
Tips to Reduce Stress
A stress management article featured online at helpguide.org lists several tips to help reduce stress that involve relaxing, adapting to situations, avoiding stressful situations, and adopting a healthy lifestyle (see links in References).
Reduce your stress level with exercise, nature walks, reading a book, a massage, a healthy diet, avoid or end stressful relationships, take a bath, keep a journal and think positively about stressful situations when you are stuck in traffic or when waiting past your scheduled time to visit with your doctor. Instead of yielding to frustration, keep a book with you or a crossword puzzle to divert your mind to something more pleasant.
Causes and Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety functions like an alarm in the body. It can conjure up feelings of fear and worry. Phobias also lead to anxiety in which fear is irrationally related to an object the person believes can cause harm. For example, extreme phobias of spiders, bridges or closets can paralyze some people.
Causes of anxiety can involve traumatic events, abuse, divorce, reading the newspaper or watching news about crime and death, creating problems and life changes, such as a new job or new school.
If left untreated, anxiety can take on physical problems, such as sleeping disorders, trembling, headaches, muscle tension, restlessness, sweating and excessive worrying.
Tips to Reduce Anxiety
Ways to reduce anxiety, especially involving traumatic events, would be to avoid watching the news or reading the newspaper. Volunteer to help others to keep from worrying about things. Talk to someone you trust about your fears, and even keep a journal. Exercise and implement a healthy diet. Also, practice saying daily positive affirmations to replace the negative thoughts and feelings you may be experiencing. As the saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine."
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