We live in a world where stress and anxiety have become common due to our busy lifestyle and volatile economy. In the United States alone, anxiety disorders affect as many as 40 million adults. If not treated, in the long run stress and anxiety disorders can harm your health and drain your body of energy.
According to a study called the “Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders,” which was done by ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), anxiety disorders cost Americans more than $42 billion each year. Sadly, even though stress and anxiety are treatable, only one-third of people suffering from them receive treatment.
STRESS AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS
Most often than not, anxiety arises from stress which can lead to depression and other psychological or panic disorders. Some of the notable symptoms of stress and anxiety can be divided into four different categories, which are cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms.
- Cognitive symptoms of stress are memory problems, lack of concentration, excessive negative thoughts, poor judgment, anxious thoughts, and constant worrying.
- Emotional symptoms of stress include moodiness, short temper, irritability, agitation, feeling overwhelmed, unable to relax, sense of isolation, loneliness, and depression.
- Physical symptoms of stress are constipation, nausea, body pain, headaches, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and loss of sex drive.
- Behavioral symptoms of stress include insomnia, social isolation, procrastination, alcohol and drug abuse, neglecting responsibilities, compulsive behaviors, and lack of appetite.
UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING STRESS AND ANXIETY
Stress and anxiety are not always bad for your health. Stress is your body’s way of responding to unpleasant feelings that can cause harm or imbalance to your body. Anxiety on the other hand is your body’s response to nervous situations. These two states of mind do not always affect you in negative ways. However, experiencing too much of them can lead to serious psychological disorders.
Stress and anxiety can creep up on you when you least expect them. If you learn how to deal with them in a constructive way, you will be able to deal with negative emotions better. When you are constantly experiencing negative emotions, they can drain your body of energy due to the fact that your body has to work harder when it is dealing with a lot of negative emotions.
For some great information to help you prevent negative emotions from draining your energy, read this enlightening article about emotional pain.
Here are some tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety:
Identify the causes
The first and foremost step in dealing with stress and anxiety is to identify their causes. Identifying what their causes are will help you find effective solutions to overcome them. Several studies have discovered that one of the main triggers of stress and anxiety is fear. Because of this, if you learn how to face your fears and not let them control you, you should be able to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety.
After you have identified the contributing factors of your stress and anxiety, write them down so you do not forget them. This will help you to determine what exactly you need to do to free yourself from compulsive behaviors. The process of writing and studying the causes of your stress and anxiety will open the window for several possible solutions to help you overcome your psychological issues.
Relax and clear your mind
Stress and anxiety often occur when your mind is being bombarded with all sorts of distractions. These distractions often affect your critical thinking skills, making it very hard for you to think clearly. One of the best ways to deal with stress and anxiety is by clearing your mind of distracting thoughts using mindfulness techniques.
A great way to clear your mind of distracting thoughts is to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths while concentrating on something that makes you happy. If you want to learn how to clear your mind of negative thoughts using mindfulness techniques, read this empowering article titled The Energy Healing Benefits of Mindfulness.
OTHER NATURAL WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY
Jogging: Finding a nice and quiet place to jog is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. According to a study done at the University of Bonn, jogging can cause the brain to release higher levels of endorphins, which are natural chemicals that make you feel good.
Shift your awareness to the present: When you focus your attention to the present or moment of now, it often clears your mind of negative distracting thoughts. Stress and anxiety usually happen when you focus too much on the past and future.
Stay out in the sun: The energy of sunlight is great for rejuvenating and relaxing your body, because sunlight synchronizes well with the energy of your body. This is why when you stay out in the sun for a few minutes, your mind clears up and all your worries seem to vanish. Avoid staying out in the sun for too long, so that you do not get sunburn.
Learn to say no: Have you ever been in an uncomfortable situation where you could have avoided the situation by saying no but instead you said yes? Learning how to say no when you do not want to do something can prevent a lot of stress. People who do not like to say no often get themselves in situations where they feel stressed out due to having too many things to do.
This article was written by Contenta and PL.
Source:The Open-Mind
