Reducing Physical Symptoms -
Relaxation
In order to reduce the severity of physical symptoms it is useful to “nip them in the bud”, by recognising the early signs of tension. Once you have noticed early signs of tension you can prevent anxiety becoming too severe by using relaxation techniques”. Some people can relax through exercise, listening to music, watching TV, or reading a book.
For others it is more helpful to have a set of exercises to follow. Some people might find relaxation or yoga classes most helpful, others find tapes useful. You can obtain a relaxation tape from your GP, and there are also a wide number of relaxation tapes available in the shops.
Relaxation is a skill like any other which needs to be learned, and takes time. The following exercise teaches deep muscle relaxation, and many
people find it very helpful in reducing overall levels of tension and anxiety.
Deep muscle relaxation - it is helpful to read the instructions first and to learn them eventually. Start by selecting quite a warm, comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Choose a time of day when you feel most relaxed to begin with. Lie down, get comfortable, close your eyes.
Concentrate on your breathing for a few minutes, breathing slowly and calmly: in two-three and out two-three. Say the words “calm” or “relax” to yourself as you breathe out. The relaxation exercise takes you through different muscle groups, teaching you firstly to tense, then relax. You should breathe in when tensing and breathe out when you relax. Starting with your hands, clench one first tightly. Think about the tension this produces in the muscles of your hand and forearm.
Study the tension for a few seconds and then relax your hand. Notice the difference between the tension and the relaxation. You might feel a slight tingling, this is the relaxation beginning to develop. Do the same with the other hand.
Each time you relax a group of muscles think how they feel when they’re relaxed. Don’t try to relax, just let go of the tension. Allow your muscles to relax as much as you can. Think about the difference in the way they feel when they’re relaxed and when they’re tense. Now do the same for the other muscles of your body. Each time tense them for a few seconds and then relax. Study the way they feel and then let go of the tension in them. It is useful to stick to the same order as you work through the muscle groups:
l Hands -clench first, then relax.
l Arms - bend your elbows and tense your arms. Feel the tension especially in your upper arms. Remember, do this for a few seconds and then relax.
l Neck - press your head back and roll it from side to side slowly. Feel how the tension moves. Then bring your head forward into a comfortable position.
l Face - there are several muscles here, but it is enough to think aboutyour forehead and jaw. First lower your eyebrows in a frown. Relax your forehead. You can also raise your eyebrows, and then relax. Now, clench your jaw, notice the difference when you relax.
l Chest - take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, notice the tension, then relax. Let your breathing return to normal.
l Stomach - tense your stomach muscles as tight as you can and relax.
l Buttocks - squeeze your buttocks together, and relax.
l Legs - straighten your leges and bend your feet towards your face. Finish by wiggling your toes.
You may find it helpful to get a friend to read the instructions to you. Don’t try too hard, just let it happen.
To make best use of relaxation you need to:
l Practice daily.
l Start to use relaxation in everyday situations.
l Learn to relax without having to tense muscles.
l Use parts of the relaxation to help in difficult situations, eg breathing slowly.
l Develop a more relaxed lifestyle.
Remember relaxation is a skill like any other and takes time to learn. Keep a note of how anxious you feel before and after relaxation, rating your anxiety 1-10.
Controlled Breathing
Over-breathing: it is very common when someone becomes anxious for changes to occur in their breathing. They can begin to gulp air, thinking that they are going to suffocate, or can begin to breathe really quickly. This has the effect of making them feel dizzy and therefore more anxious.
Try to recognise if you are doing this and slow your breathing down. Getting into a regular rhythm of in two-three and out two-three will soon return your breathing to normal. Some people find it helpful to use the second hand of a watch to time their breathing. Other people have found breathing into a paper bag or cupped hands helpful. For this to work you must cover your nose and mouth.It takes at least three minutes of slow breathing or breathing into a bag for your breathing to return to normal.
Distraction
If you take your mind off your symptoms you will find that the symptoms often disappear. Try to look around you. Study things in detail, registration numbers, what sort of shoes people are wearing, conversations. Again, you need to distract yourself for at least three minutes before symptoms will begin to reduce.
Whilst relaxation, breathing exercises and distraction techniques can help reduce anxiety it is vitally important to realise that anxiety is not harmful or dangerous. Even if we did not use these techniques, nothing awful would happen. Anxiety cannot harm us, but it can be uncomfortable. These techniques can help reduce this discomfort.
27 June, 2009
Understanding our anxiety better.
Understanding Anxiety -
You may already by now have some ideas about what is causing your anxiety. The following sections will give advice on how to break out of the vicious circle that keeps anxiety going. Before you can do this though, it is really useful for you to understand your own anxiety better. Is your anxiety related to certain situations, places or people, is it worse at particular times of the day, are there realistic worries you have that would make anyone anxious? The following two exercises should help you to understand your anxiety better.
i) Anxiety Diary - for a period of two weeks (or longer if you prefer) keep an hourly diary of your anxiety and activity level. Rate your anxiety from 0-10. Note down anything that seems important. Were you at work or home, who were you with, what were you doing, what were you thinking about? You may start to become more aware of situations that make you anxious or that you may even be avoiding. What is your general level of stress like? This information will help you begin to tackle your anxiety.
ii) If you become aware that you have a realistic worry or problem that you feel may be causing you anxiety, a problem solving approach may help. A good way to begin is to write down a problem. Define it as clearly as you can, for example “I never have any money”, is too vague, something like “I owe £3000 to different credit card companies”, is more helpful. Next, write down as many possible solutions as you can. It doesn’t matter how silly you may think the solutions are, the point is to think of as many as you can. Try to think how you have solved similar problems in the past. Ask a friend what they might do. Think to yourself what you might advise a friend to do if they had the same problem, eg possible solutions:
- get all debts on one loan with less interest;
- agree on affordable payments;
- see a debt counsellor;
- get a part time job;
- sell car.
Stressful lifestyle - general tips
Nowadays life is often stressful, and it is easy for pressures to build up. We can’t always control the stress that comes from outside but we can find ways to reduce the pressure we put on ourselves:
l Try to identify situations you find stressful by noticing the beginnings of tension.
l Take steps to tackle what it is about these situations that you find stressful.
l Make sure you have time for things you enjoy.
l Take up a relaxing hobby.
l Make sure you get enough sleep.
l Eat a well balanced diet.
l Take regular exercise.
l Learn to relax.
You may already by now have some ideas about what is causing your anxiety. The following sections will give advice on how to break out of the vicious circle that keeps anxiety going. Before you can do this though, it is really useful for you to understand your own anxiety better. Is your anxiety related to certain situations, places or people, is it worse at particular times of the day, are there realistic worries you have that would make anyone anxious? The following two exercises should help you to understand your anxiety better.
i) Anxiety Diary - for a period of two weeks (or longer if you prefer) keep an hourly diary of your anxiety and activity level. Rate your anxiety from 0-10. Note down anything that seems important. Were you at work or home, who were you with, what were you doing, what were you thinking about? You may start to become more aware of situations that make you anxious or that you may even be avoiding. What is your general level of stress like? This information will help you begin to tackle your anxiety.
ii) If you become aware that you have a realistic worry or problem that you feel may be causing you anxiety, a problem solving approach may help. A good way to begin is to write down a problem. Define it as clearly as you can, for example “I never have any money”, is too vague, something like “I owe £3000 to different credit card companies”, is more helpful. Next, write down as many possible solutions as you can. It doesn’t matter how silly you may think the solutions are, the point is to think of as many as you can. Try to think how you have solved similar problems in the past. Ask a friend what they might do. Think to yourself what you might advise a friend to do if they had the same problem, eg possible solutions:
- get all debts on one loan with less interest;
- agree on affordable payments;
- see a debt counsellor;
- get a part time job;
- sell car.
Stressful lifestyle - general tips
Nowadays life is often stressful, and it is easy for pressures to build up. We can’t always control the stress that comes from outside but we can find ways to reduce the pressure we put on ourselves:
l Try to identify situations you find stressful by noticing the beginnings of tension.
l Take steps to tackle what it is about these situations that you find stressful.
l Make sure you have time for things you enjoy.
l Take up a relaxing hobby.
l Make sure you get enough sleep.
l Eat a well balanced diet.
l Take regular exercise.
l Learn to relax.
What causes anxiety?
What causes anxiety?
There may be many reasons why someone becomes anxious.
l Some people may have an anxious personality and have learned to worry.
l Others may have a series of stressful life events to cope with, for example bereavements, redundancy, divorce.
l Others may be under pressure, at work, or home, for example, because of family problems or bills.
Feel bodily symptoms
Heart pounding,
breathing speeds up
What keeps anxiety going?
Sometimes anxiety can go on and on, and become a life long problem.
There can be a number of reasons for this:
1. If someone has an anxious personality and is a worrier, then they will probably be in the habit of feeling anxious.
2. Sometimes people have ongoing stresses over a number of years which means they develop the habit of being anxious.
3. Vicious circle of anxiety - as the bodily symptoms of anxiety can be frightening, unusual and unpleasant, people often react by thinking that there is something physically wrong, or that something truly awful is going to happen. This in itself causes more symptoms, and so a vicious
circle develops.
4. “Fear of Fear” - Someone who has experienced anxiety in a certain situation may start to predict feeling anxious, and become frightened of the symptoms themselves, this in turn actually causes the very symptoms that are feared.
5. Avoidance - once a vicious circle has developed with lots of anxious thoughts increasing the anxiety symptoms, avoidance is often used as a way of coping. It is natural to avoid something that is dangerous, but the sorts of things that people tend to avoid when they suffer from anxiety are most often not real dangers but busy shops, buses, crowded places, eating out, talking to people etc. Not only are these things not dangerous, but they are quite necessary. Avoiding them
can make life very inconvenient and difficult. This sort of avoidance can also result in a great loss of confidence which can affect how good you feel about yourself, which in turn makes you feel more anxious - another vicious circle!
There may be many reasons why someone becomes anxious.
l Some people may have an anxious personality and have learned to worry.
l Others may have a series of stressful life events to cope with, for example bereavements, redundancy, divorce.
l Others may be under pressure, at work, or home, for example, because of family problems or bills.
Feel bodily symptoms
Heart pounding,
breathing speeds up
What keeps anxiety going?
Sometimes anxiety can go on and on, and become a life long problem.
There can be a number of reasons for this:
1. If someone has an anxious personality and is a worrier, then they will probably be in the habit of feeling anxious.
2. Sometimes people have ongoing stresses over a number of years which means they develop the habit of being anxious.
3. Vicious circle of anxiety - as the bodily symptoms of anxiety can be frightening, unusual and unpleasant, people often react by thinking that there is something physically wrong, or that something truly awful is going to happen. This in itself causes more symptoms, and so a vicious
circle develops.
4. “Fear of Fear” - Someone who has experienced anxiety in a certain situation may start to predict feeling anxious, and become frightened of the symptoms themselves, this in turn actually causes the very symptoms that are feared.
5. Avoidance - once a vicious circle has developed with lots of anxious thoughts increasing the anxiety symptoms, avoidance is often used as a way of coping. It is natural to avoid something that is dangerous, but the sorts of things that people tend to avoid when they suffer from anxiety are most often not real dangers but busy shops, buses, crowded places, eating out, talking to people etc. Not only are these things not dangerous, but they are quite necessary. Avoiding them
can make life very inconvenient and difficult. This sort of avoidance can also result in a great loss of confidence which can affect how good you feel about yourself, which in turn makes you feel more anxious - another vicious circle!
What is anxiety?
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is the feeling we get when our body responds to a frightening or threatening experience. It has been called the fight or flight response. It is simply your body preparing for action either to fight danger or run away from it as fast as possible. The purpose of the physical symptoms of anxiety therefore is to prepare your body to cope with threat. To understand what is happening in your body, imagine that you are about to be attacked. As soon as you are aware of the threat your muscles tense ready for action.
Your heart beats faster to carry blood to your muscles and brain, where it is most needed. You breathe faster to provide oxygen which is needed for energy. You sweat to stop you body overheating. Your mouth becomes dry and your tummy may have butterflies. When you realise that the “attacker” is in fact a friend, the feelings die away, but you may feel shaky and weak
after the experience.
The fight or flight response is a really basic system that probably goes back to the days of cave men, and is present in animals who depend on it for their survival. Fortunately, nowadays we are not often in such life or death situations, but unfortunately many of the stresses we do face can’t be fought or run away from, so the symptoms don’t help. In fact they often make us feel worse, especially if we don’t understand them.
Anxiety is the feeling we get when our body responds to a frightening or threatening experience. It has been called the fight or flight response. It is simply your body preparing for action either to fight danger or run away from it as fast as possible. The purpose of the physical symptoms of anxiety therefore is to prepare your body to cope with threat. To understand what is happening in your body, imagine that you are about to be attacked. As soon as you are aware of the threat your muscles tense ready for action.
Your heart beats faster to carry blood to your muscles and brain, where it is most needed. You breathe faster to provide oxygen which is needed for energy. You sweat to stop you body overheating. Your mouth becomes dry and your tummy may have butterflies. When you realise that the “attacker” is in fact a friend, the feelings die away, but you may feel shaky and weak
after the experience.
The fight or flight response is a really basic system that probably goes back to the days of cave men, and is present in animals who depend on it for their survival. Fortunately, nowadays we are not often in such life or death situations, but unfortunately many of the stresses we do face can’t be fought or run away from, so the symptoms don’t help. In fact they often make us feel worse, especially if we don’t understand them.
How you feel in stress?
How you feel in stress?
Anxious, nervous, worried, frightened
Feeling, something dreadful is
going to happen
Tense, stressed, uptight, on edge,
unsettled
Unreal, strange, woozy, detached
Panicky
How you think in stress?
Constant worrying
Can’t concentrate
Thoughts racing
Mind jumping from one thing to
another
Imagining the worst and dwelling
on it
Common thoughts in stress?
“I’m losing control”
“I’m cracking up”
“I’m going to faint”
“My legs are going to collapse”
“I’m going to have a heart attack”
“I’m going to make a fool of myself”
“I can’t cope”
“I’ve got to get out”
Anxious, nervous, worried, frightened
Feeling, something dreadful is
going to happen
Tense, stressed, uptight, on edge,
unsettled
Unreal, strange, woozy, detached
Panicky
How you think in stress?
Constant worrying
Can’t concentrate
Thoughts racing
Mind jumping from one thing to
another
Imagining the worst and dwelling
on it
Common thoughts in stress?
“I’m losing control”
“I’m cracking up”
“I’m going to faint”
“My legs are going to collapse”
“I’m going to have a heart attack”
“I’m going to make a fool of myself”
“I can’t cope”
“I’ve got to get out”
What happens to your body in stress?
What happens to your body in stress?
Heart pounds, races, skips a beat
Chest feels tight or painful
Tingling or numbness in toes or
fingers
Stomach churning or “butterflies”
Having to go to the toilet
Feeling jumpy or restless
Tense muscles
Body aching
Sweating
Breathing changes
Dizzy, light headed
Heart pounds, races, skips a beat
Chest feels tight or painful
Tingling or numbness in toes or
fingers
Stomach churning or “butterflies”
Having to go to the toilet
Feeling jumpy or restless
Tense muscles
Body aching
Sweating
Breathing changes
Dizzy, light headed
Coping with Stress
Coping with Stress
There are three ways that most people deal with stress: avoidance, suffering or managing. The first two will
only cause more stress.
Managing stress is the best way to deal with it. Since stress is a holistic concept involving the entire self,
it might be managed by using the following techniques:
1. Defining Stress
Recognize what aspects of your life cause the stress. If we recognize stressful situations, we can
then see them differently and better analyze our reactions and feelings.
2. Time Management
Prioritize your time so that you can take personal time to relax and socialize
3. Relaxation
Slow your body down, both mentally and physically. This includes such techniques as meditation,
mental imagery, and deep breathing.
4. Physical Wellness
Good nutrition and exercise are important and help to reduce tension.
5. Sleep
Sleep lets your body reenergize. Completion of dreams is also important.
6. Rewards
Give yourself a pat on the back for following these stress reduction techniques.
There are three ways that most people deal with stress: avoidance, suffering or managing. The first two will
only cause more stress.
Managing stress is the best way to deal with it. Since stress is a holistic concept involving the entire self,
it might be managed by using the following techniques:
1. Defining Stress
Recognize what aspects of your life cause the stress. If we recognize stressful situations, we can
then see them differently and better analyze our reactions and feelings.
2. Time Management
Prioritize your time so that you can take personal time to relax and socialize
3. Relaxation
Slow your body down, both mentally and physically. This includes such techniques as meditation,
mental imagery, and deep breathing.
4. Physical Wellness
Good nutrition and exercise are important and help to reduce tension.
5. Sleep
Sleep lets your body reenergize. Completion of dreams is also important.
6. Rewards
Give yourself a pat on the back for following these stress reduction techniques.
what is STRESS?
By definition, stress is a pressure, a force, or a strain placed on something. Stress is caused by how we respond to certain events in our lives, not by the events themselves. Each individual may respond differently to the same event.
Some stress is inescapable. Avoidance is a responsive defense mechanism to stress, and trying to avoid stress will in turn create more.
Not all stress can and needs to be controlled. We need positive, high-energy stress to keep us going. We need to learn to control that negative emotional and physical stress that can be harmful.
False perceptions are often stress producing. Find out all the facts before you get “stressed out” over a situation.
Stress could arise from:
• Having a long, important meeting the night before a major exam
• Juggling multiple priorities as a student, like classes, work, activities, relationships, family
• Being away from your family support network and finding a new one
• Having a reputation as an outstanding student or leader
• Leaving your security behind and heading out into the “real world”
Some stress is inescapable. Avoidance is a responsive defense mechanism to stress, and trying to avoid stress will in turn create more.
Not all stress can and needs to be controlled. We need positive, high-energy stress to keep us going. We need to learn to control that negative emotional and physical stress that can be harmful.
False perceptions are often stress producing. Find out all the facts before you get “stressed out” over a situation.
Stress could arise from:
• Having a long, important meeting the night before a major exam
• Juggling multiple priorities as a student, like classes, work, activities, relationships, family
• Being away from your family support network and finding a new one
• Having a reputation as an outstanding student or leader
• Leaving your security behind and heading out into the “real world”
26 June, 2009
Stress is a ‘normal’ function of everyday life
Stress is a ‘normal’ function of everyday life.
Only when it appears to take over our lives does it then become a
problem.
Everyone will have different reasons why a situation
causes them pressure.
As a rule it’s usually when we don’t feel in control of a situation, then we feel its grip tightening
around us causing us to feel worried or ‘stressed’.
If stress is caused by us not feeling in control of a
situation, the answer is to try and reverse this, and regain
that control. The good news is: YOU CAN!
You have everything inside you that you need to
overcome your stress and the accompanying anxiety. The
problem is, often we don’t realize that we are in control
because we feel so out of control at time. But the tools are
there, you just have to use them.
Let’s first look at the barriers we put up that are
preventing us from becoming healthy and getting rid of our
anxiety and stress.
Yes you can
but you have to belive your self first.
Only when it appears to take over our lives does it then become a
problem.
Everyone will have different reasons why a situation
causes them pressure.
As a rule it’s usually when we don’t feel in control of a situation, then we feel its grip tightening
around us causing us to feel worried or ‘stressed’.
If stress is caused by us not feeling in control of a
situation, the answer is to try and reverse this, and regain
that control. The good news is: YOU CAN!
You have everything inside you that you need to
overcome your stress and the accompanying anxiety. The
problem is, often we don’t realize that we are in control
because we feel so out of control at time. But the tools are
there, you just have to use them.
Let’s first look at the barriers we put up that are
preventing us from becoming healthy and getting rid of our
anxiety and stress.
Yes you can
but you have to belive your self first.
WHY ARE WE SO STRESSED OUT?
WHY ARE WE SO STRESSED OUT?
We're living in difficult times and things
don't seem to be getting any easier. Sometimes life can
seem terribly painful and unfair, yet somehow we manage to
struggle on, day after day, hoping and praying that things
will soon get better.
But day by day the world is becoming a crazier and
more uncertain place to live in, not to mention stressful.
Nothing seems safe anymore. Millions of people are in record
levels of debt. Many are losing their jobs, their homes, their
health and sometimes even their sanity.
Worry, depression and anxiety seem to have become a way of life .
In 2002, the cover of Time magazine proclaimed this loud
and clear on one of their covers as the featured story in that
issue. The constant stress and uncertainties of living in the
21st century have certainly taken their toll, and as a result
many of us seem to live a life of constant fear and worry.
The economy is another stressor. Our country is in
debt and so are many Americans. Soaring gas prices,
outrageous housing costs, even the cost of food has sent
many Americans to work in jobs that are unsatisfying and
tedious. They work these jobs because they need a
paycheck. Today, it’s more important to bring home the
bacon rather than work in a dream career.
Having more women in the workplace adds to the
stress. So many women feel the need to be everything to
everyone and that includes a paycheck earner, house
keeper, mom, wife, daughter, and sibling. The only problem
with that is some women just don’t make any time for
themselves thus contributing to their stress levels being at
an all-time high.
Even children can feel the pressure of stress and
anxiety. Teenagers who want to go to college find
themselves pushing themselves during their studies to try
and obtain scholarships so they can attend schools that have
ever increasing tuition costs.
They find themselves having to hold down part-time
jobs on top of all that to earn money for extras that their
parents can no longer afford. Add peer pressure into the
mix and you have a veritable pressure cooker!
Cell phones, internet, palm pilots, blackberries, i-pods
– we are always on the go and always reachable. We don’t
make time to relax and enjoy life any more.
Why not? We certainly should!
We feel pressure to do these things because we think
we HAVE to, not because we WANT to. All too often, it’s
difficult for people to just say “No”. Not saying that one
little word piles up un-needed expectations and obligations
that make us feel anxious.
We're living in difficult times and things
don't seem to be getting any easier. Sometimes life can
seem terribly painful and unfair, yet somehow we manage to
struggle on, day after day, hoping and praying that things
will soon get better.
But day by day the world is becoming a crazier and
more uncertain place to live in, not to mention stressful.
Nothing seems safe anymore. Millions of people are in record
levels of debt. Many are losing their jobs, their homes, their
health and sometimes even their sanity.
Worry, depression and anxiety seem to have become a way of life .
In 2002, the cover of Time magazine proclaimed this loud
and clear on one of their covers as the featured story in that
issue. The constant stress and uncertainties of living in the
21st century have certainly taken their toll, and as a result
many of us seem to live a life of constant fear and worry.
The economy is another stressor. Our country is in
debt and so are many Americans. Soaring gas prices,
outrageous housing costs, even the cost of food has sent
many Americans to work in jobs that are unsatisfying and
tedious. They work these jobs because they need a
paycheck. Today, it’s more important to bring home the
bacon rather than work in a dream career.
Having more women in the workplace adds to the
stress. So many women feel the need to be everything to
everyone and that includes a paycheck earner, house
keeper, mom, wife, daughter, and sibling. The only problem
with that is some women just don’t make any time for
themselves thus contributing to their stress levels being at
an all-time high.
Even children can feel the pressure of stress and
anxiety. Teenagers who want to go to college find
themselves pushing themselves during their studies to try
and obtain scholarships so they can attend schools that have
ever increasing tuition costs.
They find themselves having to hold down part-time
jobs on top of all that to earn money for extras that their
parents can no longer afford. Add peer pressure into the
mix and you have a veritable pressure cooker!
Cell phones, internet, palm pilots, blackberries, i-pods
– we are always on the go and always reachable. We don’t
make time to relax and enjoy life any more.
Why not? We certainly should!
We feel pressure to do these things because we think
we HAVE to, not because we WANT to. All too often, it’s
difficult for people to just say “No”. Not saying that one
little word piles up un-needed expectations and obligations
that make us feel anxious.
“I’m SO stressed out!”
It seems like you hear it all the time from nearly every
one you know – “I’m SO stressed out!”
Pressures abound in this world today.
Those pressures cause stress and anxiety,
and often we are ill-equipped to deal with those stressors
that trigger anxiety and other feelings that can make us
sick. Literally, sick.
The statistics are staggering. One in every eight
Americans age 18-54 suffers from an anxiety disorder. This
totals over 19 million people! Research conducted by the
National Institute of Mental Health has shown that anxiety
disorders are the number one mental health problem among
American women and are second only to alcohol and drug
abuse by men.
Women suffer from anxiety and stress almost twice as
much as men. Anxiety disorders are the most common
mental illness in America, surpassing even depression in
numbers. Anxiety is the most common mental health issue
facing adults over 65 years of age. Anxiety disorders cost
the U.S. $46.6 billion annually. Anxiety sufferers see an
average of five doctors before being successfully diagnosed.
Unfortunately, stress and anxiety go hand in hand. In
fact, one of the major symptoms of stress is anxiety. And
stress accounts for 80 percent of all illnesses either directly
or indirectly.
In fact, stress is more dangerous than we thought.
You've probably heard that it can raise your blood pressure,
increasing the likelihood of a stroke in the distant future, but
recently a health insurance brochure claimed that 90 percent
of visits to a primary care physician were stress-related
disorders.
Health Psychology magazine reports that chronic stress
can interfere with the normal function of the body's immune
system. And studies have proven that stressed individuals
have an increased vulnerability to catching an illness and are
more susceptible to allergic, autoimmune, or cardiovascular
diseases.
Doctors agree that during chronic stress, the functions
of the body that are nonessential to survival, such as the
digestive and immune systems, shut down. "This is why
people get sick," he says. "There are also many occurrences
of psychosomatic illness, an illness with an emotional or
psychological side to it."
Furthermore, stress often prompts people to respond
in unhealthy ways such as smoking, drinking alcohol, eating
poorly, or becoming physically inactive. This damages the
body in addition to the wear and tear of the stress itself.
Stress is a part of daily life. It’s how we react to it that
makes all the difference in maintaining our health and wellbeing.
Pressures occur throughout life and those pressures
cause stress. You need to realize that you will never
completely get rid of stress in your life, but you can learn
coping techniques to turn that stress into a healthier
situation.
When I first got the assignment to write this book, I
immediately thought, “Sure, you can eliminate stress and
anxiety by locking yourself into a room and never talking to
anyone ever again”. But that wouldn’t make a very
informative book, now would it?
I have suffered from anxiety disorders caused by stress
for years. I have learned somewhat how to cope with that
although I’m always learning new things and dealing
mechanisms. So what I’ve done in this book is taken some
of my own experiences and combined them with advice from
experts to give you tools that will help you in stressful
situations.
I’ve also outlined different ways you can face
debilitating anxiety and panic attacks that many people
suffer from. While researching this book, I’ve come across
some amazing information and can’t wait to share it with
you. I’ve learned so much myself, so let’s look at how to
eliminate stress and anxiety from your life!
one you know – “I’m SO stressed out!”
Pressures abound in this world today.
Those pressures cause stress and anxiety,
and often we are ill-equipped to deal with those stressors
that trigger anxiety and other feelings that can make us
sick. Literally, sick.
The statistics are staggering. One in every eight
Americans age 18-54 suffers from an anxiety disorder. This
totals over 19 million people! Research conducted by the
National Institute of Mental Health has shown that anxiety
disorders are the number one mental health problem among
American women and are second only to alcohol and drug
abuse by men.
Women suffer from anxiety and stress almost twice as
much as men. Anxiety disorders are the most common
mental illness in America, surpassing even depression in
numbers. Anxiety is the most common mental health issue
facing adults over 65 years of age. Anxiety disorders cost
the U.S. $46.6 billion annually. Anxiety sufferers see an
average of five doctors before being successfully diagnosed.
Unfortunately, stress and anxiety go hand in hand. In
fact, one of the major symptoms of stress is anxiety. And
stress accounts for 80 percent of all illnesses either directly
or indirectly.
In fact, stress is more dangerous than we thought.
You've probably heard that it can raise your blood pressure,
increasing the likelihood of a stroke in the distant future, but
recently a health insurance brochure claimed that 90 percent
of visits to a primary care physician were stress-related
disorders.
Health Psychology magazine reports that chronic stress
can interfere with the normal function of the body's immune
system. And studies have proven that stressed individuals
have an increased vulnerability to catching an illness and are
more susceptible to allergic, autoimmune, or cardiovascular
diseases.
Doctors agree that during chronic stress, the functions
of the body that are nonessential to survival, such as the
digestive and immune systems, shut down. "This is why
people get sick," he says. "There are also many occurrences
of psychosomatic illness, an illness with an emotional or
psychological side to it."
Furthermore, stress often prompts people to respond
in unhealthy ways such as smoking, drinking alcohol, eating
poorly, or becoming physically inactive. This damages the
body in addition to the wear and tear of the stress itself.
Stress is a part of daily life. It’s how we react to it that
makes all the difference in maintaining our health and wellbeing.
Pressures occur throughout life and those pressures
cause stress. You need to realize that you will never
completely get rid of stress in your life, but you can learn
coping techniques to turn that stress into a healthier
situation.
When I first got the assignment to write this book, I
immediately thought, “Sure, you can eliminate stress and
anxiety by locking yourself into a room and never talking to
anyone ever again”. But that wouldn’t make a very
informative book, now would it?
I have suffered from anxiety disorders caused by stress
for years. I have learned somewhat how to cope with that
although I’m always learning new things and dealing
mechanisms. So what I’ve done in this book is taken some
of my own experiences and combined them with advice from
experts to give you tools that will help you in stressful
situations.
I’ve also outlined different ways you can face
debilitating anxiety and panic attacks that many people
suffer from. While researching this book, I’ve come across
some amazing information and can’t wait to share it with
you. I’ve learned so much myself, so let’s look at how to
eliminate stress and anxiety from your life!
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