Dealing with stress and anxiety

Portia Arthur

November 2, 2016 9:26 AM

We all have a level of anxiety, but we can get through it.

Sometimes, stress can be a positive force, motivating you to perform. But often, like when youre stuck in traffic, it is a negative force.

If you experience stress over a prolonged period of time, it could become chronic unless you take action. Stress can be manifested in several forms, two such forms are:

Have you ever found yourself with sweaty hands on a first date or felt your heart pound during a scary movie? Then you know you can feel stress in both your mind and body.

This automatic response is developed in multiple challenges every day, such as meeting deadlines, paying bills and juggling childcare and that can have serious consequences for your health.

When stress starts interfering with your ability to live a normal life for an extended period, it becomes even more dangerous. The longer the stress lasts, the worse it is for both your mind and body.

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You might feel fatigued, unable to concentrate or irritable for no good reason and that is how chronic stress begins. Chronic stress may also cause disease, either because of changes in your body or as a result of overeating, smoking or other bad habits people use to cope with stress.

Other forms of chronic stress, such as depression and low levels of social support, have also been implicated in increased cardiovascular risk. And once you're sick, stress can also make it harder to recover.

Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel better, it may also protect your health in the long-term. Some solutions include

Identify what's causing stress

Monitor your state of mind throughout the day. If you feel stressed, write down the cause, your thoughts and your mood. Once you know what's bothering you, develop a plan for addressing it.

That might mean setting more reasonable expectations for yourself and others or asking for help with household responsibilities, job assignments or other tasks. List all your commitments, assess your priorities and then eliminate any tasks that are not absolutely essential.

According to an APA's 2012 Stress survey, stress keeps more than 40 percent of adults lying awake at night. To help ensure you get the recommended seven or eight hours of shut-eye, cut back on caffeine, remove distractions such as television or computers from your bedroom and go to bed at the same time each night.

Research shows that activities like yoga and relaxation exercises not only help reduce stress, but also boost immune functioning.

If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consult with a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional who can help you learn how to manage stress effectively. He or she can help you identify situations or behaviors that contribute to your chronic stress and then develop an action plan for changing them.

Source: apa.org

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Portia Arthur