Anxiety And Stress. Understanding The Differences And Options.
Stress is usually associated with a less than useful thought process that we have that provokes a specific emotional response such as anger or anxiousness. As everyone is different the thought process and emotional response is always going to be different from one person to the next.
Whereas in the case of anxiety the specific cause may not always be so obvious which in itself then tends to exacerbate the anxious state because the person suffering from the anxiety doesn’t know what is causing it. In general terms we can look at stress as being a more generic type of mental and emotional state of lesser intensity where the person experiencing the stress often has a reasonably good idea of the cause. In the case of anxiety there is a build up of mental and emotional stress usually in relation to a specific, though often unknown, cause.
Emotional upset and the associated emotional states that occur (anger, fear, worry etc), whether it be major or of a more low grade continuous nature, is often the major contributor to stress. In addition there may be more physical issues at play such as irregularities in blood sugar and hormonal imbalances such as adrenal depletion and hyperthyroidism.
Irrespective of what the specific causes are in effectively treating stress and anxiety the cause does need to be found. This is not always easy but a good place to start is mapping out your symptoms and making note of the situations and circumstances that are associated with high levels of stress and the occurrence of your anxiety attacks.
Once the cause of the stress and anxiety has been uncovered finding someone who you can talk to openly about your specific issue is often advised. Whether that person be a professional therapist, a support group or simply someone who you can talk things out with, finding someone to talk with and work out some solutions that are appropriate, and most importantly that you will follow through with, is often the best form of self help in these situations.
In addition to a therapeutic approach to dealing with your anxiety and stress, make sure that your everyday lifestyle supports the therapy you are undertaking. Get moving. Regular exercise has been proven to help reduce levels of stress and increase wellbeing apart from the obvious fitness benefits. Proper sleep and rest are essential as are a healthy well balanced eating plan. Making sure these things are in place will make a huge difference to how you feel now and quite likely prevent the anxiety and stress from getting to levels that are difficult to manage in the future.
Sometimes the levels of stress and anxiety bring the sufferer to breaking point in which case self help techniques are often not enough. If you or someone you know begins to experience severe physical symptoms or suicidal self destructive thoughts you must seek urgent medical attention. Self help techniques may still be able to help you but in a more supportive rather than a primary role.
Related posts:
- Common Anxiety Treatment Options
- Understanding your self to reduce stress
- Understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Is Stress Causing You to Suffer Anxiety Attacks?
- Stress Anxiety Relief Tips
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