Stress and Anxiety Issues and How to Deal With Them
Stress and anxiety are actually very similar conditions. Often, anxiety is considered to be caused by long periods of stress and stress can be a component of anxiety disorders. It is difficult to tell what exactly the difference is (if there is any) between stress and anxiety but they are for sure conditions that need your attention.
Stress and anxiety are actually a normal part of our lives and in most cases they are strongly related to our capability of coping with our problems. Most of the people respond normal to stress and anxiety and don’t pay more than a normal amount of attention to those factors. However if you are exposed for long periods to stress this may cause also anxiety and furthermore lead to anxiety disorders. Some people find it difficult to cope with the problems they face or tend to accept every obstacle too emotionally which can be also a cause for anxiety.
Besides the mental discomfort that anxiety and stress cause there are also physical consequences if you do not pay attention to the stress levels in your life. Here are some of the most common physical damages that stress and anxiety can cause:
- Anxiety and memory loss
- Increases the risk of cancer
- Damages of your immune system
- Imbalance in your hormone levels and function
- Increases the risk of heart diseases
- May cause high blood pressure
- Increases the risk of diabetes
- Can cause mental disorders
As you can see, stress is not a factor that you can afford to neglect. Often people tend to pay less attention to stress in their lives and face the problem when it becomes a serious condition. As I mentioned, it is often considered that if you are exposed for long periods to severe stress, this will cause anxiety. Anxiety can be described as the peak in your stress. This is a condition that makes you overthink everything even minor issues or create “problems” from air. If you do not pay attention to the initial symptoms and factors that are sources for stress in your life, they can easily transform this into panic disorder.
What Can Cause Stress?
The source of stress can change from person to person, but here are some of the most common factors and situations that are stressful and can be a problem:
- Loss/change of job
- Moving to a new home
- Death of a loved one
- Major change in your life
- Traumatic event
- Wedding planning anxiety
Early Signs of Stress
- Find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night
- Eating more or less
- Sense of loneliness
- Difficulties in concentration and focus on something
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
If you already notice the early signs of stress accumulating in your life, it is the time to make some changes. Here is what you can try to relieve stress and manage your anxious thoughts:
- Meditation: Meditation is a proven method with positive influence on anxiety and stress. Take time and try to practice meditation every day. This will help you to relax and focus on the positive side of your daily routines.
- Exercise: exercise is another thing that you can try as a stress relief technique. Physical exercises will help you to improve your overall health and tonus and will give you energy.
- Get enough sleep: make sure that you get enough healthy night sleep. Try to go to sleep at a certain hour every night and sleep for at least 7-8 hours. If you find it difficult to fall asleep you can try to drink herbal teas with calming effect right before going to bed.
- Consult with a therapist: Sometimes we are incapable of managing stress all by ourselves and it is necessary to look for an appropriate therapist that can guide us through the process. If you feel that you have tried everything and nothing works, you can try and look for professional help.
