Anxiety and Stress Management
What is stress and anxiety?
Physically, stress feels uncomfortable, and our first impulse is to move away from the feelings of agitation that accompany stress. However, when looked at objectively, our physical response to stress is very similar to the excitement we feel about something. Our hearts race, and a heightened sense of awareness increases our restlessness. In its most positive expression, stress provides motivation for change in our lives.
However, if this motivation for action is frustrated, stress can evolve into anxiety, which is a chronic state of restlessness. This can interfere with our sleep patterns, diet, and how we relate to friends and workmates. The ability to navigate our daily lives diminishes, and often the compulsion for self-medication takes hold, bringing complications to your professional and personal wellbeing.
Anxiety has many causes, including unreasonable workplace demands, responses to overt or covert bullying, financial pressures, moving home, health issues, or being excluded from social or recreational opportunities. As a chronic condition, the causes of your anxiety may be hard to pinpoint; however, by examining your emotional responses to various issues in your life, the source of your restlessness will likely reveal itself.
Additionally, anxiety can be contagious. If you’re usually relaxed but find yourself unaccountably restless and unsettled, it may be that you have fallen into the orbit of someone who is anxious. Those who are empathic or sensitive are at greater risk of catching anxiety from those close to them.
To manage anxiety effectively, exercise, guided meditation, and conscious breathing techniques are beneficial for restoring healthy sleep patterns. Proper sleep is essential for effective anxiety treatment and stress management.
Holistic counselling and online counselling offer valuable support for new exercise regimes, as well as relaxation and mindfulness sessions, which can help you get on top of your stress levels before they become overwhelming.