There are many external and internal factors to anxiety which can lead to anxiety and eventually chronic stress. Life experiences of death, loss and grief, money, health, work, family, love, the holiday season and many other reasons in life that can cause anxiety. What is anxiety? And, how do you relate to it?
Dictionary.com Anxiety is defined as distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune: He felt anxiety about the possible loss of his job.
The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry and have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat.
Stress is a normal part of life. Stress warns you that you're encountering problematic situations, and is designed to motivate you to take action in order to reduce that stress and make your life better. Without stress, you wouldn't feel any motivation to make your life better. You would take risks without regard for the consequences and make life decisions without critical thinking. In small amounts, stress is actually a good thing. But when that stress starts to become unreasonable – when that stress starts to cause you to feel sick, anxious, unhappy, or fatigued – then your levels of stress can become a serious problem. Stress and anxiety are not entirely different conditions. In many ways, anxiety may be considered long term stress, and long term stress may be a component of experiencing anxiety. Extreme stress caused by different scenes can have the same outcome, feelings and discomfort of anxiety.
1. Coping Response and Openness: Both anxiety and stress are often related to problems with life and coping. Life happens regardless of what we think and feel. Coping in a healthy way with thoughts and feelings happens by being okay with them. When you are being okay and relaxed with your thoughts and feelings your heart opens. As awareness, you know that they are only thoughts and feelings with only the power you give them. Your thoughts and feelings are powerless without you!.
2. Negative Thinking Both stress and anxiety create negative thinking, and negative thinking is very closely related to coping with both of those issues. Negative thinking equals negative self- talk and negative responses. Release your negative thoughts. Kno
3. Enjoyment Replace negative thinking with enjoyment. You can experience something you enjoy inside your anxious feelings and thoughts of anxiety. Enjoy listening to music, deep breathing, exercise, dancing, painting, writing in a journal, bake, being in nature, hug a tree, be self- expressive, talk to a friend, and have fun!
4. Goal Setting You need to set goals for you as well. Realistic goals that you can reach. Goals shift your focus to looking ahead even though stress has a tendency to over-focus you on the present. And the present is stressful. Take time for you to enjoy setting some positive goals.
5. Exercise Your body wants to move!! Dance, exercise and stretching movements are viable ways to release everyday anxiety and stress. In the body and mind connection, exercise is not only a physical fitness technique, it is much more. It plays a key role in stress reduction, by burning away many of the stress hormones while releasing chemicals and endorphins that improve mood and keeping you young and healthy.