Therapy for Anxiety & Stress

It’s a bit like the chicken or the egg story, where we argue which one came first- accept, now, it’s between anxiety or stress? Does one accelerate the other? Does less stress mean less anxiety? Does less anxiety mean less stress? Does it even matter?

Wow, talk about creating unnecessary stress in your life. That just gave me so much anxiety thinking of the many “what if’s.” What is the point of it all? Is anxiety a good thing or a bad thing?

Well, anxiety is actually a good thing. AND we all have it. Historically, anxiety was once used as a basic instinct. It would trigger us into flight or fight mode, protecting us from potential danger. If we felt anxious, it was our body’s way of telling us to let that something uncertain or unsafe was about to happen. The keyword here is “potential.” It’s in the future tense. Anxiety is when you worry about something that could happen, which then leads to all of the “what ifs” and a lot of stress. And with stress comes a lot of anxiety because you start to worry about how you’re going to get everything done on time, how you’re going to pay off your car, will you make it back home in time to cook dinner for the kids, will you get into college, or will you get that new job?

You’ll never eliminate stress, but you can learn how to control your anxiety by managing your daily stress levels. And we will do this by focusing on the mind-body connection by learning to read your body language.

Sounds too easy? So why do I have anxiety attacks every day? Sometimes two or three a day. Well, you’re right. The change will take time. And it won’t happen overnight but, nor did your anxiety attacks. You didn’t just wake up one day and start to feel anxious. It was a gradual process. But now, your body is telling you to slow down. Something has to change. And this is where you must start to work on your mind.

Just like your anxiety, you will start to replace bad thinking habits with good thinking habits. You will learn to control your thought process and behavior by actively trying to stay in the present by using mindfulness techniques and limiting your time thinking about the past or future.

Anxiety will no longer be seen as something you fear but as something you manage. Just remember this, no emotion lasts forever. This will pass, too.

What are the First Warning Signs:

Regularly experiencing a combination of two or three of the symptoms listed below indicates anxiety that should be addressed.

Signs:

  • Lack of focus
  • Have no energy
  • Nervous
  • Irritable
  • Sweaty
  • Fidgety
  • Afraid
  • Restless

Symptoms:

  • Insomnia
  • Get sick easily
  • Lack of appetite
  • Overeating
  • Upset stomach
  • Heart racing
  • Decreased sexual desire
  • Headache

Effects:

  • Confusion
  • Emotional imbalance
  • Erratic decisions
  • Forgetfulness
  • Anger
  • Depression
  • Panic Attack

My Articles on Anxiety:

3 Tips for Overcoming Exercise Anxiety