Mental Health Awareness: How to Recognize and Manage Stress and Anxiety
Today, stress and anxiety almost appear inevitable. Be it pressures from work deadlines, money, or personal problems, a stressor can clearly be seen in any direction you look. Therefore, it is important to be aware of how and when normal stress turns into anxiety and how to cope with both healthily.
Understanding Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a natural reaction to difficult circumstances. Your body’s way of ramping up to meet a threat—real or not—is useful in small doses, such as when you need to hit your deadline or get prepared for that big event. It increases your heartbeats, tenses up your muscles, and keeps you focused on your mind.
These changes are part of the “fight or flight” response and allow for one to perform at optimum during the moment and perform better under pressure. To some, that energy can be taken and used in such things as sports or betting where the excitement of the game is an added bonus. For more experience with betting, you can click here and place a bet.
Anxiety, however, is different. Whereas stress is a reaction to an apparent cause, most of the time anxiety is more internal, from your thoughts and feelings. It is that lingering unease, fear, or dread that doesn’t go away when a stressor is no more. The symptoms of anxiety can be many and vary, be it generalized anxiety disorder or panic attacks; with the struggles, they bring along.
The first thing to acknowledge is signs of stress and anxiety. But how does one know whether what they are experiencing is stress or anxiety or something else entirely?
Watch for These Signs
Here are some common signs that you may be stressed or anxious:
1. Emotional symptoms: Stress and anxiety have similar effects that include feeling overwhelmed, irritability, and anxiety. If you are incredibly sad or more frustrated than usual, perhaps this shows you have more than everyday stress.
2. Behavioral changes: Have you been avoiding situations you once enjoyed? Are you withdrawing from your friends or family? These are potential signs that your social life might be affected by anxiety and maybe your well-being as a whole.
3. Cognitive symptoms: There are quite a number of connections between anxiety and problems with concentrating, racing thoughts, and constant worry. On the other hand, stress can make it so one doesn’t actually want to focus, but in the cases of anxiety, that has a general mental fogging that is pretty hard to shake off.
If all these seem to be the symptoms you are facing, then it is about time to go a notch higher. If not addressed, they can worsen and lead to more serious mental ailments.
How to Cope with Stress and Anxiety
Knowing the symptoms, you now know what you might be going through. So, here is what can be done in an effort to cope with your stress and anxiety more appropriately:
• Exercise regularly: Physical activity has the invigorating effect of being a natural stress reliever. Whether it be a brisk walk, a session of yoga, or hitting the gym, the endorphins that are secreted with exercise surely get you in a better mood and may help in reducing anxiety.
• Get plenty of sleep: Establish a pre-sleep routine that allows you to relax. Get between seven and nine hours of sleep daily. No screens before sleep and, if possible, try going to bed at the same time daily.
• Connect with others: Social support is key to actually coping with stress and anxiety. Remember it is okay to ask or to speak to someone, this can be friends, family, or even a psychiatrist.
• Reduce consumption of caffeine and alcohol: Both raise the signs of anxiety to a greater extent. Yes, there are moments when you would love to get that extra cup of coffee or wine because of aggravation; however, don’t do it often.
• Set boundaries: Learn to say no and place limits on the time with other people. No overcommitting allowed, and be sure to carve out time for self-care.
• Seek professional help: Should the agitation and anxiety interfere with your daily routine, this may be a pointer toward seeking help from a mental health professional. Therapy, counseling, or even medication can be very effective in keeping them at bay.
You aren’t in this alone, be mindful, be healthy, and take one step at a time.
