Recognizing and managing stress in today’s fast-paced and demanding world is crucial. If left unchecked, stress can lead to severe mental, emotional, and physical health problems, including anxiety. While stress is a part of everyday life, many people struggle to manage it. Unhealthy and unmanaged stress negatively impacts the body and mind. Common causes of stress for many adults in the United States include finances, work, relationships, health, safety, and uncertainty about the future. These are only some of the things that we get stressed about. It’s important to know that most stress can be managed. Sometimes finding stress relief requires developing strategies and coping skills.
What is Stress Awareness Month?
April is Stress Awareness Month, a designation meant to raise awareness about the negative impact that unhealthy levels of stress can have on your body and mind, as well as bring attention to the causes and remedies of stress. Stress Awareness Month, which began in 1992, aims to heighten public understanding of the consequences of stress and encourage helpful discussions around effective stress management.
Many mental health advocates hold workshops, webinars, and discussions during Stress Awareness Month. By taking part in Stress Awareness Month, we not only prioritize our well-being, but also foster a culture that acknowledges how essential it is to maintain a healthy mind, body, work-life balance, and so much more.
Ultimately, the goal is to create a future where our individual and collective understanding of stress leads to healthier and more fulfilling lives. This year, the focus of Stress Awareness Month is anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotional response to the anticipation of something. It can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Anxiety is often defined as a feeling of fear, worry, and unease about an uncertain outcome. This could include things like taking an exam, attending a job interview, or simply walking through a crowded room. It’s normal to feel anxious in times of stress, danger, or new situations. When your anxiety lasts for long periods of time or becomes too intense and impacts your quality of life it could be a sign that you are experiencing a mental disorder. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, worried, or unable to cope with life’s stressors lately, then you may be experiencing anxiety. Anxiety can come in many forms, and it’s essential to recognize its symptoms so that you can take steps toward managing it and improving your mental health. In this blog post, we’ll explore the common causes of anxiety and provide helpful tips and resources, such as where to get information about mental health treatments that are available for those experiencing anxiety-related mental health concerns. Understanding what could potentially be causing your anxious feelings, as well as following the steps outlined in this blog may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve your overall quality of life.
How Do I Know if I have Anxiety?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with persistent, extreme fear and worry, along with physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing and a racing heart, then you may be experiencing anxiety. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, approximately seven percent of children aged 3-17 experience issues with anxiety each year (NAMI, 2017). With nearly 20% of U.S. adults and seven percent of children having an anxiety disorder, it’s important to know when to seek help, whether it be for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
Contact Embrace Health today for more information about our online telepsychiatry or therapy services for anxiety treatment, or book an appointment online to connect with one of our dedicated and compassionate mental health professionals.
Common Causes and Symptoms of Anxiety
Common causes of anxiety include unresolved mental trauma, mental disorders, health problems, drugs or alcohol and unmanaged stress. Anxiety disorder can be hereditary. People with certain personality traits such as shyness and inhibition may be more likely to experience anxiety.
Symptoms of anxiety can range from physical to psychological and vary in intensity depending on the individual experiencing the anxiety. Symptoms can include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Excessive worry
- Fatigue
- Nausea or other digestive problems
- Racing thoughts
- Restlessness
- Shortness of breath and/or chest pain
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Sweating
Anxiety can also lead to panic attacks which are sudden feelings of terror that come seemingly out of nowhere and cause physical reactions like rapid heart rate, excessive sweating, lightheadedness or dizziness, and a strong fear that you are losing control or going crazy.
How to Manage Anxiety
Anxiety is a widespread emotion, yet it often goes unacknowledged, potentially leading to persistent discomfort and decreased mental wellness. Becoming mindful of common anxiety causes and knowing how to identify them in ourselves is crucial to combating its negative effects. First, understanding that certain biological factors, including genetics, alterations in brain chemistry, and hormonal imbalances, may predispose some individuals to heightened anxiety is essential. On a psychological level, certain personality traits, past traumas, or previous negative experiences might also contribute to anxiety. In addition, environmental stressors, such as work or relationship pressures, financial difficulties, major life changes, and even the current global state can trigger an anxious state.
To recognize these emotions within ourselves, self-awareness, and self-reflection are key. Be attentive to physical signs, such as racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or difficulty concentrating, as well as emotional signals, such as excessive worry, irritability, or a sense of impending doom. By being attuned to these potential anxiety indicators, we can then take the necessary steps to address the underlying causes and seek appropriate support, ultimately fostering a healthier mental and emotional well-being.
4 Tips to Reduce Stress Levels in Everyday Life
Living in today’s fast-paced world, it’s essential for our mental and physical well-being to proactively manage stress levels. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help relieve or prevent anxiety symptoms. Employing practical coping strategies can make a significant difference in how we perceive and handle the challenges that come our way.
Exercise
Engaging in regular physical activity has been proven to release endorphins, which naturally help reduce stress and anxiety. Exercises, such as walking, yoga, or swimming, have been known to reduce stress levels by increasing endorphins, which are the “feel good” hormones in our body, while also bringing more focus to our body’s movements instead of worrying thoughts.
Eat Healthy
Adopting a balanced diet rich in whole foods and limiting caffeine intake can create a more stable physiological environment, ultimately contributing to a calmer and more focused mind. Eating a balanced diet full of foods rich in magnesium, like spinach, beans, lentils, and peanuts, can help with relaxation while limiting caffeine intake promotes a more relaxed state since stimulants like coffee increase stress hormones.
Meditate
Meditation is a great tool to calm your mind and body while promoting relaxation through focused breathing techniques and visualization exercises. Other helpful strategies include journaling to express your emotions in a healthy way, mindfulness practices which involve being present in the moment without judgment, progressive muscle relaxation which involves tensing then relaxing specific areas of your body one at a time, and deep breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing to help slow down your heart rate and reduce physical tension throughout your body. Incorporating mindfulness techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises into our daily routines enables us to cultivate awareness and resilience, as we learn to cope with stressors more effectively and live more balanced healthier lives.
Make Connections
Equally important to reducing the symptoms of stress-related anxiety is nurturing social connections and having a strong support network. Openly sharing one’s experiences and concerns with trusted friends or family members can foster a sense of belonging and encouragement, which assists in buffering stress during difficult times. Talking to a therapist or counselor who can provide guidance toward managing your stress-related anxiety symptoms is also helpful.
Ultimately, making positive changes to your lifestyle, like the ones listed in this blog, can potentially help with managing anxiety symptoms. Stress Awareness Month is the perfect time for individuals to evaluate their own stress levels and learn more about ways they can help manage their anxiety over time. Ensuring you’re getting adequate sleep so you’re well-rested each day, avoiding drugs and alcohol which can increase emotions like depression or hopelessness, and engaging in calming activities like listening to music or reading positive books can also play important roles in easing anxious thoughts related to stress.
Get Help with Anxiety
If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety, seeking professional help can be highly beneficial. Through Embrace Health’s telepsychiatry services, we empower individuals to take control of their mental well-being. We offer a variety of telehealth services to individuals from all walks of life – from individual therapy sessions to online psychiatry appointments.
At Embrace Health, we provide therapy using evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which focuses on identifying negative thought patterns that feed into anxious behavior, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) which teaches skills for regulating emotion through mindfulness practice, exposure therapy that allows you to gradually confront the things that trigger your distress until the fear associated with it decreases over time, relaxation techniques designed specifically for coping with stressful situations, and medication management for those who will benefit from it the most. With our services, you don’t have to suffer alone or wait another moment longer – all you need is a reliable internet connection and a smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
No matter what the cause of your anxiety may be Stress Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to create awareness about this condition. With help from family, friends, and professionals involved in mental health treatment programs, as well as other resources available today, it’s possible to manage your anxiety gradually over time so you have an improved quality of life overall.
Contact Embrace Health today for more information about our online telepsychiatry or therapy services for anxiety treatment, or book an appointment online to connect with one of our dedicated and compassionate mental health professionals.
References:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (2020). Anxiety Disorders. Retrieved April 2nd, 2020 from https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders
National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/mind-and-body-approaches-for-stress-science
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
