Managing Stress & Anxiety

Managing Stress & Anxiety

Its Mental Health Awareness Month which means there should be discussions on how to manage stress and anxiety. In this newsletter, I go over what is stress and ways to manage it. Remember we can't live a stress-free life but there are ways to manage it.

What is stress?

Stress:?an event or series of events that lead to strain, which often results in physical and psychological health problems.

Physical Affects

·????????Psychosomatic illnesses: caused in part by emotional factors and the prolonged effects of stress. (ex. hypertension, emotional disorders, cancer, and asthma)

·????????Intimate connection between body and mind: emotional reaction can lead to sickness.

·????????Headaches, migraines and stomach issues.

·????????Change in sleep and/or eating patterns.

Emotional Affects

·????????Frustration: failures, losses, job discrimination, loneliness

·????????Conflict: when you experience two or more desirable choices and forced to choose one

·????????Change: career changes, financial changes, marriage

·????????Pressure: not feeling satisfied, high expectations, unrealistic beliefs

Strategies

?

·????????Find ways to simplify life – Declutter your emotional and physical stuff

·????????Are your basic needs met? Sleep, Diet, Water & Exercise

·????????Do something you enjoy that creates flow (ex. A hobby for at least 10-20 minutes).

·????????Baby steps, one thing at a time. Realistic expectations

·????????Practice a relaxation technique (ex. Yoga, breathing exercises, and working out, reading, drawing).

·????????Connecting with others helps manage stress – talking in person can trigger hormones that reduce stress.

·????????Recognize your stressors, do not ignore and accept the difficulties that came out of our stressors. Learn to know what triggers your stress/anger.

·????????Be as present as possible- mindfulness- slow down, don’t multi-task, unplug/digital detox.

·????????Time management- use it wisely for the important things and for “me” time. Learn to say no and include selfcare.

????????-key to stress: we take on too many things all at once and feel overwhelmed, reduce multi-tasking, prioritize tasks, to-do lists, break big projects into bite sized assignments, delegate to others, add in fun and play.

·????????Mediation: eliminate mental distraction and relax the body.

For more information please visit: www.dianelang.org or email [email protected]