Quick Stress Relief On The Go
In traffic. Play music or listen to an audiobook. Take a different route to see something new. Do neck-rolls at stoplights. Sing in the car to stay awake and happy.
Public transportation. Take a break from reading, cell conversations, and music to tune into the sights and sounds around you. Try noticing something new, even if youre on the same old bus ride.
Running errands. Wear a special perfume or lotion so you can enjoy it while you rush from place to place. Carry a stress ball in your pocket. Take a mental snapshot or postcard at each destination.
Waiting in lines. Instead of worrying about time slipping away, focus on your breathing. People watch. Chat with the person ahead of you. Chew a stick of minty gum.
Tip : Identify The Sources Of Stress In Your Life
Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isnt as straightforward as it sounds. While its easy to identify major stressors such as changing jobs, moving, or going through a divorce, pinpointing the sources of chronic stress can be more complicated. Its all too easy to overlook how your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors contribute to your everyday stress levels.
Sure, you may know that youre constantly worried about work deadlines, but maybe its your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that is causing the stress.
To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:
- Do you explain away stress as temporary even though you cant remember the last time you took a breather?
- Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life or as a part of your personality ?
- Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?
Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
Start a stress journal
A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal or use a stress tracker on your phone. Keeping a daily log will enable you to see patterns and common themes. Write down:
Is It Stress Or Anxiety
Life can be stressfulyou may feel stressed about performance at school, traumatic events , or a life change. Everyone feels stress from time to time.
What is stress? Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.
What is anxiety? Anxiety is your body’s reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.
If that anxiety doesnt go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression. Read more about anxiety disorders.
So, how do you know when to seek help?
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Tip : Practice The 4 As Of Stress Management
While stress is an automatic response from your nervous system, some stressors arise at predictable times: your commute to work, a meeting with your boss, or family gatherings, for example. When handling such predictable stressors, you can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose in any given scenario, its helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.
Simple Ways To Relieve Stress And Anxiety
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Stress and anxiety are common experiences for most people. In fact, 70% of adults in the United States say they feel stress or anxiety daily.
Here are 16 simple ways to relieve stress and anxiety.
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress.
It might seem contradictory, but putting physical stress on your body through exercise can relieve mental stress.
The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who dont exercise .
There are a few reasons behind this:
- Stress hormones: Exercise lowers your bodys stress hormones such as cortisol in the long run. It also helps release endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and act as natural painkillers.
- Sleep: Exercise can also improve your sleep quality, which can be negatively affected by stress and anxiety.
- Confidence: When you exercise regularly, you may feel more competent and confident in your body, which in turn promotes mental wellbeing.
- Try to find an exercise routine or activity you enjoy, such as walking, dancing, rock climbing or yoga.
Activities such as walking or jogging that involve repetitive movements of large muscle groups can be particularly stress relieving.
Read Also: How To Stop Yourself From Stressing Out
Recovery Programs For Stress Depression Treatment Anger Management And Anxiety
Stress can cause serious health complications. It can also cause significant issues with close relationships in your life, as well as work and social engagements with friends.
Stress can be debilitating, robbing you of your energy, confidence and joy. At The Center, our licensed, caring stress management specialists understand and now what you are experiencing. We know that you are not defined by your stress, and want to regain your life of happiness.
The Center employs an approach to treating stress that is proven to be highly effective a team approach utilizing the highly successful Whole Person Care method.
Alive: The Ultimate Health And Wellness Experience
Australia has multiple retreat options with anxiety-specific programs. One is the Alive retreat, designed for either couples or singles looking to improve their life experience. If you choose, the staff can create a program specifically suited to your individualized needs. In addition, a Create Your Own Retreat option can be found on the website. Pre-arranged anti-anxiety programs on offer include:
Read more:www.alivewellnessretreats.com.au/welcome_to_alive_wellness_retreats_australia.html
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Mental Health And Coping With Stress Resources
Traumatic events take different formsnatural disasters , personal loss, school shootings, and community violenceand their effects on us vary. People may feel sad, confused, scared, or worried. Others may feel numb or even happy to be alive and safe. Reactions to traumatic events can be had by those directly impacted as well as by friends and family of victims, first responders, and people learning about the events from the news.
Feeling stressed before or after a traumatic event is normal. But, this stress becomes a problem when we are unable to cope well with it and when the stress gets in the way of taking care of ourselves and family, going to school, or doing our jobs. Coping well with stress begins with recognizing how we are reacting and then by taking steps to manage our reactions in a healthy way.
Phone Numbers to Call for HelpDisaster Distress Helpline: call or text 1-800-985-5990National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Call 1-800-273-TALK
Get A Hug From A Loved One
Physical touch can do a lot to relieve your stress. Hugging a loved one can be especially beneficial.
When you hug someone, oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is associated with higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress.
Oxytocin also causes a reduction in blood pressure. It reduces the stress hormone norepinephrine and can produce a sense of relaxation.
So don’t be afraid to ask a loved one for a hug if you need it. It’s good for both of you and it can be one of the simplest forms of stress relief available.
Also Check: How To Treat Stress And Depression
Where Do I Go From Here
BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use InformationVisit www.heretohelp.bc.ca. See our section on managing stress including our Wellness Modules. The Modules are full of information, tips and worksheets to help you understand stress and take care of your mental health.
Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division Visit www.cmha.bc.ca or call 1-800-555-8222 or 604-688-3234 for information and community resources on how best to manage stress, including workbooks and courses.
Resources available in many languages:*For each service below, if English is not your first language, say the name of your preferred language in English to be connected to an interpreter. More than 100 languages are available.
HealthLink BCCall 811 or visit www.healthlinkbc.ca to access free, non-emergency health information for anyone in your family, including mental health information. Through 811, you can also speak to a registered nurse about symptoms youre worried about, or talk to a pharmacist about medication questions.
Crisis lines arent only for people in crisis. You can call for information on local services or if you just need someone to talk to. If you are in distress, call 310-6789 24 hours a day to connect to a BC crisis line, without a wait or busy signal. The crisis lines linked in through 310-6789 have received advanced training in mental health issues and services by members of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information.
About the author
What Are The Complications Of Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are highly treatable. Unfortunately, many people put off seeking help because theyre embarrassed. Untreated panic attacks or panic disorder can interfere with your ability to enjoy life. You may develop:
- Anticipatory anxiety: The possibility of having a panic attack triggers extreme anxiety.
- Phobias: A phobia is an extreme, unreasonable fear of something specific. For instance, acrophobia is a fear of heights, while claustrophobia is a fear of enclosed spaces.
- Agoraphobia: Approximately two-thirds of people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia. This anxiety disorder makes you afraid to be in places or situations where a panic attack might happen. The fear can become so extreme that you become too afraid to leave your house.
Read Also: Can Stress Cause You To Gain Weight
Can My Doctor Help
You can speak to your GP if you are struggling to cope with stress. Struggling to cope with stress may include the following.
- You are struggling to do everyday things.
- You have stopped looking after yourself.
- You are taking more time of work.
- You have thought that life is not worth living.
- You are using drugs or alcohol to cope with how you feel.
- You have felt very low or hopeless for 2 weeks or more.
- You no longer enjoy anything.
- You are having panic attacks.
It may help you to write down a list of the main points and questions that you want to discuss with your GP. This can be helpful if you are feeling anxious or worried.
If you have kept a stress diary you could take this with you. See the previous section for more information about a stress diary.
Your GP could offer:
- support groups in your area.
You can find more information about:
Tip : Identify Your Stress Response
Internally, we all respond the same way to the fight-or-flight stress response: your blood pressure rises, your heart pumps faster, and your muscles constrict. Your body works hard and drains your immune system. Externally, however, people respond to stress in different ways.
The best way to quickly relieve stress often relates to your specific stress response:
Overexcited stress response: If you tend to become angry, agitated, overly emotional, or keyed up under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that quiet you down.
Underexcited stress response: If you tend to become depressed, withdrawn, or spaced out under stress, you will respond best to stress relief activities that are stimulating and energizing.
The immobilization or frozen stress response
Read Also: How To Feel Less Stressed At Work
How To Calm Anxiety Or Panic Attacks
There are a number of ways you can face anxiety or panic attacks. There are many holistic things you can do to help calm yourself down, like simple lifestyle changes, for example. Experts have many other coping techniques they can share with you too.
Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S, LCSW-C, CMHIMP, EMDR, has some great ideas.
You can calm anxiety or panic attacks by learning to recognize the symptoms and practicing the following:
- Acknowledging that youre experiencing an episode and reminding yourself that it will not last forever
- Practicing deep breathing, including the 4-7-8 breathing exercise
- Doing a quick body scan, asking yourself where the anxiety is felt, and releasing it by shaking that body part
- Talking to your anxiety and permitting it to stay for a bit, but reminding it that it has to leave
- Practicing, meditation, mindfulness, or Tai Chi
- Practicing Creative Visualization, where you imagine yourself in a calm and happy place like the beach or a mountain for a minute or 2, and then continue with your daily activities
Keep in mind that there is hope a professional can treat both issues. Remind yourself about this when you want to feel calm.
An anxiety or panic attack may also be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or anti-anxiety medication. A panic attack can also be treated with CBT or with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other antidepressants.
The Importance Of Managing Stress
If youre living with high levels of stress, youre putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. It may seem like theres nothing you can do about stress. The bills wont stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, and your work and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think.
Effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so you can be happier, healthier, and more productive. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and funand the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. But stress management is not one-size-fits-all. Thats why its important to experiment and find out what works best for you. The following stress management tips can help you do that.
Affordable Online Therapy for Stress
Get professional help from BetterHelps network of licensed therapists.
Need urgent help? .
Read Also: How To Deal With Stress For Students
Brookhaven Retreat Center For Women
The Brookhaven Center for Women is a 48-acre retreat space designed by and for women. It is located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, near sites of natural beauty such as gardens, woods, and pastures.
They provide a wide range of options for anxiety treatment with a focus on reconnecting with nature and allowing individuals to design a healthier and more positive belief system for themselves. A few of their treatment and activity options include:
Read more:www.brookhavenretreat.com/cms
Talk To Your Doctor For Stress Management Resources
At any time you feel that your stress symptoms are out of control, talk to your doctor.
Dont be shy and tell your doctor everything you feel so they can assist you with available resources.
Yes, I take anti-depression pills and am waiting to talk to a counsellor from my doctors office.
So if I go offline once in a while, just know that Im working hard on the other end to improve things.
Giving this blog the best of me is all I want and what I will provide through personal experiences.
Take care,
Mr. CBB
Discussion: What types of stress have you battled or continue to battle? How have you been working on conquering them? Please leave words of encouragement and your personal stories below.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Short
CBT is perhaps one of the most common types of therapy available, as it addresses your thought patterns and behaviors. Your therapist will help you identify your stressors, and help you come up with healthier responses to reduce the impact of your triggers.
CBT may be used on either a short-term or long-term basis. This can make it suitable for helping to treat chronic mental health conditions, as well as helping you get through traumatic events and other causes of acute stress.
You may benefit from CBT if youre concerned about:
Where To Get Anxiety Help And How To Help Someone With Anxiety
Professional help for anxiety is sometimes needed, especially is the person is suffering from severe anxiety symptoms. Anxiety help can come in the form of therapy, medication, lifestyle changes and alternative or natural anxiety treatments.
Psychological and psychiatric help for anxiety can be received from professionals like:
- Doctors a family doctor or a specialist like a psychiatrist
- Therapists typically a psychologist or a licensed counselor
One way to find a referral to an anxiety treatment specialist is by calling your county psychological association or county medical society for a psychiatrist. When choosing a professional for anxiety help, it’s important that you feel comfortable with them and they be properly trained and experienced in the treatment of anxiety. Some other considerations when choosing a professional includes:
- The format of treatment, including the involvement of partners and family in treatment
- The cost of treatment and insurance coverage
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Grow Your Support Network
Cast a wide net. When it comes to your social supports, one size doesn’t fit all. You may not have someone you can confide in about everything and thats okay. Maybe you have a colleague you can talk to about problems at work, and a neighbor who lends an ear when you have difficulties with your kids. Look to different relationships for different kinds of support. But remember to look to people you can trust and count on, to avoid disappointing, negative interactions that can make you feel worse.
Be proactive. Often people expect others to reach out to them, and then feel rejected when people dont go out of their way to do so. To get the most out of your social relationships, you have to make an effort. Make time for friends and family. Reach out to lend a hand or just say hello. If youre there for others, theyll be more likely to be there for you. And in fact, when it comes to longevity, research suggests that providing social support to friends and family may be even more important than receiving it.4
Take advantage of technology. Its nice to sit down with a friend face-to-face, but it isn’t always possible. Luckily, technology makes it easier than ever before to stay connected with loved ones far away. Write an email, send a text message or make a date for a video chat. Dont rely too heavily on digital connections, however. Some research suggests that face-to-face interactions are most beneficial.
