How to Deal With Stress and Anxiety?
Are you finding yourself worrying about things too much? If so, then it would be beneficial that you tried to deepen your understanding of what causes anxiety and stress in the first place.
Why do we feel worried and stressed?
Although it may feel uncomfortable, the feelings of anxiety and stress do actually have their place.
It is only when they are experienced in excess does it become a problem.
They tend to push us to make some necessary changes in our lives that we feel are not going the way they should. Stress and anxiety are meant to signal that there are dangers that we should address, and those uncomfortable feelings inspire us to take the necessary action to change them and get ourselves out of danger. The danger I’m referring to can be any threat to our emotional or physical well-being, from losing a job or a friend to not doing well on a test. This way, our body is signaling us to make some changes so that this doesn’t happen in the future.
But too much anxiety or stress can have a variety of detrimental effects, so dealing with it before it becomes overwhelming can not be overlooked.
Deal with your anxiety by trying these steps:
Look inside and try to determine what is causing you the unpleasant feelings. What worries you, no really, take a while to think about it and reflect on the things that pop up in your head. Sometimes the answer may come easily, but other times you really need to focus on getting an answer. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone about it or writing it out in a journal.
After you’ve determined what’s the cause of your stress, decide what type of action, if any, should now be taken.
Figuring this part out can be tricky, but it’s vital that you get it under control. Try to figure out if the threat that you feel is real or you are blowing it up out of proportion, and it’s all in your head. Think of a hypothetical worst-case scenario and be honest with yourself on how likely it is to come true.
Figure out a plan that tackles the parts of the problem you face and what can realistically be done about it. Only think of the things that are under your control that you can change. By taking action in protecting yourself, you are channeling that nervous energy into something productive and reassuring. This is the healthiest response to your fears and worries. While you may not be able to fix the entire problem, at least you can take some steps in the right direction to improve your situation, which can minimize your anxiety considerably.
Once you’ve done that, try to let it go. This is easier said than done, but after a while of practicing to just let things go, you will find that eventually, it’s possible to deal with these excessive levels of fear and stress. Focus on something else. Remember other times where you’ve found the solution to your previous anxieties and lived through time. Try some stress management strategies.
Get some regular exercise. All of this will help teach you how to stop living in fear.
