Anxiety Treatment Disorders

Stress Management

Description

Stress can come from any circumstance or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another.

Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.

Summary & Considerations

Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is good -- it can inspire and help individuals to be more constructive. Though, too much stress, or a strong reaction to stress, can in fact harm your mind and your body over time. This can set up an individual for general poor health, as well as, specific physical or psychological illnesses like infection, heart disease, or depression. Continual and unrelenting stress often leads to anxiety and unhealthy behaviors like overeating and abuse of alcohol or drugs.

Anxiety is an emotion often accompanied by various physical symptoms, including:

• Twitching or trembling
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain (may be the only symptom of stress especially in a child)

Occasionally other symptoms accompany anxiety:

• Dizziness
• Rapid or irregular heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Diarrhea or frequent need to urinate
• Fatigue
• Irritability, including loss of your temper
• Sleeping difficulties and nightmares
• Decreased concentration
• Sexual problems

Stress and Anxiety: Common Causes

Stress can be from fear of an actual danger (an appropriate reaction), an emotional circumstance (like grief or depression), or a physical condition (such as overactive thyroid, low blood sugar, or heart attack).

Particular drugs, both recreational and medicinal, can lead to symptoms of anxiety due to either side effects or withdrawal from the drug. Such drugs include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cold remedies, decongestants, bronchodilators for asthma, tricyclic antidepressants, cocaine, amphetamines, diet pills, Ritalin (frequently used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and thyroid medications.

A poor diet can also add to stress or anxiety - for instance, low levels of vitamin B12. Performance anxiety is nervousness related to specific situations, like taking a test or making a presentation in public. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress disorder that develops after a traumatic event such as war, physical or sexual assault, or a natural disaster.

In extremely uncommon cases, a tumor of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma) may be the cause of anxiety. This happens due to an overproduction of hormones responsible for the feelings and symptoms of anxiety.

Stress and Anxiety: Home Care & Treatment

The most successful solution is to discover and address the source of your stress or anxiety.

Regrettably, this is not always possible. A first step is to take an inventory of what you think might be making you "stress out":

• What do you worry about most?
• Is something constantly on your mind?
• Does anything in particular make you sad or depressed?

Then, find someone you confide in (friend, family member, neighbor, clergy) who will listen to you. Sometimes, just talking to a friend or loved one is all that is needed to alleviate anxiety. Most communities also have resources like support groups and hotlines that can help. Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals are often needed for therapy and, possibly, medication.

Also, take a look at your lifestyle and find healthy ways to cope with stress. For example:

• Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. Don't overeat.
• Get adequate amounts of sleep.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol.
• Don't use nicotine, cocaine, or other recreational drugs.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques like guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, tai chi, or meditation. Try biofeedback with a certified professional to get you started.
• Take time off from work. Make sure to balance fun activities with your responsibilities.
• Spend time with individuals you enjoy.

Contact your local emergency number (such as 911) if:

• You have overwhelming chest pain, particularly with shortness of breath, dizziness, or sweating. A heart attack can cause feelings of anxiety.
• You have feelings of suicide.
• You have dizziness, rapid breathing, or racing heartbeat for the first time or it is worse than usual.

Contact your health care provider if the following occur:

• You are unable to work or function well at home due to anxiety.
• You do not know the source or cause of your anxiety.
• You have a sudden feeling of panic.
• You are taking a medication or using a drug that may cause feelings of anxiety.
• You have an uncontrollable fear - for example, of getting infected and sick if you are out, or a fear of heights.
• You repeat an action over and over again, like constantly washing your hands.
• You have an intolerance to heat, weight loss despite a good appetite, lump or swelling in the front of your neck, or protruding eyes. Your thyroid may be overactive.
• Your anxiety is elicited by the memory of a traumatic event.
• You have tried self-care measures for several weeks without success or you feel that your anxiety will not resolve without professional help.

Stress Management Treatment

If you or someone you know would like to talk with one of our trained staff to discuss treatment options for Stress Management treatment please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at our t oll free number: 1-800-849-5969. You will receive a free consultation.