ELIMINATE STRESS AND ANXIETY FROM YOUR LIFE

Contrary to popular belief, there is a difference

between stress and anxiety. Stress comes from the

pressures we feel in life, as we are pushed by work or any

other task that puts undue pressure on our minds and body,

adrenaline is released, extended stay of the hormone causes

depression, a rise in the blood pressure and other negative

changes and effects.

One of these negative effects is anxiety. With anxiety,

fear overcomes all emotions accompanied by worry and

apprehension, making a person a recluse and a bagful of

jitters. Other symptoms are chest pains, dizziness, and

shortness of breath and panic attacks.

Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or

stressor. Anxiety is stress that continues after that stressor

is gone. Stress can come from any situation or thought that

makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or even anxious.

What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to

another.

Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear and is

almost always accompanied by feelings of impending doom.

The source of this uneasiness is not always known or

recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.

Stress is the way our bodies and minds react to

something which upsets our normal balance in life; an

example of stress is the response we feel when we are

frightened or threatened. During stressful events our adrenal

glands release adrenaline, a hormone which activates our

body's defense mechanisms causing our hearts to pound,

blood pressure to rise, muscles to tense, and the pupils of

our eyes to dilate.

A principal indication of increased stress is an

escalation in your pulse rate; however, a normal pulse rate

doesn't necessarily mean you aren't stressed. Constant

aches and pains, palpitations, anxiety, chronic fatigue,

crying, over or under- eating, frequent infections, and a

decrease in your sexual desire are signs you may notice

which indicate you may be under stress.

Of course, every time we are under stress, we do not

react to such an extreme and we are not always under such

great duress or fear every time we are confronted with a

stressful situation.

Some people are more susceptible than others to

stress; for some, even ordinary daily decisions seem

insurmountable. Deciding what to have for dinner or what to

buy at the store, is a seemingly, monumental dilemma for

them. On the other hand, there are those people, who seem

to thrive under stress by becoming highly productive being

driven by the force of pressure.

Research shows women with children have higher

levels of stress related hormones in their blood than women

without children. Does this mean women without children

don't experience stress? Absolutely not!

It means that women without children may not

experience stress as often or to the same degree which

women with children do. This means for women with

children, it's particularly important to schedule time for

yourself; you will be in a better frame of mind to help your

children and meet the daily challenge of being a parent,

once your stress level is reduced.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a feeling of unease.

Everybody experiences it when faced with a stressful

situation, for example before an exam or an interview, or

during a worrying time such as illness. It is normal to feel

anxious when facing something difficult or dangerous and

mild anxiety can be a positive and useful experience.

However, for many people, anxiety interferes with

normal life. Excessive anxiety is often associated with other

psychiatric conditions, such as depression. Anxiety is

considered abnormal when it is very prolonged or severe, it

happens in the absence of a stressful event, or it is

interfering with everyday activities such as going to work.

The physical symptoms of anxiety are caused by the

brain sending messages to parts of the body to prepare for

the "fight or flight" response. The heart, lungs and other

parts of the body work faster. The brain also releases stress

hormones, including adrenaline. Common indicators of

excessive anxiety include:

 Diarrhea

 Dry mouth

 Rapid heartbeat or palpitations

 Insomnia

 Irritability or anger

 Inability to concentrate

 Fear of being “crazy”

 Feeling unreal and not in control of your actions

which is called depersonalization

Anxiety can be brought on in many ways. Obviously,

the presence of stress in your life can make you have

anxious thoughts. Many people who suffer from anxiety

disorders occupy their minds with excessive worry. This can

be worry about anything from health matters to job

problems to world issues.

Certain drugs, both recreational and medicinal, can also

lead to symptoms of anxiety due to either side effects or

withdrawal from the drug. Such drugs include caffeine,

alcohol, nicotine, cold remedies, and decongestants,

bronchodilators for asthma, tricyclic antidepressants,

cocaine, amphetamines, diet pills, ADHD medications, and

thyroid medications.

A poor diet can also contribute to stress or anxiety --

for example, low levels of vitamin B12. Performance anxiety

is 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 like

war, physical or sexual assault, or a natural disaster.

In very rare cases, a tumor of the adrenal gland

(pheochromocytoma) may be the cause of anxiety. This

happens because of an overproduction of hormones

responsible for the feelings and symptoms of anxiety.

While anxiety may seem a bit scary, what’s even

scarier is that excessive anxiety and stress can lead to

depression. Suffering from depression can be a lifelong

struggle as I well know, but the good news is that all of this

is manageable!