How To Rid Yourself Of Stress And Anxiety

Lots of people tend to use the terms “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably, but they are actually two distinct conditions. Stress is a reaction to a stimulus, which can be internal or external. You may feel stress because you feel frustrated with something (like waiting in line behind a slow person) or when you worry that you won’t meet expectations (such as missing a deadline).

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a sense of dread, or fear and nervousness. It can be brought on by negative thoughts and expectations, or as a response to stress. You may feel anxious virtually all of the time and not know why, or your feelings may be a response to something you are nervous about, like an upcoming exam.

Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain may cause generalized anxiety. Some studies indicate that anxiety can be hereditary. Anxiety may also be induced environmentally, as when the child of a parent who is often anxious learns to be an anxious person by observing the parent. But frequently, the base cause of anxiety is simply the thoughts that a person is thinking!

Anxiety and stress are subjective conditions. Different people may experience stress during different situations, and different people may respond to their anxiousness in very different ways. Symptoms of anxiety can range from the mild, such as tense muscles and sweaty hands, to the severe, such as irregular heartbeat, anxiety attacks, and vomiting.

Everyone feels some amount of anxiety from time to time. We have all experienced the dry mouth and “butterflies in the stomach” before a public speaking engagement or an exam. But when does it become harmful to your health? Studies indicate that prolonged anxiety can make us vulnerable to sleep disorders, depression, relationship problems, and high blood pressure

For sufferers of chronic untreated anxiety, there may be detrimental health consequences that have yet to be fully explored. Many studies have found a link between chronic anxiety and a variety of serious health conditions including heart disease, respiratory illness, arthritis, thyroid disease, and cancer. Chronically anxious people may even be more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack.

If you suffer from what seems like an inappropriately high amount of anxiety relative to the circumstances, or if you feel anxious nearly every day, you may actually have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are chronic conditions characterized by an inability to function normally because of frequent anxiety. Anxiety disorders are serious conditions that should be treated to reduce the risk of long-term effects.

Anxiety treatment has long been the subject of much debate in the medical field. Some medical professionals believe that medication is the best treatment for chronic anxiety. Unfortunately, anxiety medications often produce side effects that are just as bad as or even worse than the initial condition.

There are many safe and non-invasive ways to control negative emotional reactions. Exercise is a frequently overlooked option, but it is very effective in managing stress and anxiety. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting and pain-killing chemicals. With regular aerobic exercise, you may start to experience a decrease in negative emotional reactions to situations that would have previously made you extremely anxious.

The best way to manage tension and worry is to control it from the inside out. Stress relief and stress management techniques are extremely useful in managing day-to-day stress. These techniques can teach you to relax yourself and let the tension leave your body. You make a conscious effort to slow your breathing rate, release the tension, and maintain a peaceful state of mind. Meditation is an excellent form of tension management in which you practice mindful relaxation and deep, calm breathing.

However, if you are seeking a proactive solution to relieve yourself of anxiety, hypnosis is the most effective treatment option. When an individual undergoes hypnosis, their reactions and emotional responses to events are changed at the core. This provides them with the opportunity to cope with anxiety-inducing triggers without the usual nervousness and fear.

Hypnosis is typically performed by a licensed hypnotist in a series of regular treatments. More commonly today, hypnosis is available in the form of self-hypnosis programs which can be purchased in the form of MP3s, DVDs, or CDs for individual home usage. No special skills are needed to practice self hypnosis. All that you need is a device to play the hypnosis program and a quiet place where you can relax and listen.

Another very successful type of anxiety treatment is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. NLP is a form of therapy that can help you retrain your body and mind to naturally respond to situations in a more positive manner. You can consciously decide to be calm rather than anxious, which means that you always maintain control over your own emotions.

In summary, you can see that it is important to manage our negative emotional responses in order to remain healthy. Mastering techniques to cope with nervousness and fear may even extend your life. To treat long-term anxiety, the best course of action is to use hypnosis to change your reactions and attitudes from within. Then, use stress management techniques as necessary to stay calm in everyday situations.

Alan B. Densky is an NGH certified hypnotherapist. He offers a complete line of anxiety reduction hypnotherapy CDs, and advanced stress reduction CDs through his Neuro-VISION hypnotism website. When you visit his self-hypnosis blog, you can download a free MP3.