Anxiety
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior, such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints and rumination. It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over anticipated events, such as the feeling of imminent death. Anxiety is not the same as fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat; whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat.Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, and uneasiness, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension,restlessness, fatigue and problems in concentration. Anxiety can be appropriate, but when experienced regularly the individual may suffer from an anxiety disorder.
People facing anxiety may withdraw from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past. There are different types of anxiety. Existential anxiety can occur when a person faces angst, an existential crisis, or nihilisticfeelings. People can also face test anxiety, mathematical anxiety, stage fright or somatic anxiety. Another type of anxiety, stranger anxiety and social anxiety are caused when people are apprehensive around strangers or other people in general. Anxiety can be either a short term 'state' or a long term "trait". Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, whereas trait anxiety is a worry about future events, close to the concept of neuroticism. Anxiety disorders are partly genetic but may also be due to drug use including alcohol and caffeine, as well as withdrawal from certain drugs. They often occur with other mental disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, certain personality disorders, and eating disorders. Common treatment options include lifestyle changes, therapy, and medications.
Contents
Anxiety reduction techniques
Definition
Anxiety reduction techniques are skills that are taught by a therapist to help an individual overcome anxiety, stress , and tension. Anxiety can be experienced in a variety of ways including tension, worry, and nervousness, and can occur in thoughts or experienced as bodily senations. The techniques to reduce anxiety can include relaxation, visualization and imagery, diaphragmatic breathing, stress inoculation, and meditation .
Relaxation or progressive relaxation This anxiety reduction technique is based on the premise that anxiety and stress are associated with muscle tension. When one achieves deep muscle relaxation, muscle tension is reduced, and this relaxed state is incompatible with anxiety.
Visualization and imagery This anxiety reduction technique aids the person in making a mental image of what he or she wants to accomplish. For example, a person might wish to release worries or concerns, or create a relaxing image to escape momentarily from a stressful event.
Diaphragmatic breathing This technique involves teaching a person to breathe sufficient amounts of air to help the person's blood be purified properly and filled with oxygen. In this technique, the individual breathes deeply from the diaphragm, which is located low in the chest, near the abdomen.
Stress inoculation Self-talk, or the things that people tell themselves about stressful situations, can be habitual. For example, a person may take an ordinary event and automatically magnify its importance. Stress inoculation training is a type of therapy that trains clients to cope with anxiety and stressful situations by learning more functional patterns of self-talk.
MeditationIn this anxiety reduction technique, a person is trained to focus his or her attention on one thing at a time.
PurposeThe goal of learning and implementing anxiety reduction techniques is to help reduce the intensity of anxiety that a person feels. These techniques are also helpful in teaching people how to relax and manage stress. Many of the techniques are used in combination with each other. For example, a person may be taught diaphragmatic breathing while also engaging in relaxation techniques, a visualization and imagery exercise, and/or meditation.
Relaxation or progressive relaxationRelaxation has been used to help women during childbirth and people with chronic pain. Relaxation has also been used to treat muscle tension, muscle spasms, neck and back pain, and to decrease perspiration and respiratory rates. Furthermore, relaxation can help with fatigue , depression, insomnia , irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, mild phobias, and stuttering .
Visualization and imageryVisualization and imagery techniques have been helpful in treating general or specific anxiety, headaches, muscle tension and spasms, reducing or eliminating pain, and in the recovery from illnesses and injuries. Visualization and imagery techniques have also been used by athletes to help them achieve peak performance.
Diaphragmatic breathingDiaphragmatic breathing has been found to help people reduce anxiety, depression, irritability, muscle tension, circulation, and fatigue.
Stress inoculationStress inoculation has been helpful in reducing interpersonal and general anxiety. For example, these techniques may be used when a person has an upcoming job interview, speech, or test. Stress inoculation has also been used to treat phobias, fear of heights, and chronic anger problems.
MeditationMeditation has been used to treat and prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, migraine headaches, immunization diseases, obsessive thinking, attention problems, anxiety, depression, and anger difficulties.
DescriptionThese various techniques are often practiced and demonstrated in therapy sessions with a trained professional. In addition, the person learning the techniques would need to continue to practice them on a regular basis, outside of the therapy sessions.
Relaxation or progressive relaxation In progressive relaxation, a person is instructed to tighten and then relax various muscles. A person either lies down or sits in a chair with his or her head supported. Each muscle group (such as face muscles, arm muscles, leg muscles, etc.) is tensed for five to seven seconds and then relaxed for 20 to 30 seconds. This helps the person recognize the feeling of tense and relaxed muscles. This entire procedure is repeated one to five times, and usually starts with the face muscles and moves downward to the foot muscles. When relaxation is used with chronic pain and childbirth, the techniques focus the person's attention on breathing and relaxing muscles as a distraction from the pain. For mastery, relaxation techniques are typically practiced every day for one to two weeks. A person may engage in these techniques anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour per session. Sometimes, a person will record and replay instructions on tightening and relaxing various muscle groups until the person becomes familiar with the muscle groups and establishes a routine in which he or she is comfortable.
Visualization and imageryThe basic premise behind visualization and imagery is that one's thoughts become reality. For example, if one thinks anxious thoughts, then he or she will become tense. The principles behind visualization and imagery maintain that a person can use his or her imagination to be persuaded to feel a certain way or do anything that is physically possible to do. There are three basic types of visualization: programmed, receptive, and guided visualization.
In programmed visualization, the person creates a vivid image including sight, taste, sound, and smell. The person then imagines a goal he or she wants to attain or some type of healing that is desired. In the visualization, the goal is achieved, or the healing occurs.
An idea underlying both receptive visualization and guided visualization is that the person is seeking an answer to a life question or resolution to an issue, and the answer or resolution is within the person, but is buried or inaccessible to him or her because of fear, doubt, or anxiety. These techniques are similar to dream interpretation and free association techniques used in psychoanalysis or psychodynamictherapy. For example, an individual wonders whether he should remain in his current position. A proponent of these techniques would maintain that "deep down," below the level of conscious thought or subconsciously, the man knows what he really wants to do, but he is not allowing himself to listen to his desires or to act—he is blocking the message his subconsciousness is sending him. The goal of these techniques is to enable the person to relax and focus enough to receive that message, so that the person can do what needs to be done. In receptive visualization, the person creates a peaceful scene in his or her mind. For example, the person might imagine being on a beach. After the
image is formed, the person asks a question and waits for the answer. To continue the example above, the man imagines a beach, and he asks himself the question, "Should I leave my job?" He continues to relax and remain in the scene, and he may "hear" an answer blowing in the breeze or "see" a boat sailing away, which may be symbolic of his wish to leave his job.
In guided visualization, the person creates a very vivid image, as in programmed visualization, but omits some important elements. The person then waits for the subconscious to supply the missing pieces. For example, a computer programmer may wonder if she should stay in her present job or return to school for an advanced degree. In engaging in guided visualization, she may visualize her cubicle at work, the pictures on her desk, the feel of her desk chair, the sounds of people outside her cubicle typing and talking, but she will omit an element from the scene. In this case, she may omit her computer. She will then wait to see what her subconscious uses to replace her computer. This woman may find in her visualization that her computer has been replaced by books, which may represent her desire to return to school.
Visualization and imagery exercises work best when a person is relaxed. Visualization and imagery exercises are typically practiced two to three times a day for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. How quickly a person will see results can vary. Many times people report immediate symptom relief. However, the goals a person sets for him or herself, the power of a person's imagination, and the willingness to practice can all influence how rapidly benefits can be obtained. Some people find it helpful to tape record and replay detailed descriptions of what they want to visualize or imagine.
Diaphragmatic breathingDiaphragmatic breathing can typically be learned in minutes; however, the benefits may not be recognized until after several months of persistent practice. When breathing from the diaphragm, clients are often told to lie down on a rug or blanket, with their legs slightly apart, arms to the sides, not touching the body, and eyes closed. Attention is brought to the client's breathing by placing one hand on the chest and the other hand on the abdomen area. The client is then instructed to breathe through the nose and exhale out the mouth. Each time the client breathes in, he or she should try to breathe deeper. This should be practiced for a minimum of five minutes once or twice a day. Over a few weeks of practice, the time period engaged in diaphragmatic breathing should be increased to 20 minutes and the activity can be performed while lying down, sitting, or standing.
Stress inoculationAs people go about their daily lives, they often have thoughts in which they are talking to themselves. Stress inoculation involves this self-talk in helping clients decrease their anxiety and stress. Stress inoculation therapy works on the basis of turning the client's own thought patterns into a "vaccine" against stress-induced anxiety. The first step is to develop a list of stressful situations and arrange them from least to most stressful. Once anxiety-producing situations are identified, the client is taught to curb the anxiety-provoking thoughts and replace them with more positive coping thoughts. Once these new thoughts are learned, they can be tried out in real situations. The time it takes to replace old habitual thoughts with new thoughts can vary depending on the amount of practice and commitment to make this change.
MeditationThere are various forms of meditation. Depending on the type used, the person focuses his or her attention in slightly different ways. For example, Zen meditation focuses on breathing, whereas in transcendental meditation, the person makes a sound or says a mantra selected to keep all other images and problems from intruding on his or her thoughts. With practice, a person can reach a meditative state and obtain its benefits within a few minutes.
AftercareAfter a person has learned and practiced anxiety reduction techniques, he or she may need additional instruction from a trained professional. Having a trained professional review these techniques with a person can help reinforce what the person has already learned and been practicing. Furthermore, the person may identify aspects of the techniques that he or she is doing incorrectly, areas that need more attention or focus, and alternative methods of engaging in the techniques.
RisksThere are minimal risks associated with these techniques, but some physical problems have occurred. For example, precautions should be taken when doing progressive relaxation and tensing the neck and back. Excessive tightening can create muscle or spinal damage. Additionally, tightening various muscle groups, such as the toes or feet, could result in muscle cramps. If physical problems occur, such as difficulty taking deep breaths, unusual muscle pain, or an increased level of anxiety, then the individual should seek assistance from a physician.
Normal resultsIn general, after engaging in these anxiety reduction techniques, many people report an increased sense of wellbeing and relaxation. People have a greater sense of control, and confidence in their coping abilities. This results in a decreased need to fear or avoid stressful situations.
Relaxation or progressive relaxationProgressive relaxation can be useful in reducing muscle tension. Engaging in relaxation may help to improve a person's energy level, depression, and anxiety, as well as a person's ability to retrieve information from memory.
Visualization and imagery By engaging in the positive thinking often associated with visualization and imagery, a person can create a clearer image of what he or she wants to accomplish. By repeating the image again and again, the person comes to expect what he or she wants will occur. As a result, the person will often begin to act in a way more consistent with accomplishing the goal.
Diaphragmatic breathing Sufficient amounts of air reach the lungs, which purifies and oxygenates the blood. Waste products in the blood are removed, and organs and tissues become nourished.
Stress inoculation A person will have more realistic views of stressful and anxiety-producing situations in his or her life. The person will be able to relax away tension by effectively thinking useful coping thoughts rather than negative interpretations of situations.
Meditation As people learn to meditate, they often discover that they have some control over the thoughts that come to their minds, as opposed to feeling as though thoughts "pop" into their heads. Many people begin to recognize dysfunctional patterns of thought and perceptions that have influenced their lives. Additionally, many people report a greater ability to manage their emotions and gain a greater sense of stability. When a person meditates, he or she often suppresses the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that activates the body for emergencies and activities. Meditation also lowers a person's metabolism, heart, and breathing rates. Additionally, meditation decreases the chemical in the body often associated with stress.
Abnormal resultsOnce a person begins to implement these anxiety reduction techniques effectively, he or she may discover old or hidden psychological pain. The person may feel angry, frightened, or depressed, and it may be beneficial for him or her to talk to a friend, mental health professional, or meditation teacher.
Some individuals have difficulty with various aspects of the different techniques. For example, people may feel restless when first learning how to meditate, or they may feel as though a thousand thoughts are running through their minds. However, with practice and assistance from a trained professional, these difficulties will subside. People who feel frustrated or discouraged may simply need to find ways to make the practice of these techniques more comfortable. As is the case with many other skills, effectively reducing anxiety with these techniques requires patience and practice. If an individual does not consistently practice these techniques, the benefits will probably not be obtained.
Resources
BOOKSBourne, Edmund. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. 3rd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2001.
Davis, Martha, Matthew McKay, and Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook. 5th ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2000.
Fanning, P. Visualization for Change. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 1988.
Huffman, Karen. "Stress and Health Psychology." In Psychology in Action. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2002.
Meichenbaum, D. Stress Inoculation Training. New York: Plenum Press, 1985.
Meichenbaum, D., and R. Cameron. "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy." In Contemporary Behavior Therapy: Conceptual and Empirical Foundations, edited by G. T. Wilson, and C. M. Franks. New York: Guilford, 1982.
McKay, Matthew, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning. Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life. 2nd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 1998.
Morris, Charles, G. and Albert A. Maisto. Psychology: An Introduction. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.
ORGANIZATIONSAmerican Psychiatric Association. 1400 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. <http://www.psych.org> .
American Psychological Association. 750 1st St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002. (202) 336-5500. <http://www.apa.org> .
Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Inc. 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20852. (301) 231-9350. <http://www.adaa.org> .
The National Institute of Mental Health, 5600 Fischers Lane, Room 15C05, Rockville, MD 20857. (301) 443-4513. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/> .
The National Mental Health Association. 1201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2971.
Keith Beard, Psy.D.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a normal part of life. Stress warns you that you're encountering problematic situations, and is designed to motivate you to take action in order to reduce that stress and make your life better. Without stress, you wouldn't feel any motivation to make your life better. You would take risks without regard for the consequences and make decisions that affect the course of your life without any critical thinking to ensure it's what's best for you. In small amounts, stress is actually a good thing.
But when that stress starts to become unreasonable – when that stress starts to affect you every day, causing you to feel sick, anxious, unhappy, or fatigued – then your levels of stress have become a serious problem.
What Does Long Term Stress Do?Stress changes every component of your body. In excess, stress makes the long term outlook of your life considerable worse. Stress:
That latter point is important. Long term stress is one of the key contributing factors in the development of numerous types of mental health disorders, and puts you at severely increased risk of developing serious conditions like anxiety and depression. In addition, these conditions lead to further stress, resulting in a vicious cycle that can damage your quality of life.
You Can Stop the Symptoms of Stress!What if you found out that you didn't have to manage stress anymore? What if you found out that you could STOP long term stress forever? I have a free 7 minute anxiety test that will help you find out more.
Click here to begin.
What is the Link Between Stress and Anxiety?Stress and anxiety are not entirely different conditions. In many ways, anxiety may be considered long term stress, and long term stress may be a component of an anxiety disorder. Their similarities and relationships are some of the reasons that those that experience any one for a long period of time often experience the other for much longer.
It's not clear why anxiety and stress seem to contribute to each other, but there are several proposed possibilities. These include:
One of the best examples of this is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after an extremely traumatic event. The stress is so strong and so powerful, that the person's anxiety levels change from that moment onward.
When it comes to stress anxiety, there is some good news and bad news. The bad news is that unchecked, you can continue to develop severe anxiety and stress coping problems that can alter your quality of life. The good news is that even if stress causes you to experience severe anxiety, that anxiety can be addressed and cured using the right anxiety reduction strategies and techniques. Your brain is a powerful tool, and even when its brain chemistry is altered it's possible to cure it.
Contributing Factors to Chronic StressRemember, any type of chronic stress can eventually develop into anxiety, and there are multiple issues that lead to chronic stress. Stress also may not have a clear cause – some people simply feel like something is wrong, or they have lost their coping ability for smaller life stresses. While chronic stress can generally be attributed to something in your life (work, home), it should be noted that if you experience stress for a long enough time, you may find you have a hard time shaking it even when/if your life gets better.
There are often external and internal factors to chronic stress. They include:
External factorsInternal factorsExternal factors
Another cause of chronic stress is dependency on inadequate coping strategies. For example, those that self-medicate with alcohol can actually lose their ability to manage their stress. That's because those types of coping strategies numb stress without actually reducing your stress, and eventually your mind starts to depend on the numbing as you lose your ability to cope with stress naturally.
Effective Stress Management TechniquesIn order to reduce your anxiety, you're going to need to learn to manage your stress better. It starts by avoiding any "quick fixes." When people talk about stress coping, they're talking about your own mind's ability to overcome stresses. You can't learn to do this if you depend on alcohol, drugs, or even gambling/partying as your way to cope with stress. You have to be willing to let yourself feel stressed in order to learn how to overcome it.
Removing yourself from stressful situations is also important, but obviously there is only so much that one person can do. Still, you will need to make some tough decisions. Can you find a new job? Is it time to leave the relationship? Do you need some new friends? If the tough choice is the better choice, you'll need to make it.
You can and should also integrate the following into your life:
Reducing Anxiety and Reducing StressStill, once you have developed chronic stress, you're going to need something more in order to curb it. You're going to need to find a way to drastically cut down on your overall stress and anxiety levels – a method of relieving anxiety that will help you control stress in the future.
For that, take my 7 minute anxiety test now. It's completely free, designed only to look at your symptoms and provide you with tools for how to control them.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior, such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints and rumination. It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over anticipated events, such as the feeling of imminent death. Anxiety is not the same as fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat; whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat.Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, and uneasiness, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension,restlessness, fatigue and problems in concentration. Anxiety can be appropriate, but when experienced regularly the individual may suffer from an anxiety disorder.
People facing anxiety may withdraw from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past. There are different types of anxiety. Existential anxiety can occur when a person faces angst, an existential crisis, or nihilisticfeelings. People can also face test anxiety, mathematical anxiety, stage fright or somatic anxiety. Another type of anxiety, stranger anxiety and social anxiety are caused when people are apprehensive around strangers or other people in general. Anxiety can be either a short term 'state' or a long term "trait". Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, whereas trait anxiety is a worry about future events, close to the concept of neuroticism. Anxiety disorders are partly genetic but may also be due to drug use including alcohol and caffeine, as well as withdrawal from certain drugs. They often occur with other mental disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, certain personality disorders, and eating disorders. Common treatment options include lifestyle changes, therapy, and medications.
Contents
Anxiety reduction techniques
Definition
Anxiety reduction techniques are skills that are taught by a therapist to help an individual overcome anxiety, stress , and tension. Anxiety can be experienced in a variety of ways including tension, worry, and nervousness, and can occur in thoughts or experienced as bodily senations. The techniques to reduce anxiety can include relaxation, visualization and imagery, diaphragmatic breathing, stress inoculation, and meditation .
Relaxation or progressive relaxation This anxiety reduction technique is based on the premise that anxiety and stress are associated with muscle tension. When one achieves deep muscle relaxation, muscle tension is reduced, and this relaxed state is incompatible with anxiety.
Visualization and imagery This anxiety reduction technique aids the person in making a mental image of what he or she wants to accomplish. For example, a person might wish to release worries or concerns, or create a relaxing image to escape momentarily from a stressful event.
Diaphragmatic breathing This technique involves teaching a person to breathe sufficient amounts of air to help the person's blood be purified properly and filled with oxygen. In this technique, the individual breathes deeply from the diaphragm, which is located low in the chest, near the abdomen.
Stress inoculation Self-talk, or the things that people tell themselves about stressful situations, can be habitual. For example, a person may take an ordinary event and automatically magnify its importance. Stress inoculation training is a type of therapy that trains clients to cope with anxiety and stressful situations by learning more functional patterns of self-talk.
MeditationIn this anxiety reduction technique, a person is trained to focus his or her attention on one thing at a time.
PurposeThe goal of learning and implementing anxiety reduction techniques is to help reduce the intensity of anxiety that a person feels. These techniques are also helpful in teaching people how to relax and manage stress. Many of the techniques are used in combination with each other. For example, a person may be taught diaphragmatic breathing while also engaging in relaxation techniques, a visualization and imagery exercise, and/or meditation.
Relaxation or progressive relaxationRelaxation has been used to help women during childbirth and people with chronic pain. Relaxation has also been used to treat muscle tension, muscle spasms, neck and back pain, and to decrease perspiration and respiratory rates. Furthermore, relaxation can help with fatigue , depression, insomnia , irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, mild phobias, and stuttering .
Visualization and imageryVisualization and imagery techniques have been helpful in treating general or specific anxiety, headaches, muscle tension and spasms, reducing or eliminating pain, and in the recovery from illnesses and injuries. Visualization and imagery techniques have also been used by athletes to help them achieve peak performance.
Diaphragmatic breathingDiaphragmatic breathing has been found to help people reduce anxiety, depression, irritability, muscle tension, circulation, and fatigue.
Stress inoculationStress inoculation has been helpful in reducing interpersonal and general anxiety. For example, these techniques may be used when a person has an upcoming job interview, speech, or test. Stress inoculation has also been used to treat phobias, fear of heights, and chronic anger problems.
MeditationMeditation has been used to treat and prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, migraine headaches, immunization diseases, obsessive thinking, attention problems, anxiety, depression, and anger difficulties.
DescriptionThese various techniques are often practiced and demonstrated in therapy sessions with a trained professional. In addition, the person learning the techniques would need to continue to practice them on a regular basis, outside of the therapy sessions.
Relaxation or progressive relaxation In progressive relaxation, a person is instructed to tighten and then relax various muscles. A person either lies down or sits in a chair with his or her head supported. Each muscle group (such as face muscles, arm muscles, leg muscles, etc.) is tensed for five to seven seconds and then relaxed for 20 to 30 seconds. This helps the person recognize the feeling of tense and relaxed muscles. This entire procedure is repeated one to five times, and usually starts with the face muscles and moves downward to the foot muscles. When relaxation is used with chronic pain and childbirth, the techniques focus the person's attention on breathing and relaxing muscles as a distraction from the pain. For mastery, relaxation techniques are typically practiced every day for one to two weeks. A person may engage in these techniques anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour per session. Sometimes, a person will record and replay instructions on tightening and relaxing various muscle groups until the person becomes familiar with the muscle groups and establishes a routine in which he or she is comfortable.
Visualization and imageryThe basic premise behind visualization and imagery is that one's thoughts become reality. For example, if one thinks anxious thoughts, then he or she will become tense. The principles behind visualization and imagery maintain that a person can use his or her imagination to be persuaded to feel a certain way or do anything that is physically possible to do. There are three basic types of visualization: programmed, receptive, and guided visualization.
In programmed visualization, the person creates a vivid image including sight, taste, sound, and smell. The person then imagines a goal he or she wants to attain or some type of healing that is desired. In the visualization, the goal is achieved, or the healing occurs.
An idea underlying both receptive visualization and guided visualization is that the person is seeking an answer to a life question or resolution to an issue, and the answer or resolution is within the person, but is buried or inaccessible to him or her because of fear, doubt, or anxiety. These techniques are similar to dream interpretation and free association techniques used in psychoanalysis or psychodynamictherapy. For example, an individual wonders whether he should remain in his current position. A proponent of these techniques would maintain that "deep down," below the level of conscious thought or subconsciously, the man knows what he really wants to do, but he is not allowing himself to listen to his desires or to act—he is blocking the message his subconsciousness is sending him. The goal of these techniques is to enable the person to relax and focus enough to receive that message, so that the person can do what needs to be done. In receptive visualization, the person creates a peaceful scene in his or her mind. For example, the person might imagine being on a beach. After the
image is formed, the person asks a question and waits for the answer. To continue the example above, the man imagines a beach, and he asks himself the question, "Should I leave my job?" He continues to relax and remain in the scene, and he may "hear" an answer blowing in the breeze or "see" a boat sailing away, which may be symbolic of his wish to leave his job.
In guided visualization, the person creates a very vivid image, as in programmed visualization, but omits some important elements. The person then waits for the subconscious to supply the missing pieces. For example, a computer programmer may wonder if she should stay in her present job or return to school for an advanced degree. In engaging in guided visualization, she may visualize her cubicle at work, the pictures on her desk, the feel of her desk chair, the sounds of people outside her cubicle typing and talking, but she will omit an element from the scene. In this case, she may omit her computer. She will then wait to see what her subconscious uses to replace her computer. This woman may find in her visualization that her computer has been replaced by books, which may represent her desire to return to school.
Visualization and imagery exercises work best when a person is relaxed. Visualization and imagery exercises are typically practiced two to three times a day for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. How quickly a person will see results can vary. Many times people report immediate symptom relief. However, the goals a person sets for him or herself, the power of a person's imagination, and the willingness to practice can all influence how rapidly benefits can be obtained. Some people find it helpful to tape record and replay detailed descriptions of what they want to visualize or imagine.
Diaphragmatic breathingDiaphragmatic breathing can typically be learned in minutes; however, the benefits may not be recognized until after several months of persistent practice. When breathing from the diaphragm, clients are often told to lie down on a rug or blanket, with their legs slightly apart, arms to the sides, not touching the body, and eyes closed. Attention is brought to the client's breathing by placing one hand on the chest and the other hand on the abdomen area. The client is then instructed to breathe through the nose and exhale out the mouth. Each time the client breathes in, he or she should try to breathe deeper. This should be practiced for a minimum of five minutes once or twice a day. Over a few weeks of practice, the time period engaged in diaphragmatic breathing should be increased to 20 minutes and the activity can be performed while lying down, sitting, or standing.
Stress inoculationAs people go about their daily lives, they often have thoughts in which they are talking to themselves. Stress inoculation involves this self-talk in helping clients decrease their anxiety and stress. Stress inoculation therapy works on the basis of turning the client's own thought patterns into a "vaccine" against stress-induced anxiety. The first step is to develop a list of stressful situations and arrange them from least to most stressful. Once anxiety-producing situations are identified, the client is taught to curb the anxiety-provoking thoughts and replace them with more positive coping thoughts. Once these new thoughts are learned, they can be tried out in real situations. The time it takes to replace old habitual thoughts with new thoughts can vary depending on the amount of practice and commitment to make this change.
MeditationThere are various forms of meditation. Depending on the type used, the person focuses his or her attention in slightly different ways. For example, Zen meditation focuses on breathing, whereas in transcendental meditation, the person makes a sound or says a mantra selected to keep all other images and problems from intruding on his or her thoughts. With practice, a person can reach a meditative state and obtain its benefits within a few minutes.
AftercareAfter a person has learned and practiced anxiety reduction techniques, he or she may need additional instruction from a trained professional. Having a trained professional review these techniques with a person can help reinforce what the person has already learned and been practicing. Furthermore, the person may identify aspects of the techniques that he or she is doing incorrectly, areas that need more attention or focus, and alternative methods of engaging in the techniques.
RisksThere are minimal risks associated with these techniques, but some physical problems have occurred. For example, precautions should be taken when doing progressive relaxation and tensing the neck and back. Excessive tightening can create muscle or spinal damage. Additionally, tightening various muscle groups, such as the toes or feet, could result in muscle cramps. If physical problems occur, such as difficulty taking deep breaths, unusual muscle pain, or an increased level of anxiety, then the individual should seek assistance from a physician.
Normal resultsIn general, after engaging in these anxiety reduction techniques, many people report an increased sense of wellbeing and relaxation. People have a greater sense of control, and confidence in their coping abilities. This results in a decreased need to fear or avoid stressful situations.
Relaxation or progressive relaxationProgressive relaxation can be useful in reducing muscle tension. Engaging in relaxation may help to improve a person's energy level, depression, and anxiety, as well as a person's ability to retrieve information from memory.
Visualization and imagery By engaging in the positive thinking often associated with visualization and imagery, a person can create a clearer image of what he or she wants to accomplish. By repeating the image again and again, the person comes to expect what he or she wants will occur. As a result, the person will often begin to act in a way more consistent with accomplishing the goal.
Diaphragmatic breathing Sufficient amounts of air reach the lungs, which purifies and oxygenates the blood. Waste products in the blood are removed, and organs and tissues become nourished.
Stress inoculation A person will have more realistic views of stressful and anxiety-producing situations in his or her life. The person will be able to relax away tension by effectively thinking useful coping thoughts rather than negative interpretations of situations.
Meditation As people learn to meditate, they often discover that they have some control over the thoughts that come to their minds, as opposed to feeling as though thoughts "pop" into their heads. Many people begin to recognize dysfunctional patterns of thought and perceptions that have influenced their lives. Additionally, many people report a greater ability to manage their emotions and gain a greater sense of stability. When a person meditates, he or she often suppresses the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that activates the body for emergencies and activities. Meditation also lowers a person's metabolism, heart, and breathing rates. Additionally, meditation decreases the chemical in the body often associated with stress.
Abnormal resultsOnce a person begins to implement these anxiety reduction techniques effectively, he or she may discover old or hidden psychological pain. The person may feel angry, frightened, or depressed, and it may be beneficial for him or her to talk to a friend, mental health professional, or meditation teacher.
Some individuals have difficulty with various aspects of the different techniques. For example, people may feel restless when first learning how to meditate, or they may feel as though a thousand thoughts are running through their minds. However, with practice and assistance from a trained professional, these difficulties will subside. People who feel frustrated or discouraged may simply need to find ways to make the practice of these techniques more comfortable. As is the case with many other skills, effectively reducing anxiety with these techniques requires patience and practice. If an individual does not consistently practice these techniques, the benefits will probably not be obtained.
Resources
BOOKSBourne, Edmund. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. 3rd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2001.
Davis, Martha, Matthew McKay, and Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook. 5th ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2000.
Fanning, P. Visualization for Change. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 1988.
Huffman, Karen. "Stress and Health Psychology." In Psychology in Action. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2002.
Meichenbaum, D. Stress Inoculation Training. New York: Plenum Press, 1985.
Meichenbaum, D., and R. Cameron. "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy." In Contemporary Behavior Therapy: Conceptual and Empirical Foundations, edited by G. T. Wilson, and C. M. Franks. New York: Guilford, 1982.
McKay, Matthew, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning. Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life. 2nd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 1998.
Morris, Charles, G. and Albert A. Maisto. Psychology: An Introduction. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.
ORGANIZATIONSAmerican Psychiatric Association. 1400 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. <http://www.psych.org> .
American Psychological Association. 750 1st St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002. (202) 336-5500. <http://www.apa.org> .
Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Inc. 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20852. (301) 231-9350. <http://www.adaa.org> .
The National Institute of Mental Health, 5600 Fischers Lane, Room 15C05, Rockville, MD 20857. (301) 443-4513. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/> .
The National Mental Health Association. 1201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2971.
Keith Beard, Psy.D.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a normal part of life. Stress warns you that you're encountering problematic situations, and is designed to motivate you to take action in order to reduce that stress and make your life better. Without stress, you wouldn't feel any motivation to make your life better. You would take risks without regard for the consequences and make decisions that affect the course of your life without any critical thinking to ensure it's what's best for you. In small amounts, stress is actually a good thing.
But when that stress starts to become unreasonable – when that stress starts to affect you every day, causing you to feel sick, anxious, unhappy, or fatigued – then your levels of stress have become a serious problem.
What Does Long Term Stress Do?Stress changes every component of your body. In excess, stress makes the long term outlook of your life considerable worse. Stress:
- Reduces hormone function.
- Damages organs.
- Weakens your immune system.
- Puts you at greater risk of cancer.
- Causes memory loss and concentration issues.
- Develops mental health disorders.
That latter point is important. Long term stress is one of the key contributing factors in the development of numerous types of mental health disorders, and puts you at severely increased risk of developing serious conditions like anxiety and depression. In addition, these conditions lead to further stress, resulting in a vicious cycle that can damage your quality of life.
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What is the Link Between Stress and Anxiety?Stress and anxiety are not entirely different conditions. In many ways, anxiety may be considered long term stress, and long term stress may be a component of an anxiety disorder. Their similarities and relationships are some of the reasons that those that experience any one for a long period of time often experience the other for much longer.
It's not clear why anxiety and stress seem to contribute to each other, but there are several proposed possibilities. These include:
- Poor Coping Response – Both anxiety and stress are often related to a problems with life coping. While generally coping issues come first (followed by stress/anxiety), dealing with these issues for an extended period of time can damage your ability to cope even further – opening up the door for the other to occur.
- Hormone/Neurotransmitter Misfiring – Another probable cause of both conditions has to do with damage to the mind and body when you deal with any one condition for an extensive period of time. Many people believe that your body starts to fire the wrong amounts of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals), adrenaline, and cortisol, because it becomes harder for your body to regulate.
- Negative Thinking – Both stress and anxiety create negative thinking, and negative thinking is very closely related to coping with both of those issues. For example, if you're stressed, you'll believe that you're bound to experience troubles in the future, leading to anxiety over the future, and so on.
One of the best examples of this is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after an extremely traumatic event. The stress is so strong and so powerful, that the person's anxiety levels change from that moment onward.
When it comes to stress anxiety, there is some good news and bad news. The bad news is that unchecked, you can continue to develop severe anxiety and stress coping problems that can alter your quality of life. The good news is that even if stress causes you to experience severe anxiety, that anxiety can be addressed and cured using the right anxiety reduction strategies and techniques. Your brain is a powerful tool, and even when its brain chemistry is altered it's possible to cure it.
Contributing Factors to Chronic StressRemember, any type of chronic stress can eventually develop into anxiety, and there are multiple issues that lead to chronic stress. Stress also may not have a clear cause – some people simply feel like something is wrong, or they have lost their coping ability for smaller life stresses. While chronic stress can generally be attributed to something in your life (work, home), it should be noted that if you experience stress for a long enough time, you may find you have a hard time shaking it even when/if your life gets better.
There are often external and internal factors to chronic stress. They include:
External factorsInternal factorsExternal factors
- Work related pressures
- Relationship troubles
- Family related pressures
- Financial difficulties
- Social expectations
- Bad coping skills
- Weak health and fitness levels
- Poor nutritional status
- Low emotional well-being
- Sleep problems / deprivation
Another cause of chronic stress is dependency on inadequate coping strategies. For example, those that self-medicate with alcohol can actually lose their ability to manage their stress. That's because those types of coping strategies numb stress without actually reducing your stress, and eventually your mind starts to depend on the numbing as you lose your ability to cope with stress naturally.
Effective Stress Management TechniquesIn order to reduce your anxiety, you're going to need to learn to manage your stress better. It starts by avoiding any "quick fixes." When people talk about stress coping, they're talking about your own mind's ability to overcome stresses. You can't learn to do this if you depend on alcohol, drugs, or even gambling/partying as your way to cope with stress. You have to be willing to let yourself feel stressed in order to learn how to overcome it.
Removing yourself from stressful situations is also important, but obviously there is only so much that one person can do. Still, you will need to make some tough decisions. Can you find a new job? Is it time to leave the relationship? Do you need some new friends? If the tough choice is the better choice, you'll need to make it.
You can and should also integrate the following into your life:
- Exercise – You need to stay active. People think of exercise as a physical fitness technique. But exercise is much more than that. It plays a key role in stress reduction, because it burns away many of the stress hormones while releasing chemicals that improve mood. Those that don't exercise are far more prone to stress, and so it's crucial that you get yourself outdoors and try your best to stay moving.
- Do Things – Staying busy is also important. Stress has a tendency to make you feel like you need time alone, in quiet. It sounds like a good idea, but it's not advantageous to stress management. Creating new happy memories, staying active, and giving yourself positive experiences and more to look forward to is much more important. As long as those activities aren't "self-medicating" (meaning, no partying to control your stress), you'll see the benefits.
- Goal Setting – You need to set goals for yourself as well. Realistic goals that you can reach, but will take you a while to accomplish. Goals ensure that you're always at least a little focused on the future, because stress has a tendency to over-focused you on the present, and the present is stressful.
Reducing Anxiety and Reducing StressStill, once you have developed chronic stress, you're going to need something more in order to curb it. You're going to need to find a way to drastically cut down on your overall stress and anxiety levels – a method of relieving anxiety that will help you control stress in the future.
For that, take my 7 minute anxiety test now. It's completely free, designed only to look at your symptoms and provide you with tools for how to control them.
