Stress and Anxiety: Causes and Cures

by Alan B Densky

Although many people use the words stress and anxiety interchangeably, they are actually two separate conditions. Stress is a response to a stimulus, which can be external or internal. You may feel stress when you feel frustrated with something (like waiting in line behind a slow person) or when you worry that you will not meet expectations (such as missing a deadline at work).

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a sense of fear and nervousness or even dread. It can be brought on by negative expectations and thoughts, or as a reaction to stress. You may feel anxious virtually all of the time and not understand why, or your worry may be a reaction 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 brought on by genetics. Anxiety may also stem from environmental conditions, as when a child whose mother or father is often anxious learns to be an anxious person by observing the parent. But frequently, the base cause of anxiety is simply the thoughts in a person's mind!

Stress and anxiety 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 sweaty hands and tense muscles, to the severe, such as anxiety attacks, irregular heartbeat, and vomiting.

Everyone feels some amount of anxiety once in awhile. We have all experienced the dry mouth and vague sense of dread before a test or public speaking engagement. But when does it become harmful to your health? Research has revealed that chronic anxiety can lead to sleep disorders, relationship problems, depression, and high blood pressure

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

If you experience 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 feel that medication is the best way to handle chronic anxiety. However, anti-anxiety medications often produce harmful side effects that are just as bad or even worse than the initial affliction.

There are many safe and non-invasive ways to handle negative emotional responses. Exercise is one that is often overlooked by anxious people, but it is highly effective in managing stress and anxiety. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting and pain-killing chemicals. With regular exercise, you may begin to see a decrease in negative emotional reactions to situations that would previously have made you very anxious.

The best way to manage tension and worry is to control it from the inside out. Stress relief and stress management techniques are very 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 rate of breathing, release the worry, and remain in a peaceful state of mind. Meditation is a form of tension relief in which you focus on mindful relaxation and deep, calm breathing.

However, if you are looking for a proactive way to free yourself of anxiety, hypnosis is by far the most effective form of treatment. When an individual undergoes hypnosis, their reactions and emotional responses to events are changed at their core. This provides them with the opportunity to deal with typical anxiety-inducing triggers without the typical fear and nervousness.

Hypnosis is often performed by a licensed hypnotherapist in a series of regular sessions. More commonly today, hypnosis can be learned from self hypnosis programs which can be purchased in the form of DVDs, MP3s, or CDs for individual home usage. No special skills are required to practice self hypnosis. All that you need is a way to play the hypnosis program and a quiet space where you can listen and relax.

Another successful type of anxiety treatment is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. NLP is a type of therapy that helps you condition your mind and body to naturally respond to situations in a more positive way. You can consciously decide to stay calm instead of feeling anxious, and consequently, you are always in control of your own feelings.

It is evident that it is important to manage our negative emotional responses in order to stay healthy. Mastering techniques to deal with nervousness and fear can even add years onto 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 remain calm in everyday situations.

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