Anxiety Therapist: Understanding Stress And How to Cope
Anxiety Therapist: Understanding Stress And How to Cope
Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC
Have you ever experienced a racing heart, sweaty palms, or a whirlwind of worries in your mind? As an Anxiety Therapist, I am well-versed in how stress triggers the body's natural "fight or flight" response. In this blog post, you will learn about the complex nature of stress, how it affects our minds, bodies, and lives, and how to navigate the path toward peace and well-being. I hope that this blog post helps you recognize when you are experiencing stress and when it’s time to reach out for support.
What is Stress?
Stress is an emotional, mental, and physiological response to a real or perceived threat. It is the mind and body’s way of preparing to overcome a challenge or prepare for danger, also known as the fight or flight response. The brain releases cortisol and adrenaline so that the body can take action and the mind can be focused.
What are The Symptoms of Stress?
Let’s just take a moment and understand what exactly happens in the body during the fight or flight response. Once we perceive a threat, the adrenal glands release cortisol and other stress hormones, which increase heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. At this point, blood flow is directed away from the digestive system and toward the limbs to prepare for fighting or fleeing. Next, the pupils dilate for better vision and then the liver releases glucose for more energy. The immune system gets kicked to the back burner so that all energy is available for the immediate threat.
The survival response is necessary when dealing with an emergency and has preserved humankind by keeping us safe through the caveman years and forward. A little stress in life is helpful and necessary. We need a hair-trigger response and quick reaction to prevent the little one from toddling into the street. We need a burst of energy to dig deep to meet a last-minute work deadline. However, the body and mind are not meant to endure daily dumps of cortisol and adrenaline pumping through our bodies. The impacts of chronic stress reach far and wide.
Physical Symptoms:
Headaches/migraines
Muscle tension
Chronic pain
Fatigue/exhaustion
Sleep problems such as insomnia
Oversleeping
Increased heart rate or heart palpitations
Weakened immune system
High blood pressure
Digestive issues
Mental & Emotional Symptoms:
Irritability
Anger
Mood swings
Depression
Overwhelmed
Lack of motivation
Difficulty concentrating
Racing thoughts
Feeling tense
How is Stress Diagnosed?
Stress itself is not a diagnosis, however, because stress impacts the mind and body, many physical and mental health diagnoses are related to ongoing and unrelenting chronic stress.
Mental Health
Anxiety disorders: People who experience chronic stress may develop anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety, panic disorders, or social anxiety.
Depression: Unrelenting stress can lead to depression which causes feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and loss of interest in activities
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Sometimes chronic stress can be the result of post-traumatic stress disorder. People who have experienced a traumatic event, but have not yet worked through it can have elevated levels of stress.
Physical Health
Cardiovascular disease: The increased heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure, that result from chronic stress can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Digestive problems: Because the stress response pulls blood away from the digestive system, chronic stress can cause digestive problems.
Insomnia: The ongoing release of adrenaline and cortisol into the body can make it difficult to sleep causing insomnia.
Chronic pain: The stress hormones released in the body can cause inflammation causing or aggravating chronic pain.
Impacts of Chronic Stress
When the brain and body are in the survival response, we become hyper-focused on attending to the problems. The primary focus becomes making the “threat” go away. Anything not associated with solving the problem becomes a distraction. Pleasure, joy, creativity, spontaneity, relationships, bonding, caring, all the things that make life enjoyable, get edged out.
Family: People experiencing high levels of stress will have a difficult time slowing down enough to enjoy their family. They may seem distracted and preoccupied when they are with loved ones making it difficult to connect. Stressed-out folks can be agitated and get aggravated easily creating tension within the family. All of this, of course, creates more stress.
Work: Because chronic stress can make it difficult to concentrate, focus, and remember things, work can suffer. People who are very stressed have a higher rate of burnout and tend to miss work more often. Chronic stress can lead to decreased job satisfaction and productivity.
Social: Chronic stress can lead to decreased energy and motivation, which can make it challenging to get out and engage in social activities. The increased anxiety associated with stress can make it difficult to socialize.
Substance Abuse: Because ongoing stress is the result of the nervous system being stuck on “on,” people can often use substances as a coping tool to quickly turn off the stress response in the body. Chronic stress can increase the risk of substance abuse problems.
5 Ways to Relieve Stress
Uncommit: Evaluate all of your responsibilities and look for things you can let go of. Taking some things off your plate can offer immediate relief.
Practice saying “no”: Start saying “no” to requests when you’re already feeling stressed out. Your nervous system will thank you.
Exercise: Moving your body will help to relieve stress naturally by expelling the excess energy in your body and releasing endorphins.
Breathe: Breathing is directly connected to the nervous system. One of the fastest ways to down-regulate your nervous system is to manipulate your breath, especially by expanding the exhale.
Mindfulness: A mindfulness practice can help you develop a new relationship with stress as it arises at the moment. Learning how to be the witness of the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of stress can help us ride the wave rather than be swept away by transitory stress.
When Should I Seek Professional Help?
If you try interventions like the ones mentioned above on your own like the ones that don’t work for you, reach out for help. Managing stress is an achievable goal in therapy. Sometimes it takes the support of a professional to help you sort out the best way of coping with chronic stress.
How Can I Help Prevent Stress?
The best way to avoid stress is to have a solid self-care plan. Everyone’s self-care plan will look different. What are activities that you can do that fill up your bucket? Make sure you are engaging in these activities regularly. A solid self-care plan will include eating healthy and time for exercise. Plan for some unplug time, where you can disengage from the grind and relax.
Interested in How Anxiety Therapy Orlando Can Help Stress?
If you found something relatable in this blog, please know that you don't have to face it alone. The therapists at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando are always ready to assist you in navigating stress and addressing any other therapy-related concerns you may have. To get started with one of our counselors:
Fill out our New Client Consultation Form
Schedule a consultation call with one of our anxiety therapists.
Begin your healing journey!
Not Quite Ready for Therapy Orlando?
At Mindful Living Counseling, we have a team of specialized therapists who are always ready to help with stress. We understand that you may have some questions before making your first phone call, but rest assured that our highly trained experts will equip you with the most effective tools to overcome the anxiety that comes with getting started. If you're interested in learning more about stress, we recommend checking out the articles provided below.
Additional Anxiety Therapy Orlando Resources
Orlando Therapist: Understanding Therapy Jargon
How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety During Stressful Times
Decluttering your Mind: 3 Tips to Get You Started
Orlando Therapist Shares Importance of Self-Care
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando
At Mindful Living Counseling, we understand that stress can be a significant obstacle to overcome, but we also acknowledge that there may be other challenges that you may be facing. That's why we offer a wide range of therapy services, including Trauma Therapy, EMDR Therapy, and Teen Therapy, as well as Guided Meditations. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you.
Anxiety Therapist Spotlight
Charniqua Snell, RMHCI, a therapist specializing in anxiety, depression, and trauma, is excited to be part of the Mindful Living Counseling Team. Her expertise lies in assisting teenagers and adults. When not working with her clients, she enjoys spending time at any body of water specifically the beach, and savoring boba tea!