What is stress and anxiety? Is there any difference between stress and anxiety? What are the symptoms of both, and can you identify as your starting to experience the symptoms? Why are these questions important to know?
My interpretation of stress is the physical and emotional reaction to an event in life that produces a fight or flight response. Also, any event which causes you to feel frustration, anger nervousness. Gary R. Collins Ph.D. wrote in his book ‘Christian Counseling.’ “Anxiety is an inner feeling of apprehensions, uneasiness, concern, worry, and/or dread that is accompanied by heightened physical arousal.” Anxiety also triggers a fight or flight response. There is a normal quantity of stress or anxiety that has the potential to motivate one to carry out tasks or avoid dangerous situations. This kind of stress is useful to understand and allow it to motivate you.
Learning how to manage stress and anxiety by recognizing the signs and symptoms helps one to decrease the symptoms from progressing. This helps to calm ones physical and emotional responses.
Both stress and anxiety have similar symptoms and have been used interchangeable. Therefore, I will give a brief list of symptoms on stress which can be used interchangeably with anxiety. You can find many good articles on both symptoms and definitions. Physical Symptoms of stress can be but not limited to increased heart rate, sweaty palms, frequent urination, digestive issues, jaw tightness, headaches, sleeplessness, fatigue. Emotional symptoms can be but not limited to anger, sleeplessness, irritability, racing thoughts, memory problems or depression.
Knowing your stress and/or anxiety symptoms will help to decrease the progression of symptoms and help you to diffuse the fight or flight reactions.
I too am experiencing stress and anxiety we are facing my husband having heart surgery for the second time. We have been in a holding pattern for months waiting on tests and results, with medical appointments as well as Covid19 restrictions at hospitals etc… I can safely say the whole world has been in a stressful experience for many months effecting all our lives.
Dr. Collins states, “Anxiety arises from threat, conflict, fear, unmet needs, physiology, and individual differences.” This article is to provide us with a brief and practical applications to help cope with stress and moderate anxiety. If you are experiencing long term anxiety, I recommend you try to find medical and therapeutic help. Mental health is extremely important and the stigma of looking for help should no longer keep anyone away from seeking help. God gives wisdom to doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors to help individuals get the help they need.
How do you handle stress and anxiety? I choose to self-talk with positive statements of scripture, I also pray and depend on Gods character to care for me. I use breathing techniques, mediating on the goodness of Jesus and journaling. I have been taught through the years when you understand your symptoms you can begin to apply these useful tools to reduce your stress or anxiety symptoms.
Here are a few helpful suggestions in dealing with stress. Exercise, breath in deeply though your nose and slowing expel the air out your mouth, meditate, meditation is biblical if you are unaware how to meditate it is simple. To mediate simply sit quietly think on a positive thought or scripture and repeat it 3-4xs. I speak slowly and say Jesus is light, Jesus is Truth, Jesus is Peace 3-4xs, speak positive self-talk, prayer is beneficial in all situations, speaking scripture out loud, and journaling is just some helpful suggestions.
Another wonderful technique is to ask yourself questions about the thoughts you are thinking. Dr. Daniel Amen founder of Amen Clinics has an excellent tool called “Learn to kill the ANTS” ‘Automatic Negative Thinking’ questions “1) Ask yourself is it true? 2)Is it absolutely true with 100% certainty? 3) How do I feel when I believe this thought? 4)How would I feel if I couldn’t have the thought? 5)Turn the thought around to its exact opposite.” I saw him on a PBS fundraiser many years ago and wrote down notes on this technique applied it to my life and it truly made a difference in stressful situations. After asking yourself these questions you will begin to defuse the automatic negative thoughts that stir up anxiety.
I pray that this article provides you some practical applications to assist in dealing with stress and anxiety.