Stress and Anxiety

Stress and Anxiety Recognizing the Symptoms and Ways to Triumph

Sympathetic nervous system • Cortisol and Adrenaline Driven • Reactive • No thought-need to survive

Parasympathetic Nervous System • Activated in the frontal cortex • Involves thought • Calm response

VaGAL Nervous System • FREEZE • Prolonged traumatic stress response may cause to be numb • Dissociation • Lack of feeling

Stress • Stress experienced in 4 main areas: physical, mental, emotional, behavioral • Physical Signs: aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, loss of sex drive, frequent colds

Symptoms Continued • Emotional: moody, irritable, can’t relax, feeling overwhelmed, sense of isolation, depression/unhappy • Cognitive: memory issues, can’t focus, poor judgement, only see the negative, racing thoughts, constant worry • Behavioral: eating issues, sleep issues, procrastinate, nervous habits, using substances to relax

Types of Anxiety • Panic Attacks/ Disorder • Generalized Anxiety • Social Anxiety • Separation Anxiety • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder Symptoms • Feelings of impending doom • Fear of loss of control/death • Rapid, pounding heart rate • Shortness of breath • Sweating • Chest pain

Symptoms continues • Trembling Feeling of detachment • Nausea Numbness • Hot Flashes • Dizziness • Headache

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) • Hypervigilant • Difficulty falling asleep • Unwanted, intrusive thoughts • Difficulty concentrating • Keep having the same thought over and over • Characteristic thought “What if…..”

Social Anxiety Symptoms • Fear of situations where you may be judged. • Intense fear of having to interact with strangers. • Worrying about embarrassing yourself. • Fear others will notice your anxiety or its symptoms. • Expecting the worst possible consequence from a negative experience in a social situation. • Analyzing your performance after a social situation-looking for faults.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms • Obsessions are recurrent/persistent thoughts, images, and impulses or images that cause anxiety/disgust. • These thoughts are often around contamination or harm, the need for symmetry/exactness or forbidden sexual/religious thoughts. • Compulsions mental acts or repetitive behaviors people in gain in because of obsessive thoughts.

Compulsions • Are done to help reduce distress or a feared situation. • People know the rituals are irrational. • Examples: cleaning, repeating, checking, ordering, mental compulsion.

Contributors to Stress and Anxiety • Significant Personal Loss Lack of Assertiveness • Life change No Self Care • Stimulants Fast paced Lifestyle • Anxious self talk No sense of meaning • Withheld feelings Hereditary • Learned behavior Trauma

Managing Stress and Anxiety • Seek a higher power • Deep breathing • Visualization • Muscle Relaxation • Acts of kindness

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Worry Jar

F.E.A.R. (False Evidence that appears Real) • Help consider other explanations • Point out flaws in thinking • Baby Steps • Positive reinforcement

Stress and Anxiety