How to cope with Stress

April 29, 2023

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Are you wondering is stress real? How is it different from Anxiety? Or Maybe you are simply thinking “I’ve had enough, I want it gone”!

A little stress is normal, it won’t cause harm, we learn to manage. Constant stress will harm, it sneaks up on you and causes damage physically and mentally.

Stress can be like that song you hear in the morning, it keeps going round in your head all day. Stress comes back to torment you at night, causing those night terrors to stop you sleeping. When it’s almost permanent it can take over your life and sabotage it.

Anxiety is a person’s specific reaction to stress, it’s future based and present internally even when the imagined situation doesn’t exist. Unlike stress, anxiety persists even when the problem has passed. Anxiety can become a mental health disorder: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety.
It helpful to recognise and differentiate the signs of stress and anxiety. Stress is a common trigger for anxiety and it’s important to catch symptoms early.

Some people look like they sail along, look out the bus window, you’ll see them. Has life thrown problems at you, causing insurmountable blocks to stress you out all day? While others seem to have the skills and resilience to overcome obstacles and actually grow and learn, some struggle and suffer physically, emotionally and permanently. What causes similar experiences to have different impacts on us?

Anxiety: “anxiety” is future focused. What if X happens, do you worry about things that haven’t happened or may not even happen, fear the worst, feel uncomfortable, exhausted and nervous.
Stress: "stress" is a bodily and mental response to an overwhelming event often accompanied by trauma or fear.