One of my biggest struggles as a mental health professional in this era is hearing mental health terms used incorrectly every day: Trigger, narcissist, gaslighting, etc. I want people to know and understand mental health language and know how it fits in their life, but social media gives an unrealistic expectation about life and what stable mental health looks like. This article will review stress and anxiety, and practical skills to manage them.
Stress Management
Stress is a response to a challenge or an event. If someone cuts you off in traffic, you’ll have that adrenaline rush where your heart rate increases (or if you’re like me you say a few bad words) for about 90 seconds, then that wave will pass. If it does not pass in that 90 second window it may be a sign of anxiety or a trauma response.
Managing stress is an important part of quality mental health. One of the best strategies is simply talking about it. Trying to keep your thoughts and emotions restrained leads to a lack of mental flexibility that allows emotions and negative thoughts to overwhelm you. I also like putting my stressors into categories and identifying what I can control and have responsibility for. If it is not within my realm of responsibility, then it does not need a seat at my table.
An easy breathing technique for moments of stress is a color breathing activity: Let’s say my stressor is money. I’ll take a few deep breaths and picture a big green dollar sign. I’ll take those breaths until my body and brain feel a little calmer, then put my hand over my chest to grab that big dollar sign and I’ll pull it away from me. You may feel that stressor be pulled right out of your chest.
Anxiety
Anxiety includes racing thoughts, excessive worry, muscle tension, lightheadedness, irritability, trouble concentrating and panic attacks. General Anxiety may not always be linked to something external. It’s not always logical. It is important to remember that every thought is not a fact, and you cannot treat them like one.
A strategy to cope with racing thoughts and excessive worry that I find helpful is a simple mindfulness technique. Identify the things you know to be true in that moment, even if they sound silly. I know this blue chair is holding me up right now. I know my daughter is safe (even if she is having a tantrum in the middle of the kitchen floor). I know my husband loves me.
One of the biggest misunderstandings I find in mental health work is that people believe coping skills will magically take away their difficult thoughts or overwhelming emotions. Coping strategies are how you cope while anxious, so that degrading thoughts and overwhelming emotions are not taken out on yourself or anyone else. You do not deserve punishment for struggling.
