Essay Sample on Coping with Anxiety: A Key to Overcoming Stress

Introduction

One major stressor is anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling which is described by an unpleasant state of internal turmoil. Situations like sitting for a problematic test thought of someone close losing his life, and running out of time without being fully prepared for an event can trigger anxiety, which eventually causes stress in a human. Managing anxiety would make me not to panic; thus, the ability to overcome stressful incidences. Due to the different genetic alignment of each individual, you find that in my family, there is a history of a diabetic condition, which started with our great grandparents. Therefore it automatically dictates that if an individual from our family is not able to manage anxiety stress, the chance of diabetes cropping in is very high. Managing the anxiety stressor reduces the possibility of being diabetic because by managing the stress, the body will function normally. This paper will evaluate anxiety as a significant stressor, find recommendations and come up with a stress management plan of action

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Research

Anxiety comes hand in hand with nervous behavior, such as pacing back and forth. It is usually a feeling of awkwardness and worries, typically unfocused and indiscriminate as an overreaction to a situation subjectively seen as intimidating. Some symptoms of anxiety include; difficulty in concentrating when one is doing things leading to being absent-minded, causing low productivity or mistakes. In addition, fatigue is another symptom whereby one gets weary even after performing a minimal task. Another sign of anxiety is lack of appetite. When one has anxiety, the urge to eat disappears. One does not feel hungry anymore due to the lack of appetite. Irrational fear is a symptom that shows that one has anxiety. Having extreme fear about specific things such as height, water, and animals. Restlessness is another sign of anxiety where one is not able to stay at a single place for a long time, but rather one has the urge to keep moving. Anxiety also brings about excessive worrying even to situations that are uncalled for (Wehrenberg, 2017). Finally, anxiety brings about avoiding social places such that you only want to be alone. We are currently living in a world that has so many complications and problems that would cause stress. This is mainly because of the factors that surround us in our daily lives. Stress is dangerous if not realized at the right time and worked on at an early stage. If it stays for long in a person, it can cause terminal illnesses like hypertension, diabetes (Graham, 2016). If the state persists for long without seeking medical attention or acting on the guidelines prescribed by the doctor, it eventually leads to death

National prevalence information shows that almost forty million people in the United States, which is eighteen percent of the population, experience anxiety disorder during any given year (Pine, Rothbaum, & Ressler, 2015). Even though the disorders are highly treatable, only one-third of those suffering from the condition seek medical treatment. The data illustrates that so many people are affected by this order, and fortunately, it is both controllable and treatable. There exist various strategies that are used to manage the stress caused by anxiety. They include exercising regularly, eating well, and acceptance (Weinberg, 2010). Scientific research has proven that these techniques are most efficient when managing the disorder. These are the strategies I used in my stress management plan, as discussed below.

Stress Management Plan of Action Description

Each problem usually has a solution. Anxiety can be controlled using various techniques. According to research that was carried out in America regarding the techniques of reducing and eliminating anxiety, it was discovered that the techniques are to be followed and applied for a while. Practicing it just once may have little or no impact on anxiety. Some of the proven techniques are; having a balanced meal; this helps the body to stay healthy. When one is hungry, some nutrients might lack in the body, which makes the body vulnerable to other attacks that end up in bringing diseases. Exercising regularly is another technique in conquering anxiety. Exercise has always been a remedy for many disorders (Weinberg, Sutherland, & Cooper, 2010). Exercise makes the body hormones balanced and also relieves the body, making it fit. When the body is fit if functions well, making it difficult for anxiety to set in.

Another strategy is taking time out. This is a very effective technique when dealing with anxiety. For instance, when one is stressed out on where to source money for a crucial project, taking time out, and just walk around, you will find that the deep thoughts that brought the anxiety are gone. Abusing some of the drugs like alcohol and consuming much of caffeine causes triggering of anxiety (Wehrenberg, 2017). Therefore, it is necessary to stay away from substances that are alcoholic and contain caffeine. Another essential remedy to reducing anxiety is acceptance; this involves generally accepting the situation that you are in. Reception brings a lot of understanding in an individual and being aware that you cannot control everything. When one is dealing with short term anxiety, such as during tests and interviews, it is necessary to take deep breaths.

Various plans of action were crucial in managing anxiety as a stressor when I lost my grandmother, who was close to me. I had to come up with a plan of action to ensure that I was able to deal with anxiety and reduce the possibilities of developing the diabetic condition, which is in our family linage. The plan that I came up with was as a result of picking up the recommendations that suited my situation. My plan of action entailed the following; waking up early in the morning, jogging, and doing some physical exercise; this ensured that my body stayed fit and healthy. As a result, I was able to deal with anxiety and depression after my grandmother's demise. On my plan, there was also the issue of not skipping any meals; this ensured that the body had the right energy and nutrients to keep me moving during a hard time. Another essential remedy I incorporated in my plan was that of acceptance, the act of accepting was very hard for me, and I had to visit a counselor who made it possible for me to take that I had lost my grandmother. I also set up in my plan that during that period, I would avoid alcohol and caffeine, which were high triggers of anxiety.

Due to my willingness to overcome the situation, primarily because of the diabetic condition, I have seen some family members struggle with; I was fully committed to the plan. I followed the program for a whole month. It was a big sacrifice, but in my mind, I knew what I wanted and thus followed it to the latter. In the course of executing my plans, I realized that there were some improvements. My thinking about the whole situation changed gradually. I was able to accept the situation I was in and therefore understood it was only for a while, and there was nothing I would do about it. My attitude on people and the situation improved, and my body was fit.

Evaluations and Conclusions

After overcoming the stress factor of anxiety after the death of my grandmother, I had to incorporate some of the strategies in my life. Exercising was the first strategy that I used, which made my body to be relieved and engage in various activities. I also embraced the act of acceptance since I realized it enables one to overcome various difficulties quickly. These are the strategies I use when managing stress that comes along, which, as a result, have made the anxiety stress levels to change. However, I came to the realization that my initial plan had some loopholes which, if I would cover, would be a more effective one to me or anyone else who is in the same situation that I was in. I would also recommend talking more to people you trust; this will help in bringing the issue disturbing you out from within. Besides, taking time out is an additional effective strategy. To reduce the thoughts, one has, take some time out, and engage in what you love doing during your free time. This reduces the feelings which bring about anxiety, which eventually translates into stress.

References

Arapis, G., Goncharova, N. N., Baveye, P., Organization., N. A., & Division., N. A. (2006). Ecotoxicology, ecological risk assessment, and multiple stressors. Dordrecht: Springer.

graham. (2016). Eat to beat diabetes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Pine, D., Rothbaum, B. O., & Ressler, K. (2015). Primer on anxiety disorders: translational perspectives on diagnosis and treatment. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Wehrenberg, M. (2017). 0 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques: Understanding How Your Brain Makes You Anxious and What You Can Do to Change It (NPB).

Weinberg, A., Sutherland, V. J., & Cooper, C. L. (2010). Organizational stress management: a strategic approach. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.