Stress AND Anxiety: 5 Self-Care Strategies to Assuage Anxiety by Dr. Michelle Clay

Greetings to my #WellnessWOWers and those who seek a FREELIFE of joy and wellness. It’s Dr. Michelle here, your holistic physician who specializes in the release of stress simply and naturally. May is mental health awareness month, so it is important to discuss factors that affect and influence mental health, chronic stress being a major one. It is estimated approximately 44 million people in America deal with mental health issues. Economic instability, fear of safety for yourself or your children with the rise of school shootings and deteriorating heath of you or a loved one are major stressors that can lead to overwhelming stress and/or depression. Uncertainty of the future and your safety can contribute to anxiety or panic attacks. Stress, depression, anxiety and panic attacks are very common and not a sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for far too long and buckled under the pressures of the curve balls encountered in life. 1 in 3 of us will go through this at some point in our lives. While anxiety can ensue as a result of temporary stressors, worry and/or fear, an anxiety disorder gets worse over time and is a persistent and intense fear of everyday situations that is difficult to control and may interfere with daily activities.

There is a connection between stress and anxiety. Examples of stress that can lead to anxiety such as the death of a loved one or job-related stress are risk factors for anxiety disorder. Other risk factors include:

• Stress due to an illness

• Exposure to traumatic life events in childhood and adulthood

• Family history of anxiety disorder

• A parent with mental illness

• Drug or alcohol use or misuse or withdrawal

Sometimes anxiety is a side effect of medications or linked to medical conditions such as thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or certain hormone-producing tumors.

Stress and anxiety can produce physical, mental and emotional symptoms . People experience stress and anxiety differently. Common symptoms include:

• feeling nervous, restless or tense

• feelings of impending danger, panic or doom

• muscle tension

• rapid breathing

• increased heart rate

• sweating

• trouble sleeping

• digestive problems

• difficulty concentrating

There are different types of anxiety disorders to include the following:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable and excessive worrying about events, activities or routine issues out of proportion to the actual circumstance. It often occurs with depression

• Panic disorder repeated episodes of intense fear or terror which escalates within minutes. Can be accompanied by a pounding heart, shortness of breath, chest pain and a fear of impending doom. People sometimes mistake for a heart attack.

• Social phobia is a condition that causes intense feelings of anxiety and fear in situations that involve interacting with others. May be accompanied by social avoidance for fear of judgment, ridicule and embarrassment by others.

• Specific Phobias

If you feel more than just worry or temporary stress and anxiety, but panic and impending doom that affects your daily living, please seek professional help. Professionals such as a psychiatrist, licensed professional counselor or therapist may recommend psychotherapy, medication and/or a support group while still incorporating the following self-care strategies to assuage your anxiety.

5 Self-Care Strategies

1. Stress Release and Management Strategies

Since I am the stress release strategist, I can share a multitude of simple and natural ways to release and manage your stress. From mindfulness to movement, you can take control of your stress instead of stress taking over you. Join me Wednesday, May 30th 7 PM CST at The Stress FREEDOM LIVE Masterclass

to learn a 7-Step FREELIFE Formula to FREE your life of stress.

2. Physical Activity

Physical activity such as exercise is not only healthy for your body, but also healthy for your mind. Even 5 minutes can begin to decrease your stress hormone (cortisol) levels.

3. Cut back or eliminate caffeine

I know it can be hard to get going in the mornings and you feel like you need a caffeine jolt. But caffeine can worsen symptoms of anxiety.

4. Culinary Cures for Cleansing and Calm

A healthy diet void of fatty and sugary foods and rich in vegetables and fruits can assist you on your journey to calmer days. Foods rich in B-vitamins such as leafy greens, beans and fish, help strengthen the nervous system to guard against more stressful moments.

5. Journaling

When you experience chronic stress, sometimes you go on auto-pilot mode just to cope. Keeping track of your stressors and being aware of what triggers stress and anxiety can help you be more aware and mindful. It's easier to implement a solution when you are clear what the problem is.

In the meantime, be well!

Yours in Health and Harmony,

Dr. Michelle

Dr. Michelle Clay is a speaker, two-time best-selling author & Holistic Physician specializing in the release

and management of stress and its associated symptoms simply and naturally. Through her company FREELIFE7,

Dr. Michelle enhances lives by harmonizing all dimensions of wellness through wellness coaching programs, workshops and speaking engagements to help stressed out and burned out high achievers, leaders and exhausted executives discover their sense of balance, calm, clarity and confidence to live a FREELIFE on purpose with passion. She is frequently called upon to give a refreshing holistic perspective on ways to release stress, recharge health and shift mindset for wellness success

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