Stress V. Anxiety
How are you today? How are you feeling today? I know you are blessed and highly favored, but what are you not saying that has you concerned?
We often negate our feelings of stress and anxiety with the banner of being strong. Afraid to acknowledge you have not felt well in a long time. Overwhelmed and stressful living can be overcome with gratitude: Chronic stress is often negated because most of us are accustomed to being, living, functioning, and operating in stressful situations.
Stress is the physiological response to something you feel is threatening your balance, safety, or comfort.
Anxiety is the emotion felt with stress. There is healthy and unhealthy anxiety. For example, healthy anxiety is the emotional stress of taking an exam. Unhealthy anxiety is if it is too strong and debilitating or you feel it with everyday activities that are normally not stressful.
Anxiety can be created by the constant chatter in our minds housed in our brains. This creates what is called a "fear network" that overpowers the more rational mind and thinking. This can make you feel internally chaotic and like you have the inability to relax.
What is a "fear network"? When we function, go about our day, and resolve problems and concerns, and we are in the crucible of "The Fear." If I don't do this, that will happen. Or because of this that happened, so now I must do this.
For some, this feeling of stress and anxiety can be so overwhelming it interferes with daily life activities. Presenting the inability to function healthy in daily life. The inability to be responsible or the over responsibility of taking care of everything and everyone.
Some of the symptoms of stress are:
Headaches
Teeth grinding
Feeling generally unwell,
Feeling numb or tense,
Unable to focus,
Change in appetite,
General feelings of being unwell,
Low or no energy
Moody
These stressors have the potential to change into anxiety,
A balanced dose of gratitude to challenge your fears, doubts, and worries will do the mind well. Engaging in activities that release natural dopamine in our brain, such as exercise and social activities with others, i.e., family and friends that share our interests, will heal and grow us as we interact with others who are emotionally and spiritually connected and supportive, not codependent but healthy accountable to one another.
Finally, acknowledge your discomfort, concerns, feelings of fear, worry, and consistent disappointment. Find gratitude in being able to feel the discomfort and the grace to release the pain.
We are available to partner with you in your journey of healing, unpacking, and refilling your mind and spirit with healthy tools to overcome whatever stage you are in. You are not alone.
In brEATh,
Lurinda Iris Jones
Director of COINPM, MS, LPC, FT, GCC, MA, SURD
Safe Space with iRiS INspires LLC
Email: iris@irisinspires.com
Office No.: 818-584-2513
Mobile No.: 310-702-7592