Worries and stress can take over our lives if we let it. By finding the right coping strategies, you will be able to reduce anxiety and stress. To help you understand what kind of impact stress and anxiety can have on your life and what coping strategies can help you reduce anxiety and stress, David Olem LMFT interviewed therapist.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Francisco, California. One of my areas of specialization is helping people deal with stress and anxiety. I continue to be impressed by the ingenuity of people, no matter how bad, they managed to make positive changes in their lives.
I have been involved in several research projects at UCSF. Of particular interest is the relationship between energy and health. Some of these studies involve teaching “peak effectiveness exercise” to help people manage stress.
What kind of impact can stress and anxiety have on someone’s overall life?
“Research continues to show that both stress and anxiety can have a huge impact on many areas of your life. When you are stressed or anxious, it can interfere with sleep, cause anger, contribute to relationship problems, and make it difficult to think clearly or make good decisions. You may try muscle tension, pains, diarrhea and other physical problems that make you feel exhausted and unable to progress in the most important areas of your life They can cause problems in meaningful relationships and make it difficult to relax and enjoy what you’re doing to try and manage order or to escape stress and anxiety (such as binge eating, shopping, or using substances) can eventually confirm the condition.”
What are some coping strategies you can give to someone who is experiencing anxiety and stress?
“There are many effective ways to deal with stress. Simple activities can help, like listening to music, going for a walk, or just stopping to take something heart rate slows breathing and opens the diaphragm. , helping to get more oxygen to the brain so you feel calmer. Yoga, meditation and almost any type of exercise can reduce stress Some people learn to self-medicate by changing their thinking patterns and stopping negative thoughts.
It might sound corny, but I often tell clients whose anxiety or stress is impacting their sleep, to write down the things they’re worried about, put it in the shoe and say, “I’ll do it again tomorrow.” Just going through that ritual of putting your stress away for the night can really help. make a difference. And, often, looking at the album again in the morning with a fresh set of eyes makes it seem a little less overwhelming.”
What type of professional help is available to someone who is experiencing anxiety and stress?
“There are more and more groups that are specifically designed to help people manage stress and anxiety. There are some types of skills groups and others. They are offered for For people dealing with a specific stressful life situation, such as being unemployed or dealing with a chronic health condition that is overwhelming you, therapy can help you skills to manage your anxiety reach the underlying causes of stress and anxiety and provide strong support and expertise”.
What is the last piece of advice you would leave with someone dealing with anxiety and stress?
“To some extent, stress and anxiety are part of everyday life. However, sometimes it starts to feel unbearable. Sometimes it is a sign that things in our lives are necessary so that we can change. But sometimes because we are using plans that are not effective. Everyone is different, and there is no way to deal with stress a therapist or support group.
Thank you David for doing an interview on the walls of strategies for anxiety and stress. You can find out more about David Olem or his work on his website www.davidolem.com.
Recommended Readings:
How to Reduce Stress Simply
It is the force keeping you awake at night
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