Anxious, Are We?

The dictionary defines anxiety as distress of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune. It is also described as a state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder. It is usually described as the feeling of uneasiness caused by anticipation of future events, be it planned or otherwise. Everybody, at one point in their lives, has experienced some form of anxiety. Common events like an upcoming exam or thesis presentation; or when a loved one gets sick; or when you go to unfamiliar places --- all these may cause you to feel fidgety and worried. However, extreme distress over the littlest things may be considered as a disorder and needs to be treated. Other symptoms of anxiety can include palpitations; shortness of breath; sweating; trembling; sense of choking; chest pain; nausea or stomach upsets; dizziness; numbness or tingling; and chills or hot flashes. So what causes anxiety disorders? Scientists attribute it to a lot of factors, four of which are genetics, personality, brain chemistry, and environmental factors. Researchers theorize that family history contributes to a high likelihood of someone developing an anxiety disorder. If one was brought up around a household of worriers, the chances of a person growing up to be a worrier too will be very high. Personality plays a big part as well. People who have low self-regard and have poor coping skills are also likely to develop anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are associated with high levels of brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit impulses. An imbalance on certain neurotransmitters may alter the way the mind would react to different situations, leading to anxiety. Any form of trauma or stressful situations such as abuse, accidents, or death may lead to anxiety disorders. Stress and anxiety go hand in hand. Anxiety levels heighten with constant exposure to extreme stress. Also, the constant use or sudden withdrawal from addictive substances like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine may also worsen anxiety. Oftentimes, worrying too much leads to anxiety panic attacks. These are surges of overwhelming fear that come out of nowhere and for no apparent reason. It affects not only the way the brain functions, but it also triggers changes in our body's major glands. The glands produce different kinds of stimulants and hormones double-time, flooding body cells simultaneously, causing the sufferer to feel the need to either run, get out, or hide. This is far worse than the regular anxiety that people feel when they're stressed out as this is based on irrational fear. Stress management may help prevent anxiety disorders from developing. One good way to manage stress is to improve your lifestyle. Get adequate amount of sleep, making sure that the body is well-rested after a full day's work. Intake of stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine containing products should be decreased as they would not help alleviate your stress, and may even aggravate your condition. Performing relaxation exercises will also help you during stressful times as it will relieve tense muscles. Last but not the least, don't forget to take a breather. Relax. Anxiety is our body's natural reaction to stress. It's up to us if we let it take over our lives. To keep it short and simple, when you're feeling anxious – stop, take a deep breath, count to ten, and relax.

10 Ways to Manage Work Stress for Women

Women are more prone to workplace because of the many roles they play in life: as career woman, wife, mother, daughter, and friend. Women work way beyond the 9-5 shift, often having to rush home to cook dinner, help the kids with homework, and prepare the next day's office attire for the hubby. The stress and anxiety caused by endless tasks and impossible deadlines in a high-speed, high-tech world has made women's lives a living web of complexity.

The question is: How can women cope with stress and anxiety? The first step is to dissect the problem and understand how these psychological and emotional conditions make women's lives more difficult.

Stress is a combination of fatigue, restlessness, depression, over-focusing, and over-all gloominess that is a consequence of overwork and other domestic or personal problems. The difficulty of trying to balance time between work and the home has caused many women to suffer from stress. Personal or relationship issues like divorce or separation have also been the cause of anxiety panic attacks among women. Women who own and manage their own business are also prone to stress. Their high drive for business success cannot always protect them from times of depression and overwork. Career women, on the other hand, have to confront office politics, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and the fear of being laid-off.

But there's still hope for over-worked, stressed women. Here are some practical ways for women to reduce and manage work-related stress:

1. Put up relaxing scenes- It could be a poster or a small painting with beautiful scenery. You can even download screen savers of beaches, waterfalls, clear lakes and other scenes that help create a serene mood.

2. The To-Do-List- Use that Post-Its or other stick-on note pads. Color-code your notes and even put up an “alarm” in your computer to remind you of priority tasks. The key is to know what to do first.

3. Time out - As they say, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Take some time out to take a breather. Do way from reading emails the mostly junk. Do stimulating activities like sudoku or brainteaser. Reading some inspirational books like Chicken Soup for the Soul.

4. Rearrange your workstation - Add some “homey” look to your workstation... put up photo frames of your family or favorite pet. When ever you feel stressed out just glance at their happy faces or cuteness ---and you'll find yourself smiling back!

5. When a plant isn't just a plant - Having a plant around your workplace is good stress relief. Studies show that looking at something green like a plant helps soothe your eyes after facing the computer monitor all day or after reading for a long time. Focusing on a green plant will have a soothing effect.

6. Exercise - Walking, climbing the stairs, or going out to run helps fight stress. Physical activity help get rid of tension. During a workout, your body releases endorphins which helps your body to relax. Endorphins also act as natural pain killers. There are a lot of exercise videos that you can use ranging from the standard aerobics to pilates, tae-bo, and a host of other fitness programs.

7. De-clutter- A cluttered workstation like pens,pencils, notepads,tons of papers spread around every inch of your work place adds to your stress. Make your work environment more appealing by organizing your things and throwing away things you no longer need.

8. Set Boundaries- Communicate and assert yourself, make your co-workers know when you are more available for chit chat.

9. Go less in your caffeine intake- caffeine even is popularly known as a stimulant, too much of it adds to stress even leads to depression.

10. Eat a good breakfast- Don' skip meals even if you are indeed in a hurry. Studies shows that if you make it a practice to eat breakfast every day, you're body gets more the needed proteins to give you an energy boost to face the working day.


Beat work-related stress without beating yourself up. Learn how to relax. Sure...we have duties and responsibilities but if you don't learn to relax---burn out is what you get! Make an effort to relax. Listen to good music. Try not to smoke. Because if you don't watch out, the results would be hypertension...depression... and a plethora of other ailments that can sidetrack your career and home life. It's time to regain a sense of balance if you want to stay alive for a long, long, long time.