Stress and anxiety often go hand-in-hand. While stress comes from frustration or anger towards certain points of a person’s life, anxiety is the fear and nervousness that accompanies that stress.

Stress is experienced by everyone. Sometimes, stress can be helpful because it is a source of motivation and productivity. But too much stress can cause illness, and other physical and psychological problems.

Anxiety is the fight or flight response that results from stress. It is the feeling you get when you are preparing your body to act against danger or run and escape from it. The symptoms of anxiety prepares you body to deal with threat.

In the face of danger or any other stressful situation, you body tenses up. Your breathing becomes faster and deeper, your heart beats quicker, you start to sweat, and you feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach. Anxiety often leaves you weak and shaky.

Other physical symptoms of stress and anxiety include abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty in swallowing, dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, frequent need to urinate, headaches, insomnia, irritability, muscle tension, and twitching or trembling.

Emotional responses to stress and anxiety include the inability to concentrate, negative self-talk, and restlessness.

Since we cannot control the factors that contribute to stress and anxiety, we can lessen the pressure we feel.

·    Relax and/or meditate. Find a quiet corner in your house at any convenient time and focus all your attention to your own happy place. Give yourself the chance to escape the busy lifestyle.
·    Exercise. Jog around your block, or take up boxing. Vent all those frustrations on physical activities. Exercise also keeps your body fit and healthy.
·    Eat and sleep well. Never skip meals or sleep. To continue working on through the day, your body will need energy. Eating a well-balanced diet will fuel your body while taking enough sleep will rejuvenate you.
·    Take up a relaxing hobby. You have to take your mind away from stress now and then. Listen to soothing music or walk around the park.
·    Control and lessen alcohol consumption and other vices. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking too many cigarettes will only aggravate anxiety disorders, and possibly give you bigger problems in the future.
·    Think positive. Always have a positive outlook and never put yourself down. There is never a problem too big to conquer.

To control stress and anxiety, a person will need to know stress management, and follow that regime religiously.