Most people will feel anxious at some point in their lives but for some people this can become a daily feeling that impacts everyday activities.

Anxiety can affect people in different ways some of these include:

· Trembling or shaking

· Strong, fast, or irregular heartbeat

· Excessive sweating or shortness of breath

· Feeling nauseous

· Feeling tense

· A sense of dread

· Irritability and difficulty concentrating

· Social withdrawal

· Seeking lots of reassurance from others

· Dizziness and tiredness

· Lack of energy, muscle aches and pains

· Dry mouth

· Headaches

· Panic attacks

Things that can help reduce anxiety include:

· Talking to a friend/ family member

· Change location to somewhere you feel more comfortable in

· Breathe slowly in through nose out through the mouth

· Try to focus on positive things

· Regular exercise

· Eating healthy foods

· Taking time for yourself to relax

· Meditation

· Mindfulness

· Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and smoking

· See a professional, a GP can help with a referral for treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, antidepressants and applied relaxation

To help someone who is experiencing anxiety stay calm, listen to them, and reassure them. Accept what they say without judging them and show you understand the situation and their feelings are valid. Suggest they seek professional help if this is appropriate, there is also a lot of help from organisations online.

In the UK over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time and less than 50% with a generalised anxiety disorder access treatment. There are many self-help techniques, online support, and professional support to help you cope with anxiety and you do not need to do this alone. Some organisations that can help include:

www.anxietyuk.org.uk

www.anxietycare.org.uk

www.youngminds.org.uk

www.breathingspace.scot

If you are struggling with anxiety please seek help and if you suspect someone is struggling with anxiety make time to talk to them and offer them a safe, supportive and listening ear.

Stress

Stress is the “adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them”. (HSE)

Everyone will experience stress over their life so we thought we would give some information on what to look out for but most importantly some strategies for how to deal with stress so you can manage it more successfully.

Let’s start by seeing what stress does to our bodies.

What happens to our body when we are stressed?

· Adrenal gland produces adrenaline This speeds up the heart and increases blood pressure

· Adrenal gland produces cortisol This increases glucose in the blood and energy production. Over long periods of stress these reactions can cause illness and reduce life expectancy

· The pituitary gland produces oxytocin This can reverse the effects of stress

Stress affects people differently- what stresses one person may not affect another. Factors such as skills and experience, age or disability may all affect whether a person can cope.

Stress can be a result of many things please see some examples below.

Causes of stress include:

· Work

· Relationships

· Bereavement

· Moving house

· Finances

· Poor physical health

· Divorce

· Bullying

· Family and friends

· Poor behaviour

· Travel

· Personal issues

How you may feel mentally and emotionally:

· Anxious

· Angry

· Lack of concentration

· Difficulty in making decisions

· Low self-esteem

· Sad

· Frustrated

· Overwhelmed

· Constant worrying

· Racing thoughts

How you may feel physically:

· Headaches

· Chest pain

· Tiredness

· Nausea

· Muscle tension

· Dizziness

Behavioural effects:

· Outbursts of anger

· Undereating or overeating

· Changes in sex drive

· Restlessness

· Social withdrawal

· Exercising less often than usual

Long-term stress can have some serious side effects.

Long-term effects of stress can include:

· Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders

· Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke

· Problems with your immune system, lower resistance to infection and skin conditions

· Digestion problems such as appetite loss, stomach ulcers, vomiting and diarrhoea

· Excessive changes in your behaviour such as alcohol and substance misuse

Here are some strategies to help you cope with stress better.

Coping strategies for stress:

· Realise when stress is becoming a problem and identify the underlying causes

· Build emotional strength and re-organise your lifestyle to tackle the causes

· Eat a healthy diet, avoid skipping meals and try to adopt regular eating patterns

· Make time for yourself to relax and socialise with friends and family

· Set yourself goals or challenges to help build your confidence

· Avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption

· Help others in situations worse than yours as this can help to put your own problems into perspective

· Look for the positives in life and things for which you’re grateful, rather than the cause of your stress

· Meditation can help with keeping a calm and clear mindset

· Stepping away from a situation and taking some deep breaths can help in the short-term

Stress is part of everyday life but knowing how to cope with it can improve your mental health and reduce the risk of adverse effects to your body long term.