Stress and Anxiety

We all experience stress and anxiety, some more than others. When left untreated, a person can get overwhelmed by their symptoms, which eventually leads to depression. Stress and anxiety can creep up on you when you least expect it. The subtle frustrations of daily tasks can cause frustration and anger. We all experience it from time to time, and the impact it has on personal well-being may not necessarily be felt immediately. Gradually, your behavior will change, and eventually, it will impact your relationships with family and friends. Stress and anxiety have a detrimental impact on family and friends and can be overwhelming while trying to understand and comprehend how this is possible or why a family member or friend does that. The pain of mental illnesses often impedes the sanity of those affected, and their extended family and friends. The physiological and psychological impact of stress and anxiety can have a detrimental effect on overall health when left untreated. Stress and anxiety are a constant; keeping them at bay is sometimes overwhelming and makes eventual depression difficult to escape. As a society, we are flawed in so many ways, yet we can rise to the occasion when needed. It takes educating and informing oneself about the obstacles and challenges mental health issues create. Ignoring the problems does not necessarily get rid of the problem, and ignorance only hides the truth that we fail to accept.

“Feelings don’t try to kill you, even the painful ones. Anxiety is a feeling grown too large. A feeling grown aggressive and dangerous. You’re responsible for its consequences, you’re responsible for treating it. But...you’re not responsible for causing it. You’re not morally at fault for it. No more than you would be for a tumor.” ― Patrick Ness

 “The best use of creativity is imagination. The worst use of creativity is anxiety.”  ― Deepak Chopra

“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.” ― C.H. Spurgeon

“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.”

― Steve Maraboli

“Anxiety is love’s greatest killer. It makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you. You want to save him, but you know he will strangle you with his panic.” ― Anais Nin

“Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.” ― Jodi Picoult

Sometimes, people may brush it off as nonsense or a mere irritation of one's life. We are all vulnerable to the effects of stress and anxiety, as we are consumed by the demands of modern society, we are also trying to cope as best as we can. Children and teenagers are the most vulnerable to the demands and pressures of society. Social media is a major contributor to the stress and anxiety young people are faced with. Trying to compete or even keep up with the superficial and pseudo lifestyle that social media portrays only amplifies the expectations and demands that young people face. It's like people are judging themselves based on the artificial needs of society, which has no real bearing on personal well-being. A pseudo lifestyle is not conducent to one's life; the unreasonable demands individuals place on themselves lead to stress. The profound aspects of individual needs must be prioritized first above everything else. It seems like society is in a constant race to keep up with the Joneses, whether it's an indulgence of materialistic needs that are not within your reach. When an individual can truly harness real meaningful happiness, everything else is just a mere facade. There is no need to place yourself in such a predicament under false expectations or satisfaction,  which is often short-lived. It is always best to prioritize one's needs, to reach the pinnacle of self-actualization. Your individual self-worth and self-efficacy demand that you are sincere to well-being and sanity; it is important not to let stress and anxiety impede that balance. Many of us are trying to cope with personal challenges, whether it be health, finances, employment, family,, or life itself. Stress and anxiety just make life a lot more difficult and complicated.

“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence." ― Eckhart Tolle

“Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot, and you’ll survive whatever is coming.” ― Robert Tew

“Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax.” ― Bryant McGill

“Nothing is permanent in this wicked world — not even our troubles.” — Charlie Chaplin

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

― Judy Blume

When I think about my personal struggles with chronic illness and disability, trying to live a superficial lifestyle becomes the least of my priorities. I have tried my very best every day to limit or keep stress and anxiety at bay. It is not easy; it can be challenging. Nonetheless, healthy coping mechanisms proved helpful for me. When you can reflect on what is more important in life, you gain insight into what matters most to you. I was fortunate to have been bestowed a second chance at life, and every day, I do my best to prevent stress and anxiety from taking control over me. We all cope differently; there are both healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. It is important to identify the healthy coping mechanisms that work best for you. It can be hobbies, volunteering, exercise, and meditation that can help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety. In some instances, a profound life-changing experience can lead to changing your life; you don't need to have a profound experience like mine to help gain insight. Sometimes, you just need to stop and reevaluate your current circumstances and ask yourself if you are ready to make a change. When you can do that, it will help gain insight into the needs you must prioritize. Giving in to unnecessary demands that you place on yourself only leads to stress and anxiety that complicates your life. It is important to have faith to believe in yourself and the initiative to take the first step.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” ― Mark Twain

“Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” ― Benjamin Franklin

“For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.” ― T.S. Eliot

“If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

— Maya Angelou