STOP Anxiety: 3 Simple Steps

Anxiety the Good, the Bad and the UGLY

Anxiety can be a normal part of life. In the short term, stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can be helpful. For example, you may have felt anxiety before a deadline or in a job interview. Anxiety can help you overcome fears and obstacles by increasing your heart rate, focus, and concentration. These stress hormones are designed to be in the body for a short time to keep us safe, not to persist long-term.

However, when anxiety becomes too intense or lasts too long, persistent exposure to these stress hormones can have devastating effects on our physical and mental health.

Anxiety: The Bad

Persistent anxiety can lead to several negative effects on the body:

• Sense of doom and difficulty concentrating
• Panic attacks
• Depression, including feelings of helplessness, loss of interest, and social withdrawal
• Headaches due to constant worry
• Irritability
• Pounding heart and rapid, shallow breathing
• Loss of libido
• Upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea
• Extreme fatigue and sleep issues

Anxiety: The Ugly

Chronic exposure to stress hormones can worsen symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and depression, and lead to serious health problems affecting immunity, heart, and digestive systems.

High and prolonged levels of stress hormones reduce our immunity and ability to heal. It’s crucial to maintain relaxation and calmness to increase feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine, enhancing the body’s healing power.

Chronic anxiety can also lead to heart issues, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and IBS, placing significant stress on our heart and digestive systems.

Three Steps to Find Relief from Anxiety

Here are three steps to combat the negative effects of anxiety:

Step 1: Develop Body Awareness

Developing body awareness involves learning to recognize when our body is under stress. This may require practicing meditation or mindfulness to understand what relaxation feels like amidst stress symptoms. Recognizing stress signals allows us to take timely action.

Step 2: Take Deep, Slow Breaths

When anxiety strikes, immediately take slow, deep core breaths. Repeat as needed. This simple practice can provide instant relief from anxiety symptoms, preparing the mind and body for further steps. Why? Because our subconscious mind believes that it is impossible to be in a state of fear while breathing into your core. The simple act of breathing into your core, TRICKS mind and body that you are calm. You are literally taking back control of your life!

Step 3: Address the Source of Anxiety

Depending on the type of anxiety, consider walking away to a safe, calm space, taking a walk for clarity, or talking out the stress. Face the source of anxiety by asking questions like: What is causing this anxiety? What aspects can I control? Facing fears often diminishes anxiety.

Practice these steps and observe how they work for you. 

For more tips, check out my other blog:

“Five Steps to Stop the ‘What Ifs’”

“I’m passionate about helping people take control of their stress and anxiety. If you’re ready to explore how powerful hypnotherapy can be in overcoming these challenges—or any others—schedule your free 20-minute consultation using my online calendar. It’s the perfect way to discover if hypnotherapy is the right choice for you!”

https://tidycal.com/hypnosisbyart/15-minute-consultation-call