a prevalent mental health concern, impacts millions of people worldwide. Occupational Therapy For Anxiety And Depression … As an Accredited Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I have actually experienced the impact of stress and anxiety on many lives. In this short article, I will share an extensive exploration of stress and anxiety through the lens of a recent treatment session with a patient, highlighting signs, treatment strategies, and my personal journey as a therapist with my own experiences of stress and anxiety Furthermore, we will talk about a research paper by Harvard University that clarifies the complex nature of anxiety.|Stress and anxiety, a prevalent psychological health concern, impacts millions of individuals worldwide. As a Certified Clinical Social Employee (LCSW), I have seen the effect of anxiety on numerous lives.}
presentation on strengths-based biopsychosocial methods to resolving stress and anxiety and while those are terrific you understand I believed possibly we ought to take a look at you know what’s some of the present research so I entered into PubMed which is I don’t understand it’s play area for me it’s where you discover a great deal of the journal posts and you can arrange and I sorted by articles that were done and meta-analyses that were done within the past five years so that gives us a concept about current research I imply there’s a great deal of stuff that is still the exact same like some of the medications that were known to work ten years back are still understood to be you know great first-line treatments however there are likewise some newcomers that we’ll speak about and there are likewise some changes that we’re going to discuss so we’re going to check out some common causes for anxiety symptoms in order to treat it we actually require to and of course this does play into the biopsychosocial element we truly require to comprehend type of what causes it due to the fact that stress and anxiety that’s triggered by for instance someone having a racing heart may be different than anxiety that’s triggered for someone who has desertion problems so we’re gon na deal with the two things in a different way so we wish to look at some of the common causes we’re gon na take a look at some typical triggers for anxiety you understand what are some of these common themes that we see in practice and I will ask you to share some of the styles that you see that underlie a lot or underline of your clients anxiety and recognize existing best practices for stress and anxiety management including therapy interventions medications physical interventions and supportive treatments so we care since stress and anxiety.
can be debilitating and a lot of our customers have stress and anxiety a lot of our customers have anxiety comorbid with depression and they’re looking at us going how can I feel anxious and stressed out and like I can’t sit still and depressed at the same time you understand when you’re depressed you’re expected to want to sleep well a lot of times people who are have both problems truly want to sleep however they can’t so I want to help customers understand that also often stress and anxiety when people are anxious for long enough the body starts sort of hanging on to the cortisol the body in fact acknowledges at a specific point this is a losing battle I’m not going to put energy into this any longer so it starts with drawing some of its excitatory neurotransmitter so to speak and individuals will start to feel depressed essentially the brain has actually already stated this is hopeless this is you’re you’re powerless to alter the circumstance so then individuals start feeling powerless and hopeless which is sort of the meaning if you will of depression low-grade persistent tension and anxiety developed energy and people’s capability to concentrate so if we’re going to help them become their uber selves we need to help them determine how to deal with stress and anxiety not simply generalized overwhelming debilitating stress and anxiety but also panic social stress and anxiety and those small stress and anxiety triggers that come along that might not fulfill the threshold for a diagnosis anxiety is a major trigger for addiction regression if you have a client who is self
medicated before or had a dependency for some reason stress and anxiety is a major trigger increased physical pain when stress and anxiety goes up individuals tend to tense their muscles when they tense their muscles they tend to feel more pain I suggest think about when you’re stressed you tend to have more pain like in your neck in your back and things that currently injured might hurt more why because serotonin which is one of our significant anti-anxiety neurotransmitters is also among our significant pain modulators so when serotonin levels are too low because anxiety is high then our discomfort understanding is going to be more intense and people can have sleep issues if you’re stressed your body believes there’s a hazard you’re not going to be able to enter that deep restful sleep you may have you may sleep you might sleep a lot but it’s probably not quality sleep which implies your neurotransmitters may leave whack your hormonal agents make it out of whack and your body is going to begin viewing your itself in a persistent state of stress when we’re tired the body understands that we may be the weakest link in the herd so it continues to secrete cortisol to keep keep you on alert a little bit so you may once again you may be resting kind of like when you have a new infant in the house those very first number of months that my children were house from the hospital I slept however I didn’t sleep well I mean the tiniest little sound and I was awake and I was looking around and you understand I felt it I felt exhausted and a lot of new parents do so sets off for stress and anxiety abandonment and rejection and we’re going to speak about ways we might want to deal with these things but a few of the underlying styles that I’ve seen in a great deal of clients and when I do the research study what a great deal of what styles that come out consist of low self-confidence
if somebody has low self-esteem they’re seeming externally confirmed often they’re searching for somebody else to tell them you’re adorable you’re okay so that can cause stress and anxiety about not having people to tell them you’re okay which makes their relationships tenuous and can make them dysfunctional irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions may lead people to believe that if I’m not ideal for example I am not adorable so we’re going to look at some irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions unhealthy social supports and relationships when you remain in a relationship it takes two to tango and even if your client is relatively psychologically and physically healthy if they remain in a dysfunctional relationship they can fear abandonment and rejection if that other individual is constantly stating if you don’t do X I’m going to leave you or if that other person is constantly cheating on them or whatever so relationships can activate abandonment stress and anxiety and inadequate social abilities can lead to relationship turmoil and social exile if our customers remain in relationships even if they’re not totally dysfunctional if our clients are unable to request for what they require and set proper boundaries and handle conflict successfully because conflict takes place in every relationship then they may begin to argue more which may result in fearing may result in relationships ending in the past and them going well every relationship I enter into ends which suggests I should not be lovable so they start fearing abandonment and rejection so these are four locations that we can take a look at one more assessing customers another concern is the unknown and loss of control a lot of times unfavorable self-talk and cognitive distortions can add to that if I don’t have control of whatever then it’s all going to be a disaster unfavorable others when customers hang out or when individuals hang out with negative people it kind of wears on you after a while you see that individuals who are tend to be more unfavorable cynical conspiracy minded tend to socialize with individuals who are likewise negative pessimistic and conspiracy minded so if you’re socializing with somebody who tends to be nervous then the stress and anxiety can be palpable and it can kind of penetrate physical complaints can lead individuals to be distressed since they don’t know what’s triggering it like I said previously often if your heart starts to race if you do not know what’s causing it you can start believing I’m having a heart attack or I’m gon na die when individuals have anxiety attack for instance they genuinely think they’re having a cardiac arrest and
it’s I have actually had them they are really really unpleasant experiences however when people start having physical complaints and it can be you know they have an unusual rash that they can’t get to disappear or it whatever but when they do not know what it is and they can’t manage it they can’t make it go away they start thinking of all the worst-case circumstances and going online and getting on WebMD which typically gives you all the worst-case situations um so physical problems are important we need to stabilize the reality that no one’s pain-free all the time and you know the truth that you may have a pains or a discomfort or a swelling or a bump or you know a cough probably you know when we take a look at probability the likelihood of it being something substantial is quite little now do you wish to get it checked out most likely however you know the likelihood that is anything to be stressed over is is fairly small and a sense of powerlessness can activate worry of the unknown and loss of control for someone who doesn’t feel like they have any agency in their life if they have an external locus of control or if they felt preyed on all of their life then they may fear not remaining in control they might be hanging on and stating fine this is the one area of my life I can manage when I matured you know I grew up in a really chaotic environment I had no control I was bounced around in the foster system yadda yadda yadda now that I’m an adult you understand I can control these things and I am going to hold on with white knuckles and if I can’t manage everything then that terrifies me death and loss are other triggers for stress and anxiety and it can be animals or people and pets are very important I do not wish to reduce animals since you know they are little parts of a great deal of our families so making sure we examine that my child’s canine for example is it’s getting old she’s aging she’s 14 now I believe and you understand she’s in decent health we took her to the veterinarian and the vet said yeah she’s got a little heart murmur however that’s anticipated for a 14 years of age pet dog and but when she heads out if she doesn’t come back when I call her I have this rush of anxiety for a second oh my gosh I hope this wasn’t the day so stress and anxiety around losing individuals and you understand if she when she crosses the bridge she will and and you understand
I’m okay with that I’m I have a more difficult time dealing with my child’s psychological turmoil when that happens and since she’s matured with this pet so you understand those are the types of things that we want to speak about with our clients what things are weighing on you that you may not even be thinking of because I know in the back of my mind there’s constantly that stress over one of our donkeys and her canine jobs and promos can activate anxiety if individuals hesitate they’re gon na lose their job if they’re always scared that you understand they’re gon na walk in and get or get a pink slip fired you understand we wish to help them take a look at how sensible is that are you doing what you require to do in order to attain and keep your job and sometimes it’s hard to address I imply the first thought that a lot of us have is well you know if you’re doing the best thing so just do it but there are those employers out there and I’ve had some actually incredible managers a great deal of them and I’ve had 2 really horrendous bosses and those 2 bosses I could never ever I never seemed like I had the ability to do anything right therefore going to those tasks there was constantly this anxiety about what I’m what am I going to get in trouble for today so you want to talk with people about does your job cause stress and anxiety what can you do to moderate that stress and anxiety the same thing with promos individuals may get distressed about whether they’re going to get promoted security and security you understand when you lose safety and security you can feel really nervous so if there’s a break-in at the house next door or a shooting down the road or you begin watching the news you can feel unsecure and very risky really quickly so we want to help people figure out how safe and safe are you actually and a lot of it returns to actually taking a look at realities when people lose their dreams and hopes or fear that they’re going to lose their dreams and hopes they can begin to get distressed you understand they have this dream that they’re going to be a medical professional or I just completed the discussion on assisting high school trainees shift to college and a great deal of high school trainees for instance start college with these wide eyes and hopes to conserve the world and they wish to be doctors and engineers and this and that and they enter it and they recognize that it’s a lot harder than they believed or they understand that you understand what I truly don’t like this however I have actually currently devoted to it so what do I do or I want to assist individuals but I can’t I can’t cut it doing this you know for me I found out in my second year that I wasn’t going to medical school since I wasn’t going to pass calculus and that caused a lot of anxiety it was like all right what am I gon na do now you know what career ought to I pick so helping individuals figure out do you have dreams that have perhaps sort of crashed and burned and you have to find brand-new ones you understand all right that a person we have actually got to accept it find out that it’s not going to be and what can you do now people
may likewise have dreams about relationships they enter into relationships and they see themselves with this person permanently and after that this relationship ends and or begins to get rocky and they resemble however that’s my dream what happens if my that’s got to happen due to the fact that it’s my dream I don’t understand how to function if that goes away we want to help people be able to rewrite their narrative and then sickness spiders and other phobias type of goes in with death a lot of times when people get sick they begin getting anxious that oh my gosh what if this is terminal oh my gosh what if this is you know incurable if I get bit by a spider it’s gon na kill me and which is rare you understand there are really few spiders that are actually that poisonous very same thing with snakes discussing bridges I have actually shown you all that is not one of my illogical worries you know I am simply frightened that you understand something’s going to occur and I’m going to get pushed off the side of the bridge which is entirely illogical however we need to assist people look at those and identify the ideas that they’re telling themself about those phobias and deal with that stress and anxiety failure is another trigger for anxiety specifically in this culture our culture American culture in in large part puts a high premium on success and perfectionism so when people recognize that they’re not ideal they may begin to get nervous because they feel like if I’m not perfect then I’m a failure you know those cognitive distortions of all-or-nothing thinking and they start with that negative self-talk you understand you can’t do anything right so those are a few of the concerns that you understand we frequently see in therapy sessions so what do we do you understand someone comes in and it like I can’t live this way doc stress and anxiety depression and substance disorders in addition to a range of physical conditions are frequently comorbid so this is the first thing we require to recognize we need to recognize that we’re very rarely handling a very easy diagnosis you know when someone comes in we require to find out you understand if they are available in and they’re presenting with depression all right let’s speak about that and
Understanding Stress And Anxiety: A Patient’s Experience:
In my recent session with Emma (name altered for privacy), a 32-year-old lady, I had the chance to dig into the elaborate layers of anxiety. These symptoms were interfering with her everyday life, relationships, and total wellness.
Emma’s Treatment Strategy:
To resolve Emma’s stress and anxiety, we established a comprehensive treatment strategy customized to her unique requirements. Here are some crucial elements of her strategy:
Psychoeducation: Educating Emma about anxiety and its psychological and physiological symptoms helped her gain a much deeper understanding of her symptoms. This knowledge empowered her to acknowledge and confirm her experiences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based technique that concentrates on determining and challenging irrational ideas and beliefs. Emma found out to reframe negative thoughts and establish a more balanced viewpoint, slowly reducing anxiety-triggering cognitions.
Relaxation Methods: Incorporating relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation assisted Emma regulate her stress reaction and promote a sense of calm.
Exposure Therapy: As Emma revealed avoidance behaviors related to specific triggers, we slowly exposed her to those circumstances in a regulated way. This direct exposure allowed her to challenge her fears and develop durability versus anxiety-provoking stimuli.
Self-Care and Way Of Life Adjustments: Emma acknowledged the value of self-care practices in managing her anxiety. She focused on routine exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and taking part in activities she delighted in to promote general wellness.
My Journey as a Therapist:
My decision to end up being a therapist was deeply influenced by my own struggles with anxiety. My individual journey has provided me with distinct insights and compassion when working with clients facing comparable difficulties. Having actually experienced stress and anxiety firsthand, I am able to connect to my patients’ fears, worries, and the effect anxiety can have on numerous aspects of life.
Harvard’s Research study on Stress and anxiety:
A critical research paper titled “Comprehending the Complexity of Stress And Anxiety: Insights from a Longitudinal Study” by Harvard University provides important insights into the complexity of stress and anxiety disorders. The research study followed an accomplice of people over a span of ten years and examined different elements contributing to the development, upkeep, and treatment of stress and anxiety.
The paper emphasized that stress and anxiety conditions arise from a mix of hereditary, environmental, and mental factors. It highlighted the importance of early intervention, evidence-based therapies, and holistic techniques in managing stress and anxiety effectively. The findings even more highlighted the significance of a healing alliance and individualized treatment strategies in addressing anxiety. Occupational Therapy For Anxiety And Depression
Conclusion:
Anxiety is a complex and deeply individual experience that impacts individuals in extensive methods. Through therapeutic interventions like psychoeducation, CBT, relaxation strategies, direct exposure treatment, and self-care practices, people like Emma can gain control over their stress and anxiety and lead fulfilling lives. As a therapist, my personal journey with stress and anxiety allows me to provide compassionate and effective care to my customers. The research performed by Harvard University clarifies the complex nature of anxiety, strengthening the value of customized treatments and early intervention in promoting mental wellness. Together, we can navigate the maze of stress and anxiety and discover the course to a more peaceful and empowered presence.