Search Results for: blog the physical effects of anxiety

8 Ways We Self-Medicate Anxiety

Everyone knows what it’s like to have anxious moments. In fact, our body’s natural stress response is an invaluable tool we need to respond appropriately in times of crisis or danger. But when it is a near-constant companion – fueled by everyday thoughts or situations that do not warrant a heightened stress response – anxiety can be harmful. In fact, it can hurt so much our minds and bodies become desperate for relief, any relief, as fleeting as it may be. Though there are healthy means of relieving anxiety, such as exercise, meditation and prayer, all too often we choose … Continue reading →

The Physical Effects of Anxiety

It may start in your head, but chronic anxiety – day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year – inevitably elicits some pretty profoundly negative responses from the rest of your body. So if you’re living with anxiety, as well as a painful or troublesome physical condition – particularly of the heart, lungs, stomach, muscles, skin, immune system, reproductive system, weight and/or head (as in headaches) – it’s time to make the connection. You may literally be making yourself sick with worry. As shared in my new book, Overcoming, Anxiety, Worry, and Fear: Practical Ways to … Continue reading →

Worry Time

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My line of work keeps me tuned in to anxiety. So does my home life. So when I come across information about anxiety I like to share. Let’s face it – even without a “formal” diagnosis of anxiety most of us experience it on some level at regular intervals. It only becomes a diagnosable condition when it negatively impacts functioning. Keeping it from becoming something that impacts your daily living can be work though. So today I saw an article about managing anxiety that jumped out at me. The article was about planning “worry time”. The basic concept is to … Continue reading →

Treatments Over Now What?

When you have finished your cancer treatment plan what do you do? Treatment plans vary person to person but there are things that are the same for everyone, there is always a start and a stop to the treatment. When you are done with the treatments the effects of the treatments and the cancer diagnosis just don’t stop. You will have decreased energy for quite a while. You will slowly start feeling back to normal but it does take a while. Do not think that you will wake up after the treatments are done and all of a sudden be … Continue reading →

The Baby Blues: When It Won’t Go Away

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Postpartum depression (PPD) affects roughly one in six women and can develop at any time in the first year after a baby is born and may persist for months if left untreated. The more common “baby blues” effects almost 80% of women and makes an appearance between day three and day ten of giving birth. The baby blues are caused by rapidly changing hormone levels in the mother, predominantly progesterone. Typical symptoms are weepiness, a sense of inexplicable sadness and a feeling of being overwhelmed by even the most trivial incident. By the end of a fortnight however, these symptoms … Continue reading →

Hormonal Swings and Depression

While the symptoms of PMS are very familiar to many women, those who have a history of anxiety and depression or who currently suffer from anxiety and depression may notice that the changing hormonal levels during the month bring about increased emotional problems. The week before menstruation is well-known by women and feared by men as being the most emotionally difficult week of the month. That makes for twelve to thirteen “difficult” weeks per year for women of childbearing age. However, the ebb and flow of hormones that bring about these changes can have quite a dramatic effect of the … Continue reading →

Exercise and Endorphin Release

Did you ever wonder why you feel so incredibly relieved after you have exercised? Sure, there is the feeling of being tired and a little out of breath, but there is also this feeling that you have had a burden lifted off your shoulders, a feeling of content and euphoria. A natural high. That is because that is exactly what it is. When you exercise endorphins, which are compounds that the pituitary gland and hypothalamus produce, are released in moments of exercise and excitable moments. They are even released during moments of injury and pain. They are the body’s natural … Continue reading →

Depression in the Elderly (1)

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Depression is not an uncommon illness across the most of the lifespan and the elderly are no exception. Sometimes elderly people visit their doctor with a series of ailments only to be told they are not physically ill, but are suffering from depression. So what are the symptoms of depression in the elderly? Mostly, they are much the same as those of any age group, yet because of the nature of some of the symptoms, elderly people may assume that something more serious, such as dementia, is causing the symptoms. Below is an outline of the symptoms of depression as … Continue reading →

Warning Signs for Depression in Seniors

The signs of depression in senior citizens can be subtle — especially if the person does not want to acknowledge that they have a problem. For today’s older adults, an admission of a mental problem like depression often meant a trip to an institution for care. That would make me reluctant to speak up, for sure. Knowing the warning signs of depression in seniors can help. Depression that comes late in life may not look like the depression seen in younger people. Watch for mood changes — especially in the wake of a major life change like moving, losing a … Continue reading →

Author Interview — Nancy Oelklaus

Today we are joined by Nancy Oelklaus, who has taken time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her new book. Thanks for being here, Nancy! Your book is entitled, “Journey from Head to Heart: Living and Working Authentically.” What does it mean, to live and work authentically? When one lives authentically in every area of life, professional and personal, life is simply easier. Situations get resolved with least effort and best results. What this way of life requires is that we become aware of how we’re feeling from moment to moment—that we keep “checking in” with … Continue reading →