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“Everyone experiences a version of anxiety or worry in their lives, and maybe we go through it in a different or more intense way for longer periods of time, but there’s nothing wrong with you.” - Emma Stone
The link below directs you to the presentation used for the “Handling Stress and Anxiety” workshop that took place on July 26th, 2022. The workshop went over the differences between stress and anxiety, the importance of self-care, and the different self-care activities you can do. For a more detailed transcript of the presentation, continue scrolling down.
Stress is typically a physical or mental response to an external cause such as a tight deadline for work, an upcoming exam, or having an argument with a friend. The response can either positive or negative, and the feelings tend to disappear when the situation is resolved. Positive stress can serve as motivation to work and helps us stay alert. Negative stress, however, can lead to burnout overtime and trigger the “fight or flight” response. This effect is due to the release of the stressor chemical, cortisol, that prompts your body to work to stay alive in what you have perceived as a dangerous situation.
On the other hand, anxiety is a reaction to an internal cause, usually worries and fears of possible threats. Stress and anxiety go hand in hand together as the most common cause of anxiety is stress. Furthermore, anxiety is a persistent feeling of apprehension and dread. The feeling remains even if there is no immediate threat or if the stressor is removed. For this reason, it is essential to take note of anxiety symptoms early to prevent development of an anxiety disorder.
Both stress and anxiety have negative effects that affect your mind and body. Common symptoms of both include:
If stress and anxiety have interfered with important parts of your life or if the feelings are overwhelming, please seek help from a mental health professional.
Practicing self-care is a great way to handle the struggles caused by stress and anxiety. By definition, self-care is any activity we actively choose to do to take care of our physical, mental and emotional well-being. In order for an activity to be considered self-care, you must be deliberately choosing to engage in it. This means prioritizing your needs and choosing to do activities that make you feel good. Furthermore, self-care has a trickle down effect because when more of your needs are met, you are happier and healthier.