This time of year can be especially stressful. With running around going to all of the holiday events, planning your own events, buying presents, family coming to town, or you going out of town, there is a lot to do. Having lots of tasks and worrying about the season being as perfect as it can be can bring overwhelming amounts of stress. So, it can be helpful for people who are living with stress and anxiety to understand what to do when they’re feeling this way. Fortunately, there are a few ways to deal with stress in everyday life and during the holidays that are helpful in reducing stress and providing relief.
While the holiday season can mean more stress for anyone, dealing with high levels of stress even if it’s not the holiday season may be a sign of something more serious like an anxiety disorder. Characteristics of anxiety disorders include dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety even if there isn’t any cause or reason for stress. For people living with these types of mental health issues, it is crucial to find ways to manage stress levels as they can debilitate daily life.
Some ways to practice stress management in your daily life can include:
While it can be challenging to implement new things into your daily life, when they become a part of your routine, you can begin to understand how crucial they are to moving forward and managing stress. Additionally, it is important to identify how you’re feeling, even though it requires you to focus on your stress. This can help you to accept your thoughts and emotions so that you can identify what triggers them. And, also identify what works to overcome these emotions at the moment.
If you feel like you’re consistently dealing with high levels of stress even when it’s not during the holiday season, this may be a sign that you’re living with an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, along with utilizing stress management techniques like the ones listed above, professional help through treatment can help.
Some of the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders can look like:
While using stress-relieving techniques on a daily basis can help to reduce stress, for people with anxiety disorders, this may not be enough. Treatment offers services like individualized therapy, group therapy, and prescription medications that are effective in helping people living with anxiety disorders manage stress and anxiety. Yellowbrick offers these services on an outpatient basis for young people. Find out more about our services from our website.
Yellowbrick collaborates with adolescents and emerging adults, ages 16-30's, their families and participating professionals toward the development and implementation of a strategic “Life Plan.” An integrative, multi-specialty consultation clarifies strengths, limitations, and risks, and defines motivations, goals and choices.
A mental health condition that’s characterized by intense shifts in mood including both manic and depressive episodes.
People living with Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD, experience episodes of depression and sadness that are debilitating to daily life.
Those living with anxiety disorders experience high levels of anxiety and stress that interfere negatively with daily life.
A mental health issue in which a person’s cognitive function is impaired, resulting in symptoms like experiencing challenges with conducting speech, reading and writing, and behavior.
Mental health disorders that negatively affect a person’s behaviors, thought patterns, and function. People diagnosed with these disorders experience challenges with managing relationships and understanding various situations.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that people can develop as a result of experiencing traumatic situations, characterized by symptoms including flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, and more.
A mental health condition that is characterized by specific symptoms of forgetfulness and lack of concentration, which makes it challenging to complete necessary tasks.
Mental health conditions that interfere with a person’s eating habits, thought patterns, and behaviors in negative ways.
A mental health disorder diagnosable with the DSM-5 that is characterized by both obsessions and compulsive behaviors.