This document discusses anxiety, stress, and self-care. It defines anxiety as a normal feeling that helps us avoid danger but can range from mild unease to panic attacks. Stress is the body's reaction to changes, whether real or imagined. Both anxiety and stress cause physical symptoms like tension, fatigue, and headaches as well as mental/emotional symptoms such as worry, irritability, and depression. The document recommends self-care, such as reenergizing in healthy ways, as a necessity to manage stress and anxiety.

1. Anxiety and Stress

2. What is anxiety?
• It is a normal feeling that everybody experiences
• It is a natural response to help us avoid dangerous
situation
• It motivates us to solve everyday problems
• It can occur in a variety of circumstances
• Varies in severity and can range from mild
uneasiness to a panic attack
• CMHA; 2013

3. Symptoms of anxiety
• Fear
• Inappropriate worry
• Decreased attention and concentration
• Environment feels unreal and unfamiliar
• Easily distracted, irritability
• Muscle ache and tension
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Short of breath
• Chest pain
• CMHA:2013

4. What is stress?
• Stress is the way we respond to
change in our lives
• The way our bodies react
• Stress does not necessarily have to
be caused by something negative
• Even imagined change can cause
stress

5. What is stress?
• It gives us energy to try harder and keeps us alert
• Stress actually begins in our brains and it is
expressed in our body
• Once we perceive a stress our body sends out
chemical messengers in the form of stress hormones
to help our bodies handle it

6. Physical Symptoms of stress
• Tension
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Muscle aches
• Appetite change
• Headaches
• Restlessness
• Butterflies in the
stomach
• Back pain
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Decreased immunity
• Sweaty hands
• Vomiting
• Dryness of throat
and mouth
• Isha, Richardson, Moore & Gambrel
(2010)

7. Mental/Emotional Symptoms
• Forgetfulness
• Confusion
• Poor concentration
• Lethargy
• Negativity
• Busy mind
• Worrying
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anger
• Feeling insecure
• Burnout
• Anxiety
• Isha, Richardson, Moore &
Gambrel (2010)

8. Social/Behavioral Symptoms
• Lashing out
• Lack of intimacy
• Isolation
• Intolerance
• Loneliness
• Avoiding social
situations
• Over or under eating
• Increased smoking or
drinking
• Crying spells
• Relationship conflicts
• Stuttering
• Isha, Richardson,
Moore & Gambrel
(2010)

9. Self Care Guidelines
• Self-care is the ability to reenergize in a
healthy way
• Self-care should not be thought of as a
luxury but a necessity!
• Isha, Richardson, Moore & Gambrel (2010)