| Vol 20, April |
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The Low-down on Stress, Anxiety, and Panic
Feature Editors:
Anita Lanzo, 17
Allyson Contreras, 14
Jennifer Resto, 14
Massachusetts
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by Andi Enns, MO |
Break Free from the Stress and Anxiety Trap
Do you feel like pulling your hair out the night before a big paper is due? Does your stomach tie up in knots before a big exam or test? Do you lay awake at night because you had an argument with your best friend? If so, you’re probably experiencing a lot of stress. And stress doesn’t just affect your mind, either; it can contribute to many health problems.
It can also lead to anxiety, which includes feelings of worry, dread, or fear that may stay with you after stressful situations. Panic attacks--sudden, overwhelming sensations of fear and nervousness--are one form of anxiety. Teen Voices is here to help you understand and try to decrease the stress and anxiety that many of us sometimes feel.
When Stress and Anxiety Take Control of Your Body
When you feel stress, your body goes into alert mode, producing extra hormones that can make your heart rate, breath, and metabolism speed up. Your pupils dilate so you can see better, and more blood flows to your muscles so they’re ready to act if they need to. This can be a good thing in small doses: it can help you react quickly in a moment of stress. But over a long period of time, stress can wear you down. Stress and feelings of anxiety can also contribute to problems like heart attacks, stroke, depression, migraines, eating disorders, substance abuse, and chronic aches and pains.
Signs of Stress or Anxiety
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Sweaty palms
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Feeling like you have too many things to do
- Wanting to be alone all the time
- Laughing or crying for no reason
What’s the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?
When we say things like “I’m so stressed about the test,” or “I’m really anxious about my doctor’s appointment,” we use the terms stress and anxiety interchangeably. Actually, such comments usually refer to stress: a physical and emotional response to a stressful situation that should go away when the situation is resolved. Too much stress can lead to anxiety which sometimes feels like it has no cause and never goes away.
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A little stress is a good thing because it helps you with difficult challenges. When you sit down for a test, for example, your body releases hormones that help you rise to the challenge. The stress response is also called the “fight or flight” response: the body reacts quickly so that a person can either fight possible danger or run away from it. The relaxation response, a technique for calming your body down and getting rid of stress, can help you deal with stressful situations (see Bust Your Stress for more on the relaxation response). However, many people experience chronic stress, which means that they feel so much stress for so long that the body is unable to relax. This can lead to anxiety. Laughter can help relieve stress: it’s been shown to boost your immune system, cleanse your lungs of stale air, and reduce stress hormones. What you eat can make a huge difference in how you feel. Eating nutritious foods that also taste good—like celery and peanut butter, wholegrain bread, or a banana—is a great way to help deal with stress. If you get too little sleep, it’s going to be harder to cope with your problems, and it’s more likely that you’ll get sick. Even a short catnap can help when you feel exhausted and overwhelmed.
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