Stress management by Sanchomee Herboveda

In our day to day lives, we tend to face stress, anxiety and depression from the kind of work or situations we are indulged into. Stress is a natural feeling of not being able to cope up with specific life demands and events. It can be physical, emotional or psychological strain. Stress can become a chronic condition if a person does not take adequate steps to manage it.

Secondly, anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress, which is helpful at times and makes a person more alert and ready for action. It’s a feeling of fear, terror, nervousness and uneasiness that typically occurs in the absence of an imminent treat. It causes a person to sweat, feel restless and have a rapid heartbeat.

Thirdly, depression is a major depressive disorder. It’s a mood disorder that makes a person feel constantly sad or have lack of interest in life. It negatively affects how one feels, he/she thinks and how one acts. It leads to a variety of emotional and physical problems which decreases the ability to function at work or at home.

Causes of Stress, Anxiety and Depression

A) Stress

Stress causes are different for everyone. All have a negative impact:

• Being bullied
• Losing a job
• Completing work before deadline
• Marriage or relationship problems
• Death in the family
• Family problems
• Recent moved to a new city or country.

B) Anxiety

The causes of anxiety might occur at once, some may or may not lead to an anxiety disorder. Possible causes include:

• Environmental stressors: difficulties at work, relationship problems, or family issues
• Genetics factors pass the traits to one another.
• Medical reasons: symptoms of a different disease, the effects of a medication, or the stress of an intensive surgery or prolonged recovery.
• Personality factors: people of different personality deal with anxiety differently.
• Substance use: Consumption of alcohol and drugs lead to anxiety.

C) Depression

There are several possible causes of depression. They can range from biological to circumstantial.

Common causes include:

• Brain chemistry : Some chemical imbalance in our brain can affects a person’s mood, thoughts, sleep, appetite, and behavior which causes depression.
• Hormonal imbalance: Fluctuations of female hormones in her life may raise risk for depression.
• Family history : If depressions runs in the family, then risk increases.
• Early childhood trauma : Some past events/experiences affects the child to be prone to depression.
• Medical conditions : Certain conditions like chronic illness, insomnia, chronic pain, strokes, heart attack, and cancer can lead to depression.

Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety and Depression

A) Stress

Stress can be short-term or long-term and have long-lasting health effects

Some common signs of stress include:

• Changes in mood
• Sweaty palms
• Decreased sex drive
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive problems
• Headaches
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders

B) Anxiety

Anxiety symptoms vary from person to person. Common symptoms include;

• Nervousness, restlessness, or being tensed
• Rapid heart rate and breathing
• Increased or heavy sweating
• Weakness and lethargy
• Insomnia
• Digestive problems

C) Depression

Depression can affect our emotions, mind and body. Common symptoms include:

• Feeling very sad, hopeless or worried.
• Not enjoying things that used to give joy.
• Being easily irritated or frustrated.
• Eating too much or too little.
• Changes in sleep pattern.
• Difficulty in concentrating and remembering things.
• Headaches, stomach-ache or sexual dysfunction.
• Thinking about hurting or killing oneself.

Though stress, anxiety and depression are complex issues and does require medical treatment before it starts creating issues with our lives. The symptoms of all the three issues can be delt by simply taking care of yourself and following a healthy lifestyle. Getting good quality sleep, consuming healthy food, avoiding negative people and participating in enjoyable activities flushes out the negative vibes and incorporate positive vibes in our body, mind and life. Plus adding a small amount of dietary supplement in our schedule will create some positive effects on the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Two such Health supplements are ‘Ashwagandha and Tulsi Capsules’, which are designed to control effects of stress, anxiety and depression. The capsules have the ability to bring an enhanced feeling of overall wellness and boost overall positivity of the mind, soul and body.