4 facts about understanding and resolving anxiety through holistic stress management

Not all “stress” is the same. Stress can be a healthy motivator, a concept known as eustress. When stress is not properly managed and becomes a dominant and negative force in your life, it is more appropriately known as distress. And it can absolutely take a toll on your whole health – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. We see it every day. One of the more common effects of poorly-controlled stress is anxiety. The Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine takes a holistic approach to stress management to help our neighbors from across New Canaan, greater Fairfield, and Westchester counties take back control over their lives from anxiety, which we understand and address in the following four ways.

1. Anxiety, defined

First things first, it is normal to be anxious sometimes. However, when you have an anxiety disorder, you may experience intense and persistent fears and worries about everyday situations that can be debilitating. It is also not uncommon for these intense anxieties and fears to peak in episodes known as panic attacks. Those with anxiety disorders may have fears that are out of proportion with the actual threat or danger, which can lead them to avoid certain places or situations out of extreme fear.

2. The stress connection

Poorly-managed stress is associated with anxiety as a particular event, life change, or set of circumstances can build up or snowball when they are not controlled proactively. These stressors might include a sudden death, whereby the loss and grief are not processed, or the persistent stress that builds and peaks associated with a job loss, job change, or other financial insecurities. Additionally, risk factors for anxiety disorders include a lack of stress management following the diagnosis of an illness. So, serious illnesses and medical conditions can cause significant stress about issues such as paying for the cost of treatment or uncertainties regarding your future. These stresses make you more vulnerable to intense, persistent, and excessive anxiety.

3. The physical connection

When you resolve underlying stressors and the source of the anxiety with holistic and personalized treatment, you may also resolve the array of physical effects associated with distress and unresolved fears. Some of the more common physical effects and complications that we see include:

• Stomach upset.
• Digestive problems.
• Headaches.
• Muscle tension.
• Chronic and unexplained pain.
• Insomnia, poor quality sleep.
• Sickness brought about by a weakened immune system.

4. Mind-body medicine

Similarly, our therapies and interventions account for the fact that our bodies are always trying to keep us safe. The physical symptoms and complications mentioned above are your body’s way of sounding the alarm that it is in pain and needs help. Following an evaluation, we may select from a wide range of natural, traditional, modern, and integrative therapies to target and resolve the source of your stress/anxiety. These solutions may include everything from acupuncture that aids in settling the nervous system, to biofeedback and neurofeedback that support the healthy processing of events or past traumas. Your personal “biography” is, like history, not really in the past. Difficult life events can leave a lasting mark on our present. Our goal is to help ensure they do not negatively influence your future.

You deserve to feel your best in mind, body, and spirit. If you are interested in more information about holistic stress management, request an appointment today! The Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine, serving New Canaan, CT, and greater Fairfield and Westchester counties from our office in Stamford, can be reached at (866) 320-6402.

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