Living in today’s demanding and high paced world, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy attitude. Stress is a common response to many everyday experiences. In fact, it has been encoded into our bodies since prehistoric times; we would use anxiety as a defense mechanism to prepare our bodies to fight or flee from an attacker, known as the fight or flight response. Hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released and our heart starts pumping more blood into our arteries sending our mind and body into overdrive. However, when we were living in caves, our attackers were more likely to be saber-toothed tigers rather than deadlines at work. Whereas in the past, we would expend our energy by fighting or running away, our sedentary lives have made us internalize our stressors.
Once this response has been initiated, the cortisol can remain in our system for days afterward leading to negative consequences such as plaque buildup. Moreover, cortisol can actually cross the blood-brain barrier and affect our mood. Therefore, if your stress intensifies or becomes a cause of significant distress or impairment, it may be time to seek professional help. The following symptoms include, but are not limited to, some of the most typical symptoms of anxiety:
• Restlessness or feeling keyed or on edge
• Being easily fatigued
• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
• Irritability
• Muscle tension
• Sleep disturbances
• Headaches
So here we are, drowning in a financial downturn, trying to stay afloat with our fight or flight responses going haywire. Whether you’re one of the many experiencing a loss of a job, home, or even medical insurance and not sure how to cope or if you are experiencing any anxiety related symptoms, please give us a call to schedule a free anxiety screening. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Counseling Center in Westwood offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy at a sliding scale. Our goal is to reach out to anyone who would like to learn coping skills for the many stressors life in 2010 presents.
You are not alone! Come and share your thoughts in our Stress Reduction Group
The Chicago School Counseling Center offers an essential stress reduction group designed to help keep you grounded and calm during even the most stressful times.
Through mindfulness and relaxation techniques, this group helps to reduce stress and anxiety. It is designed to help keep you grounded and calm during in everyday life and in times of stress. Please call: 310-203-1422
For more information visit: www.counseling.tcscenters.org
