There is no shortage of anxiety and mental stress these days. There is also no shortage of advice (often unsolicited) for dealing with anxiety and mental stress. Many folks mean well but sometimes you can end up not feeling validated.
If this sounds familiar, it might be time to get down to basics.
When it comes to tried and true approaches to distress, there is nothing more crucial or more effective than mindfulness. So, let’s take a look at how the practice can play a key role in mental and emotional relief.
Anxiety and Stress are a Fact of Life
Everyone experiences worry and distress. The way we respond varies widely and to varying degrees. What stresses you out may be unique to you. But even so, stress of any type can severely impact your life if you don’t know how to process it well. Unchecked, stress can even lead to physical symptoms, e.g. aches and pains, digestive issues, and reduced immune function.
Anxiety, too, may be diagnosed as a disorder that is related to stress. Generally speaking, chronic anxiety is an internal reaction to the external reality of stress (or perceived stress). Anxiety conditions fall into several different categories. These include:
Phobias
Generalized anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Panic disorder
Social anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What is Mindfulness?
Essentially, mindfulness is the act of consciously paying attention with intention and without judgment.
It is a practice aimed at staying in the present moment and increasing one’s awareness. Mindfulness helps connect individuals to the here and now by maintaining moment-by-moment focus. As you become more proficient, awareness of your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and your environment becomes keener.
Generally, you might use meditation, breathing exercises, or focus your intention on inhabiting each moment. You might use a combination of all three. No matter your approach, mindfulness can increase gratitude and happiness as you learn to focus less on the worries or stressors that weigh you down.
How Mindfulness Can Relieve Anxiety and Mental Stress
Increased Clarity of Thought
Mindfulness also helps you differentiate between anxious, intrusive thinking and logical, solvable concerns. Purposefully slowing down to examine your interactions and reactions can help usher in more productive and reasonable perspectives. You’ll find over time that mindfulness effectively quiets the mind and tempers distractibility.
Reduction of Anxiety Symptoms
Studies have found that a commitment to mindfulness practice often results in a decrease in anxiety symptoms. By choosing to pause and examine your thoughts, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by them or the emotions they inspire.
Exploration, rather than avoidance of your anxious feelings, can give them less power. Mindfulness brings relief as you realize it’s possible to consciously slow down and accept life as it is without suffering so much upset.
Awareness of What Is and Isn’t Under Your Control
Dwelling in the present moment is a major gift. Allowing yourself to release regrets of the past and fear of the future, helps you identify what you can control.
Even current stressors are put into perspective as you mindfully allow space for discomfort. Soon, you start to realize that matters beyond your influence, are not helped by persistent worry. In fact, once you accept how little you can control, you may actually feel liberated.
Technology is Put in Its Place
No matter how you choose to practice mindfulness, that time will not be spent scrolling and staring at a screen. In our post-pandemic world, our phones and laptops are often very necessary. Yet, our screens also have a way of fueling anxiety and mental stress if we don’t step away to check in with ourselves.
Too often, we succumb to our online habits. Indiscriminately, we scroll from one web page to another on mental auto-pilot. Practicing mindfulness on a routine basis interrupts the constant flow of electronic input. It reawakens your mind and reconnects you to your own thoughts and environment.
Can You Learn Mindfulness?
In short, yes. Mindfulness is a skill. Thus, it is best learned with patience and guidance.
Therapy is an ideal choice for developing the ability to trust and stay with feelings of discomfort and distress. As you learn to observe yourself or your circumstances, your counselor will be available to hear you and support your new way forward.
If you’re ready to make some changes in the way you’re experiencing and responding to your life, please read more about anxiety treatment. I’ll be available for a consultation when you’re ready.