Even though many people tend to use the terms "stress" and "anxiety" interchangeably, they are in fact two distinct conditions. Stress is a reaction to a stimulus, either internal or external. You may feel stress because you are frustrated with something (like waiting in line behind a slow person) or when you worry that you will not meet expectations (such as missing a deadline).

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a sense of nervousness and fear or even dread. It can be caused by negative thoughts and expectations, or as a reaction to stress. You may feel anxious virtually all of the time and not understand why, or your worry may be a reaction to something you are nervous about, like an upcoming business trip. 

Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain may cause generalized anxiety. Some studies indicate that anxiety can be brought on by genetics. In addition, anxiety can stem from environmental conditions, as when the child of a parent who is often anxious learns to be an anxious person by observing the parent. But very often the core cause of anxiety is simply the thoughts in a person's mind!

Anxiety and stress are subjective conditions. Different people may feel stressed about different situations, and different people may respond to their anxiousness in extremely different ways. Symptoms of anxiety can range from the mild, such as tense muscles and sweaty hands, to the severe, such as anxiety attacks, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat.

Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety once in awhile. All of us have felt the dry mouth and vague sense of dread before a test or public speaking engagement. But when does it become damaging to your health? Research has revealed that prolonged anxiety can lead to sleep disorders, relationship problems, depression, and high blood pressure 

For sufferers of long-term untreated anxiety, there can be negative health consequences that have yet to be fully identified. Some studies have found a link between generalized anxiety disorder and a variety of serious health conditions including cancer, heart disease, respiratory illness, thyroid disease, and arthritis. Chronically anxious people may even be more likely to suffer a fatal cardiac attack. 

If you experience what seems like a disproportionately high amount of anxiety relative to the circumstances, or if you feel anxious nearly every day, you may actually have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are chronic conditions characterized by one's inability to function normally because of frequent anxiety. Anxiety disorders are serious conditions that should be treated to lower the risk of long-term effects.

Anxiety treatment has long been the subject of much debate in the medical field. Some medical professionals feel that medication is the best method to handle chronic anxiety. Unfortunately, anti-anxiety medications often have harmful side effects that are just as bad as or even worse than the initial affliction. 

There are many safe and effective ways to control negative emotional responses. Exercise is a frequently overlooked option, but it is extremely effective in managing stress and anxiety. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting and pain-killing chemicals. With regular aerobic exercise, you may start to experience a dramatic decrease in negative emotional responses to situations that would previously have made you extremely anxious.

The most effective way to manage tension and worry is to control it from within. Stress management and stress relief techniques are extremely valuable tools in handling day-to-day stress. These techniques can teach you to calm yourself and relieve your tension. You make a conscious effort to slow your breathing rate, release the tension, and maintain a tranquil state of mind. Meditation is an excellent form of tension control in which you focus on thoughtful relaxation and deep, calm breathing.

However, if you want a proactive method to free yourself of anxiety, hypnotherapy is by far the best treatment option. When a person undergoes hypnosis, their reactions and emotional responses to events are changed at their core. This allows them to deal with typical anxiety-inducing triggers without the usual nervousness and fear. 

Hypnosis is often performed by a licensed hypnotherapist in a series of regular treatments. More commonly today, hypnotherapy is available in the form of self hypnosis programs which can be purchased in the form of CDs, MP3s, or DVDs for individual home use. No special skills are required to practice self hypnosis. All that you need is a device to play the hypnotherapy program and a quiet space where you can listen and relax.

Another very successful type of anxiety treatment is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. NLP is a form of therapy that helps you retrain your body and mind to naturally respond to situations in a more positive way. You can consciously decide to be calm instead of feeling anxious, and consequently, you always maintain control over your own emotions.

In summary, you can see that it is important to be able to manage our negative emotional responses in order to remain healthy. Learning to cope with fear and nervousness can even extend your life. To treat long term anxiety, the best treatment option to follow is to participate in hypnotherapy to change your attitudes and reactions at the core. Then, use stress management techniques as needed to stay calm in everyday situations.

Alan B. Densky is an NGH certified hypnotherapist. He offers a complete line of anxiety elimination NLP CDs, and advanced anxiety management downloads through his self hypnosis website. You can visit his self hypnosis blog, and download a free MP3.

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