Don't Let General Anxiety Disorders (GAD) Ruin You Holiday

Assessing what's wrong, whether it be a potential patient
consulting with their potential new therapist, or a friend in need of help, both will complain - in their own way - about the overwhelming effects of anxiety, depression, stress and or frustration.

It is invaluable for you to be as informed as you possibly can
be about the many possibilities of stress and anxiety. While most of us know precisely how these emotional states feel there are still many facets which are less commonly known or treated with the respect they have.

What Is Stress?

Stress is the feeling of tension that fills the gap between that which is searched for versus what one actually has. Thus it is
the tension between being and wanting. There are numerous
occasions in daily living that people experience stress,
especially during the holidays.

A few common examples: When driving on the highway after a long day at work encountering a 'cuckoo' driver purposefully cutting you off and all your attempts to get away from him fail, there is often a growing tension experienced as frustrated aggression. If this frustrated aggression persists it can and often does grow into into 'road rage.'

Another example of stress at work is a worker who has been a dedicated employee although following all the rules is passed over a desired promotion because of office politics. The disappointment of missed expectations is experienced as frustrated aggression known plainly as stress. Associated missed expectations such as the worker feeling trapped and having no viable alternatives
an compound the intensity of stress and anxiety.

Imagine crossing a street and seeing an out of control car coming straight for you. Instinctively the autonomic nervous system releases adrenalin into your system creating a shock to the system (fear) to mobilize the system to remain frozen in place or run like hell to avoid the possible crash.

Now imagine the same conditions.Except this time when it seems like a car is out of control threatening to hit
you - you correctly observe there isn't a car at all - in fact there is no traffic at all. Plainly, in this case, your imagination is working overtime. But you still have the released adrenalin flowing into your system warning you that there is some kind of threat which you had better take actions to protect yourself from.

In this case - since there isn't a 'real' threat then you have to ferretout the source of the imagined out of control car hurtling down on you coming from your memory. In my work as a psychoanalyst, both personally and professionally, virtually every anxiety attack, when analyzed (broken down to its components) can be traced to a traumatic occurrence in the history of the patient in question that has not been adequaately put to rest. This means that something in the here and now hassomehow connected with and stirred up an unresolved psychological problem from the persons past.

All anxiety attacks have a potentially identifiable trigger which is associated in the context of a given person's life in the last twenty four to 48 hours. Family is a great sample of what we call a 'stressor'.

Thus what becomes vitally important in coping with them is our attitude towards them. Viewing them as uninvited house guests leads to the following typical attitudes.

Many people feel anxious about feeling anxious, depressed because they are depressed, and frustration that they are experiencing frustration.

The most important thing you will have to do to manage your stress
is learn about the missing link in relieving stress and anxiety.

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