Page 7 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - April 2025

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Coping with stress and anxiety

Strategies to manage chemicals in our brain.
n Other helpful self-care
uncomfortable feelings HERE TO HELP strategies include getting at least
By Lea Finnell Townsend, eight hours of sleep a night, eating
Clinical Supervisor/ If you find that stress and a well-balanced diet and staying
Lead Mental Health Counselor anxiety are getting in the away from drugs and alcohol.
n Coping tools are strategies
Anxiety and stress are a part way of life, therapy can help. we can use to manage difficult
of life. However, they can feel Contact Behavioral Health at emotions in the moment while
overwhelming and sometimes 360-709-1733. experiencing them. For example,
debilitating. Both feelings are mindfulness is a great coping tool
natural occurrences that are hard to manage symptoms of anxiety.
wired in our brain to help us muscles, faster breathing or an This is the practice of paying
survive. Our brain is designed to overall feeling of restlessness. Our attention to the present moment
detect threats and rewards. body prepares us to run away from without judgment.
When a reward is detected, danger or stand our ground and n Try the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise:
such as a co-worker giving us a fight. Using our senses immediately
compliment, watching a funny It’s helpful if we need to run
movie or eating an ice cream cone, away from a chasing dog or fight forces us into the present moment.
feel-good chemicals in our brain off an attacker but not helpful if Pause what you are doing and look
called dopamine and oxytocin are we are stuck in traffic and late for around your space. Name 5 things
released. Comfortable emotions an important meeting. you see (out loud or to yourself).
such as joy, happiness, satisfaction Stress and anxiety do not need Then listen and identify 4 things
are experienced. to be viewed as entirely negative. you hear. Now identify 3 things
When our brain detects a For example, feeling stressed or a recognizable trigger, anxiety you can smell and focus your
threat, such as a co-worker’s rude anxious about a final exam in lingers and often might not have attention on the scent. Next, locate
comment, a parent yelling at us or school can be helpful to motivate 2 things you feel (touch). This can
even a traffic jam, stress hormones us to study and be better prepared. an identifiable trigger. be your clothing, a soft blanket, a
called cortisol and adrenaline Stress usually subsides after Decreasing levels stone you can feel in your hand.
are released. These create the event or stressor is resolved. Finally, find 1 thing you can taste,
uncomfortable emotions such as Anxiety on the other hand is The good news is that we can such as a piece of gum or candy.
worry, fear and irritation. defined by a persistent, excessive do things for ourselves that can Notice the flavor and sensation.
If you are experiencing stress
Not entirely negative worry that doesn’t go away even in help ease uncomfortable sensations or anxiety, try the strategies
associated with stress and anxiety:
the absence of a stressor.
The survival response is helpful Anxiety is usually caused by n Exercise has been proven above and reach out for support.
if a real threat is taking place. something that hasn’t taken to be very effective in managing Connect with loved ones and
The release of stress hormones place yet, worrying about what anxiety. If our body is in a fight talk about what is bothering you.
prompts our body for a fight or might happen or what could or flight response, acting on it Make time to prioritize your
flight response. This might feel go wrong. Where stress can be helps decrease the level of stress self-care and know that, if you are
like your heart racing, tense short term and is in response to hormones and increase feel-good struggling, you are not alone.