If so, you are not alone. Roughly 40 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from anxiety. It has become the most common mental disorder. And depression affects another 20 million adults. The American Psychological Association (APA) research shows that the nation’s mental health is declining.
In a 2017 survey, it was noted that nearly two-thirds of those answering the survey said they were extremely stressed about the future of our nation in addition to other major stressors like money and work. Side effects of stress are lost sleep, irritability, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Stress has been linked to many health problems, including obesity, heart disease and hypertension. The Center for Disease Control reports that 66 percent of American workers are affected by the physical or emotional effects of stress.
Although Americans are suffering, they are also learning better ways to cope with it. Mindfulness, meditation, good nutrition and physical activity help us to handle the stress. Learning how to practice positivity in an increasingly negative environment can make a difference.
Science shows a strong connection between positive thoughts and good mental health. Practices such as gratitude and mindfulness actually change the way your brain works. Consider that every thought you have causes a physical reaction. The thought releases chemicals to your brain. The chemicals have either a positive or a negative effect on your state of well-being.
These practices not only create a happier state, people also benefit from stronger immune systems and live longer. And they make life more fun. It gets even better once you have trained your brain to think positively. Positive thoughts trigger what Dr. Barbara Fredrickson identified as an upward spiral toward positive emotions. As you experience positive emotions, you release additional positive emotions.
Just like everything else, the best way to discover positive mental health is through a conscious, committed choice. Sometimes we may take things personally. We may focus only on the negative aspects of a situation. Each one of us is capable of distorting “reality” because reality is based on our perceptions. And our perceptions are created by our beliefs and biases learned from our individual life experiences. We can distort the “truth” about situations or relationships because of that. We make assumptions. We tell ourselves a story.
And we know that what we tell ourselves determines what we are and are not able to do. So tell yourself to relax and think the happy thoughts. Remind yourself that everything is temporary. Rather than trying to be understood, focus on being more understanding. You will reduce your own stress and anxiety when you make that choice.