8 skills that can help manage stress and reduce anxiety
Reduce stress and anxiety
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First published: 01.Oct.2024
Overview
Coping with stress and anxiety may seem difficult, but a group of researchers have developed a set of eight anxiety-coping skills to help you build resilience and manage the challenges and negative effects of daily life. They are simple and science backed skills that you can practice at any time, every day. From engaging in positive thoughts, savoring the moment, being self-compassionate and finding your inner strengths, these strategies are simple yet effective.
In the following sections we will explain each of the eight skills.
References and Further Reading
(1) Eagleson C, Hayes S, Mathews A, Perman G, Hirsch CR. (2016). The power of positive thinking: Pathological worry is reduced by thought replacement in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2016 Mar;78:13-8. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2015.12.017. Epub 2016 Jan 8. PMID: 26802793
(2) Klibert JJ, Sturz BR, LeLeux-LaBarge K, Hatton A, Smalley KB, Warren JC. (2022). Savoring Interventions Increase Positive Emotions After a Social-Evaluative Hassle. Front Psychol. 2022 Mar 21;13:791040. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.791040. PMID: 35386887
(3) Chen Y, Okereke OI, Kim ES, Tiemeier H, Kubzansky LD, VanderWeele TJ. (2024). Gratitude and Mortality Among Older US Female Nurses. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online July 03, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.1687
(4) Bohlmeijer, E.T., Kraiss, J.T., Watkins, P. et al. (2021). Promoting Gratitude as a Resource for Sustainable Mental Health: Results of a 3-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial up to 6 Months Follow-up. J Happiness Stud 22, 1011–1032 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00261-5
(5) Duan W. (2016). The benefits of personal strengths in mental health of stressed students: A longitudinal investigation. Qual Life Res. 2016 Nov;25(11):2879-2888. doi: 10.1007/s11136-016-1320-8. Epub 2016 May 20. PMID: 27207590.
(6) Wang, W., Li, J., Sun, G. et al. (2017). Achievement goals and life satisfaction: the mediating role of perception of successful agency and the moderating role of emotion reappraisal.Psicol. Refl. Crít. 30, 25 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-017-0078-4
(7) Riepenhausen, A., Wackerhagen, C., Reppmann, Z.C., Deter, H.C., Kalisch, R., Veer, I.M., & Walter, H. (2022). Positive Cognitive Reappraisal in Stress Resilience, Mental Health, and Well-Being: A Comprehensive Systematic Review. Emotion Review, 14(4), 310-331. https://doi.org/10.1177/17540739221114642
(8) MacBeth, A., & Gumley, A. (2012). Exploring compassion: a meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology. Clinical Psychology Review, 32(6), 545–552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.06.003
(9) Muris, P., & Otgaar, H. (2023). Self-esteem and self-compassion: A narrative review and meta-analysis on their links to psychological problems and well-being. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 2961–2975. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S402455
(10) Paranjothy, S.M., & Wade, T.D. (2024). A meta-analysis of disordered eating and its association with self-criticism and self-compassion. The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 10.1002/eat.24166. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24166
(11) Dowling GA, Merrilees J, Mastick J, Chang VY, Hubbard E, Moskowitz JT. (2014). Life enhancing activities for family caregivers of people with frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2014 Apr-Jun;28(2):175-81. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0b013e3182a6b905. PMID: 24113564
(12) Moskowitz, Judith T.; Cheung, Elaine O.; Snowberg, Karin E.; et al. (2019). Randomized controlled trial of a facilitated online positive emotional regulation intervention for dementia caregivers. Health Psychology, Vol 38(5), May 2019
(13) Leong, C.A., Summers, A., Grote, V. et al. (2024). Randomized controlled trial of a positive emotion regulation intervention to reduce stress in family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease: protocol and design for the LEAF 2.0 study. BMC Geriatr 24, 289 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04817-5
(14) von Dawans B, Trueg A, Voncken M, Dziobek I, Kirschbaum C, Domes G, Heinrichs M.. (2022). Empathy Modulates the Effects of Acute Stress on Anxious Appearance and Social Behavior in Social Anxiety Disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 13;13:875750. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.875750. PMID: 35911212
(15) Katharina Förster, Philipp Kanske. (2021). Exploiting the plasticity of compassion to improve psychotherapy. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Vol 39, 2021, pp 64-71, ISSN 2352-1546, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.01.0
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About this Article
8 skills to manage stress and anxiety, A. Whittall
©2024 Fit-and-Well.com, 01 Oct. 2024. Update scheduled for 01 Oct. 2027. https://www.fit-and-well.com/wellness/8-skills-to-manage-stress.html
Tags: anxiety, depression, mindfulness, positivity