Many people use the words "anxiety" and "stress" interchangeably, but they are actually two distinct conditions. Stress is a response to a stimulus, which can be external or internal. You may experience stress when you feel frustrated with something (like waiting in line behind a slow person) or when you are worried that you will not meet expectations (such as missing a deadline at work).

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a feeling of dread, or fear and nervousness. It can be brought on by negative thoughts and expectations, or as a reaction to stress. You may experience feelings of anxiety all of the time and not understand why, or your feelings may be a reaction to something you are nervous about, like an upcoming test.

Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain may cause generalized anxiety. Some studies show that anxiety can be brought on genetically. In addition, anxiety can stem from environmental conditions, as when a child whose mother or father is often anxious becomes an anxious person by observing the parent. But very often the root cause of anxiety is simply the thoughts in a person's mind!

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

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 detrimental health consequences that have yet to be fully examined. Many studies have found a link between chronic anxiety and a variety of serious health conditions including cancer, thyroid disease, heart disease, respiratory illness, and arthritis. Chronically anxious people may even be more likely to suffer a fatal cardiac attack.

If you suffer from what seems like an inappropriately high amount of anxiety relative to the situation, 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 reduce the risk of long-term negative health effects.

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

There are plenty of safe and non-invasive ways to handle negative emotional responses. Exercise is an often overlooked option, but it is extremely effective in managing stress and anxiety. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting and pain-killing chemicals. With regular exercise, you may begin to see a dramatic decrease in negative emotional responses to situations that would previously have made you extremely anxious.

The best way to cope with worry and tension is to control it from the inside out. Stress management and stress relief techniques are very useful in handling day-to-day stress. These techniques can teach you to calm yourself and let the tension leave your body. You make a conscious effort to slow your rate of breathing, release the tension, and maintain a calm state of mind. Meditation is an increasingly popular form of tension management in which you practice thoughtful relaxation and deep, calming breathing.

However, if you seek a proactive way to relieve yourself of anxiety, hypnotherapy is the best treatment option. When an individual undergoes hypnosis, their emotional responses and reactions to events are changed at the core. This allows them to deal with anxiety-inducing triggers without the typical nervousness and fear.

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

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

In summary, you can see that it is very important to manage our negative emotional responses in order to remain healthy. Understanding how to deal with nervousness and fear can even add precious years onto your life. To treat long-term anxiety, the best course of action is to participate in hypnotherapy to change your reactions and attitudes from within. Then, use stress management techniques as needed to stay calm in everyday situations.