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Stress is a response to an event. Anxiety is a reaction to stress that continues after stressful events have resolved.

Whilst stress and anxiety are used interchangeably, understanding how they differ is a really good basis upon which to explore how we tackle them. Stress and anxiety share many emotional and physical symptoms, and both can usefully improve our performance. When experienced at high levels for long periods, we can however become distressed and unwell, and our performance can suffer. There is a vast amount of information available to us online around what to do to manage stress and anxiety and links are provided below, yet it remains the primary reason people seek counselling. So what are the common things that block us from putting strategies into practice and how might we give these a boost.

Strategies often suggested

A quick search of the internet will reveal the following suggestions:

• Balance your commitments
• Prioritise rest or time alongside completing study or work commitments
• Find somewhere to re-group
• Take a break – 1 day off a week, a few hours off every day and 10 minutes off every hour
• Exercise 
• Get enough sleep
• Acknowledge the challenges of saying “no” and learn new . 
• Meditate
• Small acts of bravery – to build confidence
• Practice relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation or slow breathing
• Cut back on coffee or foods/drinks that make you feel jittery
• Learn from others through talking about your experiences or joining a support group
• Be kind to yourself if you are feeling anxious, rather than being harsh  
• Learn to plan instead of worrying

If you need to find some quiet spaces for respite, here are suggestions gathered from students on North Terrace Campus:

• "Barr Smith Library is a go-to, because there's a range of spaces with a range of noise levels. Some spaces offer relative privacy as well as quiet, too."
• "Down by the Torrens when the weather is good, because nobody looks twice at someone laying in the grass with their eyes closed"
• "There are park benches in a few spots when you walk behind the Art Gallery, Museum and State Library, and around the Migration Museum."
• Club spaces like the Women's Room (Hughes Building, Level 8), the (Union House) and the (George Murray building)

You can also through the library to pause and regroup 

Blocks

Below you will find three common blocks (barriers and misconceptions) that can prevent us from addressing our stress or anxiety.