You may be skeptical that simple behavioral changes can affect your stress or anxiety.  I’ll admit I was when I first heard of using behavioral techniques.  I didn’t really accept the philosophy until I experienced it for myself. 
 
Like countless student-counselors before me, I was often overwhelmed with my responsibilities as a student, employee/caregiver, partner and family member.  I had little time for recreation and exercise, and fully believed that the key to successfully managing it all was to work harder, sleep less and keep on keeping on!  I ended up over-worked, over extended and feeling severely anxious.  I began doubting my ability and direction.  I wanted to give up.
 
About that time, I came across my first audio CD of breathing techniques.  I wasn’t convinced breathing was a real solution to anyone’s stress or anxiety problems, but I paid close attention in my theory courses covering Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  I decided the best way to test an intervention was to try it out on myself first.  After a few weeks, I was hooked and have used behavioral techniques as a part of my self-care and practice ever since. 
 
CBT suggests that anxiety and panic result from an accumulation of stress that prematurely triggers a natural, adaptive process called the Fight/Flight Response (FFR).  FFR is a natural self-defense system that prepares a person to battle with an impending threat or escape as quickly as possible.  When triggered, the FFR automatically causes adrenalin, other hormones and neurotransmitters to flood our bodies so that we are more likely to survive a threat.  A very beneficial response, when there is an actual imminent threat.   
 
A problem occurs when the FFR gets triggered and there isn’t a real threat or the level of threat isn’t that high.  This often happens in modern society to people who are: “Type A” personalities, burnt out or think they have to push themselves to the limit in order to get ahead. 
 
Sources of stress are all around us: deadlines, traffic jams, noise pollution, air pollution, conflicts, workloads, weddings, funerals, lost jobs, new jobs, goals, children, parents, illness, war, and the list goes on.  We can’t escape stress, nor do we want to entirely. 

It’s stress that makes us successful.  Humans are problem solvers and innovators.  It’s the sense of distress that stimulates us to be creative and seek answers.  Accumulate a number of sources of stress and you build up "layers" of stress. 

The good news is that while we can’t (shouldn’t) eliminate all sources of stress, we can learn to care for our bodies, minds and spirits and reduce the impact and duration our stressors have on us. 
 
Click HERE to go learn about Behavioral Management of distressing emotions.