Introduction
Mental illness is at an all-time high in Australia and around the world and increasing numbers of people are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. With almost 1 in 4 people experiencing some form of mental health issue throughout their lifetime, it’s one of the most prevalent and pressing issues in our society.
While some mental health issues are believed to have a biological cause, many stems from environmental factors. Indeed, any mental health problem can be exacerbated by external stressors such as a relationship breakdown or a job loss.
Financial stress is a major factor when it comes to stress and depression, so it’s no surprise that anxiety levels have risen as the global economy becomes less stable. With many Aussies plummeting into negative equity1 due to falling house prices and environmental factors putting entire industries at risk2. Most people experience financial strain of some sort at some point in their lives.
1 https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/selling/one-million-aussies-could-become-prisoners-in-their-own-home-as-falling-prices-put-them-in-negative-equity/news-story/1921b57f528eee0629ac52ab390b5816
2 https://aussiehelpers.org.au/suicide-in-queensland-drought-stricken-farming-communities-now-at-all-time-high/
Coping With Anxiety, Stress and Depression
There are a range of effective treatments for mental health problems and many can be combined to complement one another. If you’ve been prescribed medication to ease the symptoms of depression, for example, you may be able to speed up your recovery by changing your lifestyle and embracing positive new routines. 3
Alternatively, if you’re undergoing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety, learning sure-fire relaxation techniques may be a great way to boost the effects of your treatment.
For some people, adopting new lifestyle practices can be enough to resolve anxiety and minimise stress. If you’re dealing with mild or even moderate anxiety, using new coping techniques could help you to eradicate feelings of worry and nervousness.
There are many ways to address feelings of stress, pressure and unease, regardless of their cause. Many people feel that high-impact exercise improves their physical and mental health, while others maintain that regular mindfulness sessions help to ease their worries.
If you want to overcome stress and learn how to respond to unavoidable stressors in a healthier way, journaling could be a great option. With a variety of benefits associated with writing and journaling it can be an effective way of reducing anxiety, enhancing your mood and minimising the impact of stress.
To find out how journaling could improve your life, look at our top 20 ways journaling can help you banish anxiety, stress and depression… 4
Clarify Your Thinking
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When you’re feeling anxious, your mind can feel like it’s whizzing around at 100 kilometres an hour. With so many problems to solve and issues to overcome, it can be difficult to think straight, let alone come up with effective resolutions.
When you write a journal, however, you can gain greater clarity over the things that are bothering you. Whether you’re worried about your finances, your job or your family, simply identifying the actual issues which need to be dealt with can be cathartic.
With the option to write everything down, you’ll soon be able to see which problems present real and practical difficulties, and which ones aren’t worth your time. 5
