Subscribe Feed (RSS)Anxiety and Resilience
August 19th, 2008 by admin | Filed under Uncategorized.What is resilience and what does it have to do with anxiety and stress?
In his keynote address at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America’s 26th Annual Conference,
Dennis S. Charney, MD, a Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City said that
resilient people have personal qualities that enable them to thrive in the face of adversity, such
as high anxiety.
Individuals who cope well with stress or trauma have:
*a positive attitude toward life experiences
*flexible thinking and ability to consider new ideas
*a moral compass or strong set of core beliefs
*a role model to look up to
*an ability to face their fears
*active coping skills
*friends and/or family that provide support
Is a specific kind of person more apt to have low resilience?
According to a recent study conducted by Dr. Catherine Mancini, an Associate Professor in the
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario,
people with social anxiety/phobia had lower resilience.
How can people increase their resilience and reduce their anxiety?
Resilience and reduced anxiety can be achieved by making small, but effective changes to
lifestyle. Taking a look at what’s being eaten and drunk that may affect resilience are good first steps. Examining sleep patterns and amount of exercise can also provide ideas about how to affect resilience, as can environmental factors.
A good reference source that provides tips on exactly how to improve resilience is: Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You That You Need To Know , Harper/Collins, 2006.
Carolyn Chambers Clark is a faculty member for doctoral students in the College of Social, Behavioral & Health Sciences at Walden University, and Founder of The Wellness Institute. She offers articles, e-books, books and other information on her web site at carolynchambersclark.com carolynchambersclark.com
Tags: anxiety, sleep
