Ask a Health Expert Podcast, Episode 6: Overcoming Stress With Gratitude

Siobhan Goodwin

The push and pull of commitments and responsibilities in our daily lives can make us feel constantly overwhelmed or stressed. The chronic stress isn't good for our long term physical and mental health. But there are ways to make it better. Hello, my name is Siobhan Goodwin, and I'm from Anthem. Welcome to our latest Ask a Health Expert podcast. I'm your host for today's episode, Overcoming Stress with Gratitude.

We'll be speaking with Dr. Jessica Chaudhary, a psychiatrist who specializes in psychosomatic mind-body medicine. And Dr. Steven Korn, a psychiatrist who specializes in child adolescent psychiatry. Our health experts will walk us through how chronic stress can impact our health and they'll also share ways to cope. Dr. Chaudhary, Dr. Korn, thanks so much for being here today.

Dr. Jessica Chaudhary

Thank you for having us.

Dr. Steven Korn

Very glad to be here.

Siobhan Goodwin

Dr. Korn, the words stress and anxiety, they're often used together. Are they the same thing or is there a difference between them?

Dr. Steven Korn

They are different. Stress is the physical or psychological response to something that threatens your balance, or safety, or comfort. Anxiety is the emotion felt with stress in the moment or stress we anticipate or expect. Anxiety can be healthy, like helping you focus before a competition, or test, or presentation, but it can also be unhealthy if it's too strong or if you feel it with everyday activities that really should not be stressful.

Siobhan Goodwin

I never really took the time to think about the difference between stress and anxiety, but as you stated, it's pretty important to understand it. Dr. Chaudhary, how do stress and anxiety affect our mind and body?

Dr. Jessica Chaudhary

Well, stress and anxiety can really cause some changes to our mind and body, both physical and structural, and also problems with things like focus, attention, and concentration. It can also cause cognitive thinking changes, such as always fearing the worst or living in a state of doom, even though this may not really be the case, but it can make you feel internally chaotic or that you have an inability to relax. And anxiety can result from constant chatter in the brain, from the actual creation of a fear network, which can overpower the more rational side. And for some, stress and anxiety can be so overwhelming that it actually interferes with daily life.

Siobhan Goodwin

That was really interesting. And a lot of times people get the question, "Well, are you stressed out?" Is it possible to be stressed and anxious and not even be aware of it?

Dr. Jessica Chaudhary

Absolutely. You could feel distracted or disorganized. You may be having trouble making decisions, being ruminative or obsessed with something, or perfectionistic in some way. You might feel like you're always preparing for the worst without really knowing what that is. And you can have other physical symptoms too, like headaches, teeth-grinding, feeling numb or tense, having changes in your appetite, or feeling generally unwell. This could be going on, and you may not even really know or understand fully what you're experiencing. Sometimes it can be helpful to ask those around you if they've noticed a change in your behavior or in your routines.

Siobhan Goodwin

That is really important to know. And if we recognize that in ourselves, what are some of the things that we can do? Because you can't walk away from the things that cause you stress, and you can't walk away from the constant chatter of your mind. Dr. Korn, is there something that we can do to improve how we respond to stress?

Dr. Steven Korn

Sure. I like to think of four general approaches that have been recommended by some experts in the field. One is to try to predict and anticipate stress. This can include educating yourself about things that stress you, organizing your time, and basically being prepared. Second is to have outlets, activities that you find relaxing, which could include exercising, listening to music, spending time with hobbies, or even adding relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing. These outlets naturally counteract stress. Third is cultivating a positive outlook. Be aware of your negative thoughts and then challenge them. Try to find hope and optimism wherever possible. Again, this is an antidote to the type of thinking that stress brings on. And finally, maybe the most important of all, is to be social. Connect with family, friends, co-workers, or others who share your interests. They can provide a lot of emotional support. And basically, we are social animals, and our brains grow and heal by interactions with other people. Too much isolation hurts our brain and adds to stress.

Siobhan Goodwin

I completely agree, Dr. Korn. We've all been somewhat isolated. Being social is vital to our health and well-being, and it's been so hard for everybody these past couple of years. So has keeping a positive outlook. Dr. Chaudhary, what are some of the other ways people can nurture a positive outlook in life?

Dr. Jessica Chaudhary

Well, I think one of the most important things you can do is really cultivate a mindset of gratitude and try to keep things in perspective. Gratitude increases resilience and resilience, in turn, can be a very powerful protection against stress and adversity, and help us to improve our coping skills. You can cultivate gratitude by starting your day with gratitude, being thankful for what you have, being thankful to those around you, and expressing your feelings to them and making sure that you take time for yourself. And again, keep things in perspective. That can really help your coping skills and help build resilience.

Siobhan Goodwin

Thanks, Dr. Chaudhary. I can see how those are some of the ways that you can do it as an adult. But, Dr. Korn, is there a way that this can work for children as well?

Dr. Steven Korn

Well, children learn from example, so certainly, trying to do these exercises that Dr. Chaudhary recommended in front of your children and basically providing them with the examples of how you do this, in addition to really supporting and praising them when they show the simplest forms of gratitude, such as saying thank you, saying please, and being respectful to other people.

Siobhan Goodwin

These are great ideas to help lower stress. They're definitely the small things that make a big difference in our lives. Dr. Chaudhary, Dr. Korn, thank you for taking the time to talk about this important topic. I'm grateful you were both here.

Dr. Jessica Chaudhary

It's our pleasure.

Dr. Steven Korn

Thanks for inviting us.

Siobhan Goodwin

Listeners, you can find more information on this topic, as well as other helpful wellness resources, on anthem.com. Thank you for joining and be sure to listen to more episodes of Ask a Health Expert coming soon.