Definition of Topic
Panda (2014) argues that stress is one of the most common health problems that affect those who are working. The author quotes other researchers who have established a connection between stress and other diseases. For example, Panda (2014) argues that stress is connected to cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and hypertension. With stress having a wide range of negative effects on humans, there is a need to use specific and effective stress management techniques. Ortigosa-Márquez, Carranque-Cháves, and Hernández (2015) support the importance of stress management and anxiety because of the negative effects it has on athletes’ performance. Anxiety is a response to stress, and hence dealing with stress effectively manages anxiety and other mental challenges that may affect an individual and his or her performance in day-to-day activities.
Therapies
Ortigosa-Márquez, Carranque-Cháves, and Hernández (2015) addressed the use of autogenic training and the impact it has on subjective vitality, competitive anxiety, and lung capacity. The researchers' findings in regards to lung capacity were in contrast to what other researchers had concluded. They established that autogenic training alone does not have a major impact on lung capacity but can increase the capacity when it is combined with other exercises such as yoga. Practicing autogenic training exercises helps in promoting self-confidence among athletes. Subjective vitality is also enhanced by autogenic training. However, Panda (2014) established that autogenic training is useful in several disorders that include tension headaches and anxiety disorders. Panda’s (2014) argument contrasts that of Ortigosa-Márquez, Carranque-Cháves, and Hernández (2015) established from research. They did not find a strong connection between the use of autogenic training and the reduction of competitive anxiety in athletes.
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Panda (2014) adds some other therapies that are important in stress management and dealing with anxiety as a response to stress. One of the techniques relates to progressive muscle relaxation where an individual is taught how to tense and relax the muscle in order to manage tension. The relaxation helps in assisting a person to deal with tension, establish a pleasant mental state, and reduce anxiety as a response to stress, as well as manage anticipatory anxiety. He same results can be attained with the use of diaphragmatic breathing where a combination of both slow and deep breathing are used in order to attain relaxation. This relaxation is ideal in the management of anxiety resulting from stress. In particular, the use of diaphragmatic breathing is helpful after dealing with a stressful task or when one is dealing with anxiety disorders. Panda (2014) also argues that the use of transcendental meditation can help reduce the effects of stress including anxiety. Another important therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy as proposed by Panda (2014). CBT is a combination of behavior therapy and cognitive therapy and has evidence showing its importance in dealing with anxiety disorders, insomnia, and depression. However, this therapy cannot be learned individually because it requires collaboration between the patient and the clinician. CBT is based on changing the thought patterns of the individuals in order to ensure that one can avoid the dysfunctional emotions and the behaviors that result. CBT can effectively modify the dysfunctional neural activity that is related to anxiety disorders (Panda, 2014).
There is also the use of the mindfulness-based stress reduction technique that can help a person deal with emotions that can be damaging to their wellbeing. One can infer from the argument made by Panda (2014) that MBSR should be used in conjunction with other therapies such as the emotional freedom technique. This can help in dealing with issues such as pain perception, the concept of increased acceptance, managing depression, and anxiety.
Effectiveness of the Therapies
Although Ortigosa-Márquez, Carranque-Cháves, and Hernández (2015) argued that the use of autogenic training on athletes has little or no impact on competitive anxiety, Panda (2014) argues that autogenic training can help in dealing with the issues of stress and hence can have a positive impact on anxiety disorders. With anxiety occurring as a result of stress, an effective stress management technique can help in the management of anxiety. Ortigosa-Márquez, Carranque-Cháves, and Hernández Mendo (2015) found that the use of autogenic training helps promote subjective vitality and self-confidence among athletes. Such a technique can help in dealing with anticipatory anxiety that comes with a stressful task that one is about to handle. The techniques described above should be used together and not alone. For example, they hypothesized that when autogenic training is used together with yoga, there can be an effective increase in lung capacity among athletes, and hence, an increase in performance. It is the role of the clinician to determine the most effective therapy to be used on a patient based on the type of disorder. However, it is recommended that a combination of those therapies that involve collaboration between the patient and the clinician and those that require individual mastering should be used. The effectiveness of the therapies is affected by the length of time that one has to learn in order for him or her to master and attain results.
It is important to understand how different therapies are conducted as this helps in determining the best fit for every patient. What can work on one patient might not work on another patient, which means that the clinician should apply a combination of therapies to attain the best results. Consequently, different patients have different levels of anxiety, which implies a difference in the effective techniques that a clinician applies.
References
Ortigosa-Márquez, J. M., Carranque-Cháves, G. A., & Hernández, M., A. (2015). Effects of autogenic training on lung capacity, competitive anxiety, and subjective vitality. Biomedical Research (0970-938X) , 26 (1):71-76·
Panda, S. (2014). Stress and health: Symptoms and techniques of psychotherapeutic management. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology , 5 (4): 516.
