In this paper students will discuss anxiety and stress. Student will briefly define anxiety and stress, how they impact individuals mentally, physically, and spiritually, and will discuss treatment options for anxiety/stress.

Anxiety and Stress Student’s Name Institution Course Name Instructor’s Name Date Anxiety and Stress A mental illness is categorized by a significant clinical disturbance in an individual's behavior, cognition, or emotional control. It is mainly linked with damage or pain in vital regions of functioning. Anxiety and stress are common mental illnesses affecting most people around the world. While there are effective prevention and treatment approaches, sometimes people lack access to effective care. Lack of care has several repercussions on an individual's mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. This paper reflects on the impacts of stress and anxiety on an individual's mental, physical, and spiritual well-being and different treatment options. Define Anxiety and Stress Anxiety is defined as a pathological counterpart of normal fear that is manifested by disturbance of thinking, mood, behavior, and physiological activities. Among common anxiety disorders include agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and panic disorders (Garakani et al., 2020). Anxiety disorders are the top causes of disability and the most prevalent psychiatric disorders (Garakani et al., 2020). The World Health Organization stats show that 264 million individuals struggle with anxiety conditions globally, with a 15% escalation since 2005 (Garakani et al., 2020). On the other hand, stress refers to the body and brain's reaction to challenge, change, or demand. It entails the body's natural defense against threats resulting from thoughts or events that make a person angry, frustrated, or nervous. Whenever a stressful situation arises, the body is full of hormones ready to deal with the danger. However, stress can become chronic if the necessary steps to manage it are not embraced. Mental Impacts Stress leads to changes in the body ranging from mild to severe. When under stress, individuals’ muscles tense, a surged heart rate and high breathing rate are noted, while short-term memory becomes more effective. Lasting stress skyrockets the danger of mental illnesses like sleeping difficulties and drug misuse. Chronic stress also predicts depression even when stressful situations are accounted for (Vrshek-Schallhorn et al., 2019). Depression resulting from long-term stress is linked with aging syndromes associated with fractional disturbance of circadian rhythms (Xie et al., 2018). Furthermore, it leads to a surged risk of deteriorated cognitive functions. For instance, a person develops difficulties in concentrating. Chronic stress also impairs the structure and function of the brain, possibly leading to long-lasting mental disorders. Consequently, anxiety affects individuals' mental wellness in various ways. For instance, it becomes difficult for a person to concentrate when doing tasks, leading to poor work and academic performance. Anxiety also leads to excessive worry, which is disproportionate to the actual scenario. Such extreme worry dominates people's thoughts, causing apprehension and fear. Physical Impacts Stress and anxiety not only impair individuals' mental health but also their physical health. When individuals struggle with stress, their body encompasses a physical response by discharging hormones that increase the heart rate and cause the blood vessels to shrink. With acute stress, the heart rate can become normal, but with chronic stress, the heart rate can continue to skyrocket over time. Chroni...