In any given week, almost every patient who sits down with psychotherapist Hope Rosenberg is dealing with stress, anxiety or both.<\/p>\n
People are feeling overwhelmed by a culture of relentless expectations around success, appearance, productivity and self-improvement \u2014 and the result is rising stress and anxiety.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is becoming more prevalent,\u201d she told NewsWire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t really know how to manage it.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people are in a high hustle and grind society, everyone\u2019s wanting to do more, it is very ambitious.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when we\u2019re in that overdriven state for too long it really does perpetuate more anxiety, more stress, more burnout if we don\u2019t stop and reset.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can be ambitious, but unfortunately life will also happen and we\u2019re inevitably going to get hit with stress or stressor, anxiety and feel overwhelmed as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stress occurs when people feel overwhelmed, tense, worried or unable to cope with a situation, according to the Australian Psychological Society (APS).<\/p>\n
While stress is a normal response to challenging circumstances, prolonged or ongoing stress can negatively affect a person\u2019s mental and physical health.<\/p>\n
Anxiety, meanwhile, is typically a short-term response to stress, characterised by feelings of worry, nervousness or apprehension, the APS says.<\/p>\n
It can arise in unfamiliar or challenging situations, when people doubt their ability to cope or when the outcome of a situation is uncertain.<\/p>\n
However, anxiety can develop into a mental health disorder when it becomes severe or persistent and begins to interfere with daily life.<\/p>\n
Ms Rosenberg said social media was a huge factor in younger people feeling stressed and anxious.<\/p>\n
She sees children aged 12 and 13 at her clinic distressed about body ideals, beauty standards and expectations to look a certain way.<\/p>\n
She said people go to social media to get information, or to figure out what to do or how to feel better, but it often made them feel more overwhelmed and confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it\u2019s not about avoiding, it\u2019s about how you manage it \u2026 and how you can almost protect and support yourself.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a matter of protecting your mental health and taking breaks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Rosenberg said it was important for people to be able to bring themselves back to the present when they felt stressed or anxious.<\/p>\n
According to the Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Centre, eating sour lollies can provide a temporary distraction by drawing the brain\u2019s attention away from distressing thoughts and back to the present moment.<\/p>\n
It stated by engaging the body\u2019s senses, the nervous system could reduce the cognitive load of anxious thoughts and relax the mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cEating sour candy during a panic attack, or when symptoms start to emerge, or even before a stressful event might help curb some of the intense anxiety,\u201d the Centre stated on its website.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile eating sour candy can help curb anxiety, it is only a temporary regulation tool. Treating the root cause of your anxiety often requires more intensive treatment options.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sucking on a lollipop slows breathing, increases saliva and gives the brain a sensory task to focus on instead of a spiralling thought. <\/p>\n
It is the same principle behind a therapist asking a panicked client to describe the room around them.<\/p>\n
Ms Rosenberg has developed One-5 Pops, a lollipop product she says is designed to help people use sensory grounding techniques when feeling stressed or anxious<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are really overwhelmed \u2026 and they don\u2019t know how to help themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to destigmatise the idea of stress and anxiety because we all feel it to differing degrees \u2026 it really will affect everyone. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t always have time in the day to take 20 or 15 minutes, but you might have five or three minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lollipop is a tangible, accessible, and practical took that uses sensory technique to help bring you back to the present moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are feeling overwhelmed it can be a circuit breaker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Billie-May Duckworth, 26, uses the lollipop technique.<\/p>\n
As a disability support worker, her job involves supporting highly vulnerable and often non-verbal clients.<\/p>\n
It is a role that demands she stay calm even when her own anxiety and social anxiety are peaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnxiety for me creates restlessness, so having a lollipop gives me that sensory outlet I\u2019m seeking,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI keep one in my bag like a security blanket, usually one on the way to work and another later as a bit of a check-in.\u201d<\/p>\n