Life inevitably brings its share of stress and anxiety, and how we deal with it has a tremendous effect on our self, our partner and our relationship. Anxiety disorders are a major public health problem in the U.S. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 18 percent of U.S. adults are afflicted with anxiety, which has a negative effect on our relationships, not to mention the harm it does to oneself. An emotional strategy called ‘reappraisal’ can have a beneficial effect. You can try thinking about problems in a more positive, optimistic light. Reframe and reappraise what’s happened, thinking about them as a challenge to be overcome, seeing the positives in the situation, the learning and growth that can take place. Participants who regularly used this approach reported less severe anxiety than those who suppressed their emotions.
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