Eliminate or cut down on caffeine. It heightens anxiety. Allow yourself to reduce your stress as the bucket is filling, rather than waiting for the overflow stage. As you add effective stress reducers to your repertoire, you will probably find yourself reducing your use of more destructive stress relievers. If not, consider finding some outside help.
Some damaging habits are harder to break than others.
Mary L. Greiner, J.D., L.M.S.W., is a family and divorce mediator and adult and child therapist with Pastoral Counseling and Education Center.