Learning to be mindful and appreciating the present moment are aspects of life that humans do not focus on enough. Stress and anxiety are prevalent in today's society and there are ways to handle the day-to-day problems one faces. There are practical actions one can employ to lower their stress levels like deep breathing and even eating slowly.

Ed Lacheta (La-Het-Ah) is the Clinical Director for Shelby County Community Services, Mental Health. Lacheta wants the community to understand that stress has been high in the past years, stress is common, and it is important how we respond to that stress.

There has been a large increase in cases of anxiety and struggling mental health. Prior to the pandemic, about 20% of people have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. As of 2021 diagnosed depression and anxiety increased by 61%. These numbers mean in one's lifetime there is a 40% chance of developing a mood-related illness. Stigmas related to mental health were common in the past, Lacheta notes that acceptance of these illnesses leads to more cases.

Lacheta explains that out of the 196 countries in the world, the United States ranks 39th in health, saying there are third-world countries where, per capita, there are more healthy people. How can this be when the US. Is one of the leaders in access to healthcare? Lacheta cites the experts saying this is a trauma response from years of tough times for many.

But Lacheta gives seven easy steps to add to one's daily schedule that might be dealing with daily stress. These are Ed Lacheta’s tips to “chill out” and be mindful: Eat slowly, eating slowly allows for your bodily functions to digest food properly while taking extra time to enjoy your meal. Avoid Multitasking, this will more quickly stress out an individual rather than completing one task at a time. Listen, listening first to a conversation and not planning a response will cause one to have more in-depth conversations and relationships. Making a routine, and having times of the day one can focus on will prove to be effective for mindfulness. Mix it up, change small things during your day like taking a different route home, to see a different perspective, Give your thoughts and feelings names, one can objectify the feeling by giving it a name, making less stress fall on the individual. The final piece of advice is to breathe deeply, many people have shallow breaths and do not get the necessary oxygen they need.

Ed Lacheta appeared on the WTIM Morning Show in Shelbyville as a guest.