What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of fear or panic. Feeling generally anxious sometimes is normal. Most people worry about something – money or exams - but once the difficult situation is over, you feel better and calm down. If the problem has gone but the feeling of fear or panic stays or even gets stronger, that’s when anxiety becomes a problem. With as many as one in six young people experiencing anxiety at some point, it is very common to have anxiety.

Symptoms of anxiety 

Feeling frightened, nervous or panicky all the time Getting down or depressed Difficulty sleeping Low appetite Lack of concentration Tired and irritable Palpitations - when your heart feels like its racing Dry mouth Trembling Feeling faint Stomach cramps and/or diarrhea

What causes anxiety?

       Work stress  

      Family and relationship problem       

      Major emotional shock

     Verbal, sexual, emotional or physical abuse 

What to do about anxiety

Take the first step – if you think you are affected by anxiety, talk to your Therapist or friends & family. If your health professional thinks you are suffering from anxiety, they will probably suggest a treatment plan for you to follow. They should catch up with you regularly to see how you’re getting on. Or else you can always consider therapies such as;

.   Relaxation therapy

.   Cognitive behavioral therapy 

Relaxation therapy·        

  •  Learn to manage stress in your life.Keep an eye on pressures and deadlines, and commit to taking time away from study or work       
  •  Learn a variety of relaxation techniques. Information about physical relaxation methods and meditation techniques can be found in book stores and health food shops. Learning how tomeditate can be an effective strategy for combatting anxiety
  •  Practice deep abdominal breathing.This consists of breathing in deeply and slowly through your nose, taking the air right down to your abdomen, and then breathing out slowly and gentlythrough your mouth. Breathing deeply for too long may lead to dizziness from the extra oxygen
  •  Learn to replace "negative self talk" with "coping self talk." Make a list of the negativethoughts you  have, and write a list of positive, believable thoughts to replace them. Replace negative thoughts with  positive ones
  •  Picture yourself successfully facing and conquering a specific fear
  •  Talk with a person who is supportive
  •   Meditat.
  •   Exercise
  •   Take a long, warm bath
  •   Rest in a dark room

Cognitive behavioral therapy

 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely-used therapy for anxiety disorders. Research has shown it to be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, among many other conditions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy addresses negative patterns and distortions in the way we look at the world and ourselves. As the name suggests, this involves two main components:

Cognitive therapy examines how negative thoughts, or cognitions ,contribute to anxiety.Behavior therapy examines how you behave and react insituations that trigger anxiety.For cognitive behavioral therapy consult a Psychologist nearby you.

Ms. Tisya Khari , Psychologist

Contact- tisyakhari@gmail.com

Dr. Gaurav Bansal , Laparoscopic surgeon