Anxiety can be an uninvited guest, overwhelm us and push us to exhaustion. However, it can be easily managed, and even conquered, with the right tools. Whether you’re a school kid or a fresher out of college who is looking for a job opportunities or even an experienced professional, you will feel anxiety at every level of your life. The anxiety levels can vary from person to person and from scenario to scenario.
If you’ve been feeling constantly tense, overthinking every small decision that you have to take, or if you have been avoiding situations out of fear, you’re not alone. According to the National Mental Health Survey, 1 in 5 Indians struggle with anxiety and anxiety related symptoms. At Serene Life Hospital, we help individuals manage anxiety using proven therapies, lifestyle changes, and a personalised approach.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders are not ordinary situations in which the person feels anxious before doing a new task or entering a new environment. Such regular level of anxiety is in fact, a necessary one that propels us to get better. However, these are mental health conditions that cause persistent, overwhelming fear or nervousness often without a clear reason. It could be paralysing and stopping you from performing even your favourite tasks. Most people experiencing anxiety disorders can’t even complete basic tasks like getting out of the home or answer a phone call. The severity of the disorders vary from person to person.
Some of the Common Anxiety Disorders
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): A person suffering from GAD constantly worries about day-to-day life.
Panic Disorder: This often strikes people in unexpected times and could be a cause of fear or panic attacks.
Social Anxiety: This fear of being judged in social settings can lead to people staying away from social gatherings and meeting new people.
Phobias: Intense and irrational fear of specific objects or situations can be termed as phobias.
OCD and PTSD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are also other forms of anxiety related disorders that can be crippling and are hence, often grouped under anxiety-related conditions.
How to Break Free from Anxiety
In case of extreme levels of anxiety that keeps you from performing normally, you need to work with experienced mental health professionals. At Serene Life Hospital, we have some of the best psychologists in Chennai who would be able to provide you with the right support. Otherwise, you can follow simple steps and deal with your problems.
Understand Your Triggers before Reacting
At times, your anxiety could be triggered by a simple thought or a few words that puts you under stress. In other cases, it could also be certain situations that are otherwise easy to adjust to. In order to manage your stress, you need to know the list of things that are inducing stress for you.
Keep a daily log of thoughts, situations, actions or even words that are making you feel uncomfortable and triggering an anxiety response in you. It is easier said than done. In order to maintain a journal of these details you need to be mindful of yourself and your surroundings. You can practice any meditation technique or mindfulness and awareness techniques that work for you.
Breathe and Ground Yourself Proactively
For most people, proper breathing exercise can ground them and remove unnecessary fears and anxiety. Mostly shallow breathing can cause anxiety in people. So, consciously changing the breathing pattern can break your anxiety and help your compose.
Joining yoga or meditation classes can help you to learn breathing techniques and help you to practice them on a daily basis.
Reframe Your Negative Thoughts
Another important cause of anxiety disorder can constant negative thoughts in general and a negative outlook about life. It is a challenge to reframe your negative thoughts. However, it is easier to replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts by wishful thinking.
You can practice Cognitive Behavioural Therapy using journaling or even access professional medical support at our mental hospital in Chennai.
Move Your Body Regularly
High cortisol levels in your body can also be a reason for anxiety. However, cortisol level can be reduced with physical activity. So, exercising and walking in the sunlight for a few minutes every day can help you to reduce the high cortisol level in your body.
Weight training and gym workouts have shown to reduce the high cortisol levels in your body. If you are not able to find a reliable and comfortable gym, then even a 20 minute brisk walk or jogging can help you to reduce the anxiety.
Follow a Predictable and Fixed Routine
Uncertainties can also be a cause of anxiety. In order to reduce the randomness in your life, you can follow a proper schedule in your life and make it easy for you to manage your stress and anxiety. Go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day.
This not only makes it easier for you to predict the outcomes but also reassures you with a planned set of events.
Be Mindful of What You Consume
What you eat plays an important role in how you feel. Similarly what information you put in your brain has a significant impact on your mental health. Stay away from social media that could trigger you. Mindless scrolling and consumption of Instagram reels or YouTube shorts can create a fear of missing out and put you at a disadvantaged position.
If you follow these steps, you should be able to manage your anxiety levels. Even after this, if you find it hard to counter the anxiety, then immediately seek support from a mental health professional. Contact us for a free consultation regarding anxiety disorder.
