Anxiety | How to cope with it

Often, we tend to feel anxious during certain stressful situations. Maybe you are studying for a significant test, preparing to undertake a massive project at work, or handling uneasy before getting your medical test results. All of these situations could potentially make us truly anxious because there’s a lot at stake here, and hence it is expected. 

Feeling worried in the face of stressful events can induce anxiousness, which we all feel from time to time. However, this feeling is not permanent and tends to dissipate afterwards. On the other hand, anxiety is so much more than just butterflies in the gut for those dealing with it. It is something they have to live with always.

What are anxiety disorders?

When a person feels anxious and fearful constantly without any apparent reason, in a way which might be interfering with their daily life, it is called an anxiety disorder. They are classified as:

• Social Anxiety Disorder: An extreme fear of others judging you.
• Panic Disorder: When a person experiences recurring and sudden panic attacks.
• Separation-anxiety Disorder: The fear of being away from one’s loved ones/home.
• Phobia: Extreme fear of an object/situation/activity.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Performing certain illogical behaviours repeatedly due to a recurring thought.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Anxiety after a stressful event.

What do the symptoms look like?

A person can be experiencing one or more of the conditions as mentioned above. Although the symptoms for anxiety varies from person to person, here a few common ones that people might be experiencing:
 

• Rapid breathing
• Restlessness
• Increased heart rate
• Difficult in concentrating
• Trouble falling asleep
• Twitching of muscles
• Feelings of panic and danger
   

This list is not exhaustive since each person experiences symptoms differently.

What causes such symptoms?

Now that we know what it looks like to have an anxiety disorder, let’s understand why it might be responsible for it. Unfortunately, doctors haven’t completely figured out a single-most factor that causes anxiety. It is believed to be caused by traumatic experiences triggering in people prone to it.

Genetics may also play a part in deciding if an individual will develop an anxiety disorder. A person may also be going through more than one mental illness like depression, which can worsen the condition further. If you or a loved one is experiencing anything that is mentioned above, please make sure to seek professional help. 

Managing Anxiety

As important as it is to seek therapy and anxiety-medication if required, it is also advisable that people bring small changes in their lifestyle to deal with the symptoms preparedly. Here are a few at-home techniques that might help:

Exercising: Try to maintain a routine that gets you moving.

Relaxation: Meditation, yoga, are all great ways to bring your thoughts to a halt.

Avoid caffeine: It can worsen your anxiety.

Avoid recreational drugs: Since they might increase your anxiety.

Having anxiety can be overwhelming and challenging to deal with alone, but implementing positive changes and therapy and the support of close ones, can help the overpowering grip that it can otherwise have. 

Yours in self-care,

Adrian Wilk