It’s a cold winter evening, and I am working on my laptop, constantly worried about something (that’s just me). My little one is watching her favorite animation series, The Lion Guard. I am half-focused on my writing and half on the surrounding sounds, including the cacophony of the various characters and their emotional exclamations of the serial. Suddenly the zebras on the screen scream – Panic and Run! Panic and Run! Panic and Run!

All my alarm bells go ringing! WHY?… because this sounds familiar – in fact – THIS IS ME… the ever-present and constant feeling I experience every second of my waking life – ‘PANIC AND RUN!’

This is the most dreaded yet familiar bane of urban modern-day city life – ANXIETY.

Anxiety: What does it feel like on a regular day?

It feels like the fear of the unknown. The feeling of being confused and not knowing what to do next, yet feeling like you forget to do something urgently. The feeling of being unable to figure out what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what will happen next?

Sometimes you may wake up middle of the night with a deep feeling of sadness, loss, or uncertainty. You feel like a lump in your throat and a pit in your stomach. You experience irrational fear of losing control, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, unexplained and shifting aches and pains, and overbearing thoughts and beliefs that are difficult to control.

Feeling worried constantly but don’t know why? When you sometimes panic and feel anxious but do not know the reason? That is ANXIETY.

Common Triggers

Anxiety is triggered by stress, confusion, trauma, and many more… You feel anxious: – 

When things go Wrong:

When things don’t work out as planned, that triggers Anxiety. You start to think about what went wrong or what you could have done differently to make things right. 

When things go Right

Sometimes you feel anxious even when things go exactly as planned! Surprised, huh! 

Yes, you heard that right. When you do something which happens precisely as you planned, that also causes Anxiety because you didn’t expect it would work so smoothly, and when it did, you start doubting whether you followed the right path.

When you feel performance pressure

When you are under performance pressure or taking a test, you start to get nervous and feel anxious about meeting people’s expectations or whether you will pass the test with flying colors. 

Even when you have achieved your target:

In many instances, you have finished doing something you planned or achieved a target and are hopeful this will end well. But that’s when Anxiety kicks in!!!

Why? Because now you don’t know what to do next!! You haven’t planned what is to be done next, and that’s what creates panic. 

It is normal to feel anxious in stressful situations. Still, sometimes when it reaches a level beyond your control, it is an indicator of something serious that’s difficult to deal with. This is when feelings become excessive and interfere with daily living. It disturbs your ability to function normally – This is when it could be a more severe issue, i.e., an ANXIETY DISORDER.

What do Anxiety Disorders look like in everyday life?

Contrary to popular belief, it could look like a standard but nagging issue. Sometimes it is accorded to a general ‘temperamental’ problem. It seems like and relates to something very mundane – like insisting on keeping the TV remote in a particular place; or urging to do a specific task only in a certain fashion. Like feeling nervous before an Interview, like feeling sad about something happening/not happening.

These things are daily and do not warrant that you suffer from Disorders. It is only when they go to an excessive level of becoming unhealthy Obsessions and Phobias that it starts getting murkier. Anxiety Disorders can take various forms. Let’s take a look: – 

Social Anxiety Disorder

Stage Fear, Introversion, Being Shy, or Being Asocial are all common forms of hesitation. But they don’t necessarily qualify as a Disorder. This is considered a disorder when you get excessively concerned about facing people. When the fear of meeting people gets serious to the extent of ‘Situational Paralysis,.’ You freeze on stage and in social situations and hope you disappear from the face of the earth! This is when you should consider it serious.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The most common form and yet the most difficult to recognize. This is because it is generally branded as a personal trait. Statements like ‘Oh, He is a cleanliness freak,’ ‘She is a slave of the Clock,’ or ‘He is very particular about certain things’ – all could be red flags of the person suffering from an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Preferring things in a certain way is normal, but insisting on it and going bonkers if they don’t go as per charter, is a qualifier for OCD.

Panic Disorder

Panic at its worst. You don’t just panic and experience symptoms similar to a Heart Attack! 

Yes, you read it right. Your presumed midnight heart attack could well be a Panic attack instead. Shortness of breath, Heart Palpitations, chest pain, abdominal pain, sweaty palms, and hot flushes are the physical manifestations of a Panic attack. In addition, you suddenly feel numb, lost, and disoriented. This is panic in its worst form.

GAD or General Anxiety Disorder

Your Anxiety with excessive and unhealthy intensity is GAD. It is unrealistic and exaggerates worry and tension for very little or no reason.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE
If you or anyone you know needs help and support please reach out to a crisis resources center near your area.
Seeking help is human and it is the first step to recovery.

Phobias 

Most phobias are nothing but your excessive fear of a particular thing. Fear, in general, is experienced by everyone, but when it’s crippling enough to stop you from general functioning, it’s worth a review.

Okay then, we now know it is terrible. And what makes it worse is our Minds and thoughts. So, what do you do to get your life back?

What can be done to control Anxiety?

It is hard to unlearn what we have trained our minds to believe and behave. So, it is going to be hard work to rewire your brain. But let me also tell you, the rewards are worth the labor. Although Anxiety cannot be eliminated, and sometimes it is good for you, you can take steps to control it to a large extent.

Practice Grounding

Grounding or earthing is typically used in the context of electrical circuits, but it is just as relevant in the human-nature relationship too. Connecting to the electrical charges of the earth has a calming effect on your body.

Walking barefoot, lying on the ground or grass, and wading in shallow waters are simple yet effective ways of grounding.

Life Style Changes

All our emotions are by-products of chemical reactions in our brains. And the good news is you can control it mainly by keeping a balanced diet and life. Make time for walks, recreation, friends, exercise, healthy eating, and sleeping. Avoid too many stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc.

Stress Management

Managing stress helps you get in charge of your emotions. Mindfulness & Meditation can help to calm your mind and control anxiety levels. Yoga is terrific for a restless mind. 

When to reach out for help?

ANYTIME. 

Reach out for help anytime you feel your symptoms are bogging you down or are getting intense, so much so that it’s crippling your sanity. Shying away from social stigma or overthinking the consequences is only going to make it worse. 

So, reach out even if it may feel like a false alarm. It’s okay to be wrong in your diagnosis. It’s better to be safe than sorry. The point is DO REACH OUT BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE.

Try reaching out for help while you still can!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE
If you or anyone you know needs help and support please reach out to a crisis resources center near your area.
Seeking help is human and it is the first step to recovery.

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