Anxiety is one of the many emotions (similar to joy, anger, and surprise) we face as humans in our day to day life. It is a common emotion which many individuals may experience some time in their life.
In ancient times, anxiety was not only a normal emotion but a crucial one to help humans to be alert and careful about the dangers, such as predatory animals and others, that were approaching. This awareness to be cautious about the same resulted in a few symptoms, such as an increase in the heart rate, heavy breathing, and heightened sensitivity to surroundings. This emotion helped them to confront the approaching danger or flee, and it is also known as the fight-or-flight response.
It is normal to be anxious during situations, such as exams, job interview, before any public performance, or during any difficult situation you have to cope with. This emotion, which is situation-related, vanishes once the situation is dealt with.
When the normal levels of anxiety are heightened to an extreme that it starts to affect your daily life, that is when it needs medical supervision. When the anxiety lasts much longer than needed, it can lead to a chronic condition termed as Chronic Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
The response of an individual suffering from anxiety in a situation is much more intense than the trigger causing the same. This can be observed in some cases of anxiety known as specific phobias, where a person has an unreasonable and tremendous fear surrounding a particular item or event, such as closed rooms or spiders.
Types of Anxiety Disorders:
Let us go through the various types of anxiety.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: This is one of the most common forms of anxiety disorder. This occurs when a person experiences excessive worry and is concerned regarding everyday life.
- Panic disorders:
Anxiety fueled with continuous fears, nervousness, apprehension and concerns, and situational repeated thoughts may lead to a more severe condition that may occur in bouts (episodes) known as panic attacks. This type of anxiety may be triggered by a specific cause or may occur all of a sudden. The individual goes through an intense episode of anxiety lasting for a certain duration and later becomes normal.
- Agoraphobia: This occurs when an individual suffers from a fear of going into public spaces or facing situations due to the worry of an impending panic attack.
- Social anxiety: This is present when the individual feels uncomfortable and extremely cautious about being in a crowd or going to social events where there are people gathered. This category may also include stage fright, the fear of public speaking, and fear of rejection. This leads to the person to avoid people and, sometimes, can lead to the extreme isolation of self.
- Specific phobias: As discussed before, it is an anxiety condition related to a specific item or of being in a specific situation. Some people exhibit tremendous fear for heights and closed spaces, whereas it is triggered by specific conditions.
Any of these categories of anxiety can cause tremendous mental pressure to an individual, thereby worsening his capabilities while leading day-to-day life. This may eventually lead to sleep difficulties and affect his personal as well as professional life.
In daily life, a person suffering from anxiety may exhibit various symptoms, however, a few of the below are to be looked out if you feel you or someone you know may be suffering from the same.
- Behavioral changes: These include increased irritability and excessive restlessness.
- Cognitive issues: Cognitive problems include repeated thoughts, uncontrollable worry, a lack of concentration, brooding, and persistent racing of thoughts about the future.
- Physical symptoms: These include extreme fatigue, sweating, increased heart rate, giddiness, trembling or heavy breathing, and difficulties in falling or staying asleep.
Treatment for Anxiety and Panic Attacks:
Here are some treatments for anxiety and panic attacks.
- Conventional Treatment for Anxiety and Panic Attacks:
In conventional treatment, the most common treatment for anxiety includes antipsychotic medications, anti-depressants, Benzodiazepine, and beta-blockers.
The conventional medications act as a quick and effective way of treating anxiety episodes. However, the downfall is the dependency of the individual on those medications. Such medications, when taken for the long-term, may be harmful to the individual.
- Homeopathic Treatment for Anxiety and Panic attacks
Homeopathy as an alternative system of medicine is gentle and safe without any side-effects. Homeopathy has a lot to offer in cases of anxiety and panic attacks.
Homeopathy has a great role in helping individuals suffering from anxiety disorders, particularly in the initial stages. Cases that are mild to moderate can be effectively managed with homeopathy. However, cases that are severe and difficult may require an integrated treatment comprising both conventional medications as well as homeopathy.
Homeopathic treatment is holistic which helps to understand the underlying causes and works on the same. The suppressed emotional triggers, fears, and phobias in an individual may be treated at a deeper level with homeopathy.
Management of Anxiety with Therapies:
Therapies, such as counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapies, have been proven to be efficient in treating individuals suffering from anxiety. People, when going through such therapies along with internal medications, show more improvement than just therapies alone.
Therapies help the affected individual to face the fears and underlying issues within them. Individual and family therapies seem to be beneficial in treating some cases.
Some Self-Management Tips for Dealing with Anxiety on a Day-To-Day Basis
Here are some self-management tips to deal with anxiety in daily life.
- Stress Management
Managing daily tasks beforehand with a proper schedule can help to avoid last-minute worry and anxiety.
- Exercise
Regular exercise can help to maintain a positive outlook and promotes the release of feel-good hormones (endorphins).
- Relaxation Techniques
Common relaxation techniques, such as guided meditation, yoga, or journaling, can be helpful to maintain a calmful state of mind.
- Creating and Maintaining a Positive Mental Self-Image
Create and jot down all the negative emotions and feelings you face daily. Next to it write down a positive version of yourself that you want to achieve. Avoiding negative self-talk is an excellent way to create a more positive self-image.
- Support
Talking and letting things out of mind may help when feeling heavy mentally. You may speak about it to your trustworthy friend, family member, or a professional health counselor.
Last but not the least, seeking professional advice for mental health is absolutely normal and very essential for a better living. So, do not hesitate to seek medical attention if you experience any symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks. Homeopathy offers an effective and safe treatment for anxiety without any side-effects. So, if you note any anxiety symptoms or signs of panic attacks affecting you, make no delay in seeking homeopathic treatment for anxiety and panic attacks.
