How To Get Over
Anxiety - DR SUDESHNA BISWAS
Being held hostage
by anxiety is like being tied up with invisible rope. You feel bound and tied
by irrational fear, which keeps you stuck in neutral, unable to gain any
traction to move forward in life.
Fearing the
worst-case scenario all the time is a self-defeating cognitive snafu that can
have paralyzing effects. Instead of forging ahead in your career or pursuing a
the new relationship, anxiety keeps you stuck as a passive observer instead of an
active participant.
Breaking free of the grip of anxiety is possible.
Luckily, you can
learn how to get over anxiety. Some methods can offer
relief from the excessive worry that holds you prisoner in your own life. Learn
here how to overcome the thought patterns that keep you stuck in the spin cycle
of anxiety.
What Is Anxiety
Disorder?
Chances are, at least one out of every five of your
friends and family members grapple with an anxiety disorder. In fact, with more
than 100 million INDIANS struggling with some sort of anxiety disorder, it is apparent that we are an
anxious nation.
There are several
different types of anxiety disorders, but underlying each of them is a common
feature: fear. Fear of people, places, situations, and objects—pick your
poison. Accompanying the fear is the feeling of having no control over the
fear-inducing situation.
To help
differentiate between the different forms of anxiety disorder, here are some
brief summaries:
Generalized
anxiety disorder (GAD): Excessive and
irrational fear and worry about two issues or more that may cause shortness of
breath, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, and sleep problems.
Socialanxiety: Intense fear of being judged or
rejected by others, causing such symptoms as sweating, blushing, muscle
tension, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and lightheadedness.
Specificphobia: Extreme and unreasonable fear
related to a specific object or situation, causing avoidance behaviors.
Panicdisorder: A sudden, unpredictable episode
that features chest pain, trembling, shortness of breath, nausea, sense of
doom.
Post-traumaticstress disorder (PTSD): A prolonged
response to having experienced or witnessed a traumatic event that features
irritability, flashbacks, insomnia, substance abuse, and avoidance behaviors.
Obsessive-compulsivedisorder (OCD): Alternating cycle of obsessive
fears and compulsive behavioral responses to fear.
How Does
Anxiety Negatively Impact Our Lives?
Fear is a trap that
can keep us from achieving our goals and dreams.
When we wrestle
with an anxiety disorder, it holds us hostage by tricking us into thinking we
aren’t good enough, smart enough, or attractive enough to be worthy of those
goals and dreams.
As a result, we
begin to isolate ourselves, mostly as an avoidance mechanism to protect us from
perceived danger or criticism. From the isolation, we begin to develop other
maladaptive behaviors and thought distortions that only further deteriorate
mental wellbeing.
Anxiety is also
detrimental to our physical health. Chronic stress and worry keep the stress
hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, at elevated levels. This can lead to
increased health risks, such as weight gain, heart disease, digestive issues,
and sleep disturbance.
Change Your
Thoughts and Regulate Anxiety Through CBT
Now for the fun
part, learning how to get over anxiety.
Making the shift
toward healthy, affirmative thoughts will translate to a change in behaviors
associated with anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type ofpsychotherapy that is very useful in helping patients who struggle with anxiety
to make these positive shifts.
CBT helps reduce
anxiety symptoms by changing thought patterns through the following process:
1.
The individual identifies negative
self-talk determines if it is rational or exaggerated, and examines how the
negative self-talk is impacting daily life functioning.
2.
The individual is guided to stop,
consider the present thought, and then choose a more affirming thought to replace the negative
thought with. This is a process that takes time and practice before it becomes
a positive new habit. Journaling, or keeping a “thought diary” can
help sort out the types of thoughts and how they affected the person.
3.
As the positive thoughts replace the
negative ones, the goal is to begin confronting once-fearful situations and
incrementally, through exposure therapy, become desensitized to the fears
associated with them.
Some individuals
are also aided with medication that helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety
through a sedative effect. These medications, called benzodiazepines, should
not be used long term, however, as they have a high risk of leading to
addiction or dependency.
How To Get Over
Anxiety Naturally
There are several
natural techniques that can also help one learn how to get over anxiety.
Holistic practices are increasingly included in the treatment plan for anxiety
recovery due to their stress-regulation properties.
Some of these
include:
- Mindfulness-based meditation
- Deep breathing exercises
- Progressive relaxation exercises
- Yoga
- Aromatherapy
- Journaling
- Cardio exercise
Taking a proactive
stance in alleviating the symptoms of anxiety through CBT and holistic
activities can yield excellent results. Incorporate these practices into daily
life for improved functioning and quality of life.
What methods have
helped you learn how to get over anxiety? Please share with us in a
comment below!
