Anxiety Tips

You feel your heart begin to beat wildly in your chest as you break into a cold sweat and have trouble catching your breath; is this a heart attack or panic attack? Your first thought is that it's a heart attack since you have an impending feeling of doom which you may even have felt before your attack began. This makes your heart beat even faster and you become so overwhelmed that the feeling gets even worse until you begin to feel light-headed or maybe even pass out. This is a panic attack.

When you suffer from anxiety, the slightest thing can trigger a panic attack and some can be so intense that you can't imagine it being anything other than looming death. It's very common for those having an anxiety attack to mistake it for a heart attack and this fear is enough to just take over and really wreak havoc on your heart rate, but no matter how fast your heart beats or how panicked you feel; you are not having a heart attack and this episode will not kill you.

One thing that will prove helpful in dealing with this is learning the differences between the two:

Signs of a Heart Attack:

1. Pressure in the Chest (described as feeling like there is an elephant sitting on your chest).

2. Chest pain - note that this is not always present.

3. Sweating.

4. Shortness of breath.

5. Pain in the right arm.

6. Pain in the back or shoulder blades for women.

7. Nausea or vomiting.

Panic attack symptoms include:

1. Increased heart rate.

2. Sharp or stabbing chest pain that lasts only 5 to 10 seconds.

3. Pain that is localized to one small area.

4. Pain that usually occurs at rest.

5. Pain that accompanies anxiety.

6. Pain that is relieved or worsened when you change positions.

7. Pain that can be reproduced or worsened by pressing over the area of pain.

The bottom line: Be vigilant and get checked out promptly.

“Self-examination is the key to insight, which is the key to wisdom”. As the quote states, examinations are more of a check for your comprehending ability and memory power. Stress and anxiety are natural emotions which are attached to it. But, overcoming it with courage and optimism is all that matters. Ideally, stress occurs due to many factors, such as if you are not able to cope up with the studies, family or school pressure. In fact, it is completely normal to feel that you are the only person who is experiencing this muddle. So, try to imagine more with positive thoughts like you becoming a school topper. Visualize your life with a bigger picture, with you leading a good and happy life. Remember, exams are important but this is not the only way to become successful in future. The more you are confident about yourself, the easier it becomes to crack the exams.

Now, let’s break this process into two phases

• First is how you prepare yourself to study
• Second is preparing yourself to face the exam.

Before proceeding with the guidelines, it is very important to know your strengths and acknowledging your weaknesses.

Phase 1 - Tips to study

• Set small achievable goals: This will help you to reach your milestones in a smart way.
• Take notes: Writing boosts up your memory power especially if you a slow learner.
• Don’t lose confidence: Even if you find hard to learn something, do not give up. Keep trying day by day.
• Use diagrams: A picture is worth than a thousand words. The more you represent the lessons in drawings, the more you remember it easily.
• Set time and read: This will help you in time management during the examination.
• Do combine studies with friends: This gives more space for learning new things.

Phase 2 - Facing the Exams

• Avoid last minute preparations. It will disturb your confidence levels.
• Keep all the required things ready the day before the exams.
• Don’t ever compromise on health and sleep. Good sleep and nutritional food are important to boost up your physical strength.
• Refrain comparing yourself to others. Every individual is unique.
• Don’t think about the failures. Learn to embrace them and you will shine big in the future.
• Failures are part of success. Remember this in every struggle.

Stay away from the social media and gadget distractions as much as possible. Relax by talking with your friends. Funny conversations keep you engaged, energetic and focused. Challenges are a must in life, exams are one among them. So, face it with all your heart, for it will make you a better person in future. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A panic attack can start suddenly and may be caused due a variety of reasons. A patient of depression and anxiety usually goes through such attacks. The symptoms of these attacks include sudden and persistent fear, the feeling of losing control, the feeling of having a heart attack, palpitations problem, sweating, dizzy spells and more. It has been medically proven that most adults go through at least one or more panic attacks in their lifetime.

Here are a few ways in which one can stop a panic attack:

1. Recognise the Signs: Take note of the symptoms. From a feeling of choking to detachment, losing control, surreal experiences, dizzy spells, nausea, pain in the abdomen and chills, to tremors, and a fear of facing death, there are many symptoms that can put your body in a fight or flight response where things may suddenly seem terrifying, and without any reason at that.
2. Breath Control: Learn to control your breathing as soon as you begin to experience the symptoms. This will help in distraction even as it soothes and calms you down, thus forcing you to think rationally about the fear and helplessness that you are suddenly experiencing. Sit down with your knees bent and let your shoulders relax.
3. Relaxation Techniques: Learn and practice a few relaxation techniques during times like these. This may include simple things like rubbing your neck and more focused activities like talking to yourself and meditating.
4. Continuation: Remember to hold your breath, let it out, and then carry on with the activity that you had set out to do. If you stop what you were doing, then the message going to your brain is loud and clear and you will panic even further. But if you relax and zone out before letting yourself go about the chore, however robotically, then it will have a positive effect on the messages that are sent to your brain.
5. Medication: In the event that you are not able to fully control and relax yourself and your thoughts, then you may want to see a psychiatrist who can prescribe specific medication that will help in relaxing you. Sedatives and antidepressants may also be prescribed for patients who are going through severe episodes of panic with debilitating symptoms.
6. Differentiate between Stress and Panic: Many times, we may feel like we are panicking, yet this may simply be a way of going through stress. It is important to focus on recognising events and reactions as stress or panic.

Not allowing yourself run away from a situation is a sure shot way of dealing with panic as this condition the brain to be more accepting and resilient. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

While being shy in unfamiliar conditions and with unknown people is normal for many people, it is considered a disorder when it starts to interfere with your life and stops you from seeking out new opportunities, meeting people or generally living your life to the fullest. The primary cause for this in most people is the fear of judgment or evaluation in the eyes of the others. Social anxiety may thus interfere with your personal as well as professional goals. Some of the ways you can take care of this problem are mentioned below.

1. Take help from counseling or therapy: Some people may have serious issues interacting with other people in a social setting or have a fear of the stage although they want to get into public speaking and performance. In such cases, you may need to take the help of a doctor as it becomes necessary in order to be able to fulfill your professional goals.
2. Have certain objective goals: One of the ways to overcome social anxiety disorder is to be able to achieve certain objective goals, even in social situations where there is no performance pressure. Say for example if you are with a group of people where you feel anxious, make two or three fruitful comments in your opinion in the group. This way, when you feel your voice is heard, it will help reduce social anxiety.
3. Slowly expose yourself to incremental anxiety situations: One of the best ways to overcome anxiety is to expose yourself regularly to situations that may make you uncomfortable. You can write down a series of situations which have increased your level of anxiety. You can then expose yourself to the situation that scares you the least repeatedly until you become habituated to it. Then you can slowly move up the list and conquer each one of the socially fearful settings, one by one.
4. Deep breathing and meditation: Meditation has been seen to clear up your mind and embolden you to face difficult situations. Practicing it daily can definitely help you overcome social anxiety. Even before you are about to engage in a large social or public gathering, deep breathing helps relax your muscles and also enables you to become calmer, thus reducing social anxiety.
5. Self-help manuals: There are a lot of manuals out there which are meant to help you deal with your social anxiety; whether it is in general, with public speaking or in a room full of guests in an informal setting. Generally, these are used in conjunction with therapy from a professional, but you can try certain self-help books which can guide you through a detailed process and help you deal with the social anxiety that you may face in certain situations.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Today’s most commonly searched keyword in google is “Anxiety or Depression or  Stress“. Why are these terms suddenly becoming important in our modern life? Reason may be factors like our disordered lifestyle, Influence of modern gadgets, excessive use of Internet, social media, diet, nuclear family, environment, toxin accumulation, exercise levels etc. 

If we try to understand this disorders in a layman's language;

Anxiety /fear is a mental disturbance caused by overthinking about “Future” ex: fear about exams, interviews, Job security, maintaining relationship, career, financial risks etc

Stress/Tension is a mental disturbance caused by overthinking about “Present ex: achieving goal, commitments, pressure to meet schedules, running behind goals, race against time etc 

Depression/Worry is a mental disturbance caused by overthinking about “Past” ex: failure in exams, relationship failure, death in the family, loss of money /business etc.

As the body and mind are interconnected, these mental factors also influence body functions by creating health issues and discomforts.In medical terms this is called as "psychosomatic diseases".

Ayurveda Approach

In Ayurveda, these mental factors are directly linked with the  characteristics of 5 energy elements  in the name of Vata (Ether and Air), Pitta (Fire and Water) and Kapha (Water and Earth) called as Tridosha. Tridhosa is the driving forces behind everything happening from creation to death at atomic to cosmic level in this universe. 

Tridosha

• Vata - a movement principle exhibits the qualities of Air/Wind in the characteristics of an individual like creativity, artistry, energetic, inspiration, enthusiasm, intuitive behaviors. But if the air energy is imbalanced they show up nervousness, anxiety, fearfulness, weirdness, manic, insecurity, negative dreams, suicidal behaviors. Similarly, at body level it causes sleeplessness (Insomnia), headache, palpitation, tiredness, joint pain, constipation etc   
• Pitta - a transformation principle exhibits the qualities of Fire/Sun in the characteristic of an individual like leadership, commanding, ambitious, Sharpness, clear thoughts. But if imbalanced, it displays stress, anger, hypertension, irritation, judgmental, controlling, violent behaviors. Similarly, at body level it causes acidity, heartburn, skin irritation, blood pressure, excessive hunger, thirst, fever etc·       
• Kapha – a stability and cohesive principle exhibits the quality of water/ Moon in the characteristic of an individual like patience, generosity, peacefulness, nurturing, love, loyalty, compassionate behaviors. But if imbalanced, it displays depression, worry, stubbornness, possessiveness, holding grudges, attachment to objects, selfish characters. Similarly, at body level it causes slow digestion, nauseousness, obesity, dullness, lethargy, water retention etc.

According to Ayurveda, health is not merely considered to be a state of freedom from ailments or diseases, but rather a state of enjoying uninterrupted physical, mental and spiritual happiness and fulfillment.  Ayurveda considers any treatment with a holistic approach to cure both body and mind. 

So Ayurveda approach for treating such mental imbalance would be, a  combination of any of the below mention solution based on the individual's body and mind constitutions analyis (our body is made up different ratio or combination of five elements):

Solutions

1. Daily Routine (Lifestyle Change)
2. Taste and Dietary Recommendation
3. Oil Massages / Abhayanga and  Shirodhara Treatment
4. Yoga and Meditation
5. Herbal Supplements
6. Ayurveda Medicine
7. Panchakarma Treatment (Detoxification Therapy) 

Prevention is better than cure. All these solutions can also be followed by a healthy individual if he wants to balance his body and mind in a natural way.

Life is filled different kinds of challenges, where it tends to test people’s resolve, determination and will power for enabling them live up to all those challenges. Still, there are some, which can become so overbearing that it seems to be impossible for one to move on. So, a psychologist can be of great help in those situations, who can make people feel that help is available from where they can get solutions to whatever life throws at them.

Reasons Which Tend To Lead People Towards Psychologists
Let us see some of those situations that lead people to the psychologists:

1. Stress and Anxiety:
There are certain facets of life, which become very stressful and a number of situations, from an interview for job to problems in relationship, can really cause people to feel extremely anxious. Now, this kind of stress and anxiety, if left alone can lead to depression, isolation from the society and a range of other problems.

2. Loss:
Everyone knows that death is inevitable in life but still this fact does not allow people to deal with this easily. Each and every individual handles the loss of their loved ones in their own manner. To grieve openly about the loss is common but if one avoid the realities of loss, then that could result in problems which could linger.

3. Depression:
Some of the common signs of depression are overwhelming feelings of helplessness. Depression is a very common disorder where people lose interest in things, feel fatigued and also face trouble in controlling their emotions.

4. Phobias:
Some people are afraid of heights or any kind of insects, which are quite common but we also come across some, who have fears which tend to be completely unfounded or uncalled for. These can create some seriously problems in one’s life.

5. Addictions:
Unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking and drug abuse are often taken as refuge for moving away from problems in life. Over a period of time, these habits develop into addictions and completely ruin one’s life from all quarters, financially as well as personally. Psychologist can come to the rescue of all these people and help them lead a healthy life. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on the bright side of life.A person with positive thinking anticipates happiness, health and success, further believes that he/she can overcome any obstacle.

How to use positive thinking in life?

1. You need to be more than just aware of about your existence, and adopt an attitude of positive thinking in everything you do.
2. Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. So make an effort to have positive self talk which uplifts your overall health and wellbeing.

Health benefits of positive thinking

Various health benefits that positive thinking include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during times of stress

Various simple tips you can inculcate in your life and become more positive:

1. Meditate

Meditating might just be the best way to clear negativity from your life and bring about emotional and spiritual recovery. Meditation rejuvenates the mind, makes us more resilient, and rids the body of harmful chemicals that cause stress and anxiety; it centers us.

2. Be Thankful

Innumerable studies have proven that gratitude makes us happier.

3. Be Kind

Just like with gratitude, kindness has also been proven to make us happier and less stressed.

4. Take Time for Yourself

Do at least one pleasurable activity which helps you relax you mind and body and thus enriches your soul.

5. Stress Less

Imagine stress as fire, and all other negative and unhealthy conditions such as sadness, anger, sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, and addiction as the smoke.

6. Give yourself positive affirmation

Tell yourself at least once a day that you are beautiful, talented, or just awesome. Do this for a while and you will come to believe it.

7. Follow a healthy lifestyle. 

Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes daily, as it enhance our overall wellbeing.

Mood swings right after the birth of a baby are quite common. Though these are the least severe variants of post-partum depression, it is crucial not to ignore the changes that are taking place in your body. Most women feel perplexed about what they can do to combat the sadness that has taken over after a joyous and happy event of welcoming a new bundle of joy into the family. About 70 to 80% of new mothers go through some kind of negative feelings and sudden bouts of depression and sadness after the birth of a child.

Symptoms of baby blues
Often, the symptoms of baby blues hit forcibly within four to five days of childbirth, though in some cases they can occur even earlier, depending on how the birthing process went. Some of the most common symptoms of post-partum anxiety include impatience and irritability, sudden urge for weeping, restlessness, fatigue and stress and a lack of concentration along with mood changes and insomnia, even when the baby is fast asleep.

How to combat the symptoms
You will be able to deal with this post-partum phase by taking a good care of yourself. You can take several measure to make yourself feel at ease, particularly when you are faced with the worst bouts of baby blues. You can speak with someone you trust regarding how you feel and what you feel like doing. It is crucial to maintain a well regulated diet, and though this is always important, having a baby increases the probability of causing mood swings.

You can also maintain a journal to note down your feelings and emotions, as it helps in venting out negative thoughts. You can go outside and enjoy some fresh air and enjoy the life that exists beyond your new routine of feeding, changing diapers and caring for the newborn. Sometimes, being exposed to a different view can make a great difference. You should not pressurize yourself for achieving perfection for the first few weeks. Slowly, things would fall in place and before you know it, you will have adjusted yourself to the new routine.

It is crucial to bear in mind that you are not alone with your thoughts and feelings as these things are faced by mothers across the world. But it is vital to note here that if your indications don’t seem to subside even after a few weeks, it can be a sign of a more serious health issue and you may need to be diagnosed by an expert. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Panic disorder or panic attacks are common among people. We have come across this term many times before in our lives. So this article will deal with panic attacks and more about them.

What is panic disorder?
A panic attack is a sudden intense wave of extreme fear or anxiety which comes unexpectedly without any prior warning. There may not be any definite reason for the attack. It can also arrive when you are sleeping. The panic episodes usually stop after one but some people experience continuous episodes as well. Panic attacks are very dangerous to experience and it gives you a feeling of losing control or having a heart attack. A person who experiences panic attacks more often is said to have panic disorders.

Symptoms of panic disorder:
There are many important and identifiable symptoms related to Panic attacks and disorders. Let us have a look-

• Feeling or a sense of great danger and panic will arrive all of a sudden. The person may feel that he or she is dying.
• Critical fear of loss in control or even a feeling of death or heart attack.
• Individuals facing a panic attack may tremble or become shaky and will sweat a lot. It will become hard for them to walk. Palpitations are very common symptoms of these.
• It becomes hard to breathe and you will feel a sense of choking in the neck.
• Chest pain, severe headache, feeling of nausea will follow the panic attacks or many people can even experience them beforehand.

Causes for panic disorder:
There is no particular or an absolutely certain cause for a panic disorder. But there are some common ones which we will talk about.

• Panic disorder can be inherited genetically from the parents. If anyone of the parents has the tendency to panic disorders, then the child may also get the disorder.
• Major stress in someone's life can result in a panic disorder. The mind needs to be fresh and active in a peaceful state as well. So when it gets too much stressed with something, panic attacks arrive.
• Sometimes, panic attacks can even occur when there is a medical disorder in your brain.
• Hypoglycemia or the condition of low blood sugar can also result in a panic attack in many individuals.
• Many people experience panic attacks because of the overuse of stimulants like drugs, caffeine etc.

Some quick tips 
Panic attacks are sudden and unexpected. But there are a few things which you can do to prevent yourself from facing such a disorder.

• Avoid smoking & drinking
• Educate yourself on how to deal with stress 
• Learn to control your breath will also feel you in such situations.
• Try to learn relaxation techniques that will help you to relax at the time of a panic attack.

If no improvement with these tips meet a psychiatrist. He can provide treatment in form of either psychotherapy (counseling) or medicines (which are safe and effective). In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Depression in children and young people affect people from ages 5 to 18. About one in four children in India suffer from childhood depression. Boys and girls up to the age of 10 and 16 respectively, are more prone to depression. As per the report released by WHO, among 10 South-East Asian countries, India has the highest suicide rate. An estimated rate of suicide per 1 lakh population of the age group of 15-29 is 35.5 percent.

Definition and Signs 
According to Thompson (1995), depression is an overall lowering of normal functions which is not specific to any one component of the mind. Clinically, the signs and symptoms of depression have the following components:

1. Mood Changes: sadness, irritability, sense of loss of interest even in cherished activities
2. Cognitive changes: inefficient thinking, poor self-esteem, a feeling of hopelessness, loss of concentration, poor attention span, indecisiveness. Rarely, suicidal tendencies, delusions, hallucinations.
3. Physical changes: low energy, apathy, tiredness, increase or decrease in appetite, disturbed sleep, low emotional responsiveness. Children in primary school stage may report of headaches and stomach aches, limb pain.
4. Impairment in personal and/or social functioning: Self-harm, deterioration in school work without any specific reason, sudden and persistent levels of aggression and irritability.

Causes:

1. Marital or family disharmony
2. Divorce and separation
3. Physical and sexual abuse
4. Domestic violence
5. Problems at school: bullying, social isolation, exam failure
6. Severe personal assault
7. Children with parents suffering from depression

Diagnosis of Childhood Depression
Any child suffering from symptoms of depression for at least 2 weeks, should be scheduled to visit his health care provider. Parents and guardians should eliminate any physical reasons for the symptoms before visiting a mental health professional. There are no specific medical or psychological tests that can clearly diagnose childhood depression. Following measures can help to make an accurate diagnosis:

1. Questionnaires for both the child and parents.
2. Interviews and study of the patient's history by a mental health professional.
3. Information from friends, teachers, and classmates can be useful to detect early symptoms of childhood depression.

Treatment

• To alleviate depressive disorder
• To reduce concurrent related conditions like ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and learning disabilities
• To promote normal social and emotional development and school performance
• Relieve family distress
• To prevent or reduce the risk of relapse

Psychological therapy is the first line of treatment and includes:

1. Cognitive behavioural therapy in group and individual format
2. Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on interpersonal issues like interpersonal conflicts, grief and loss and its effect on current feelings and problems
3. Psychodynamic child psychotherapy where children are given a way to express their issues through playing, drawing, talking
4. Family therapy deals with solving family-related issues and management of crisis
5. Art therapy is an approach to vent out your negative feelings using creative expression as an outlet.
6. Guided self-help helps you in understanding the core of the problems and finding ways to manage the same with the help of a professional.
7. Relaxation and self-modelling can go a long way in dealing with depression. Relaxation techniques like exercising, meditating and yoga help your mind soothe and reduce stress and anxiety which in turn elevates the mood and reduces depression.
8. Counselling has help people overcome loneliness and discuss the things that make them feel low openly. This helps in seeking a solution for that particular cause.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!