Anxiety Disorder: the missed illness – Management

Mar 08, 2015 News

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By Dr Zulfikar Bux
Anxiety as stated in last week’s article, is an illness of our mind. It puts our mind in overdrive and we are

constantly worrying about matters of life. The issues arise when we can’t control our thoughts and over time our continued anxiety causes mental and medical health problems. Anxiety sufferers are often confused of what’s happening with them. Some may visit doctors frequently, while others suppress their mind by abuse of medication, drugs, other substances, or even commit suicide.
There are different management strategies for anxiety and successful anxiety sufferers tend to devise coping mechanisms on their own mostly based on the following principles.
RECOGNIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE ANXIETY DISORDER
This is the first and most important step in anxiety management. Diagnosing anxiety is not straightforward. Some suffers were successful on their own by reading articles on anxiety and realizing they have a similar condition. Others were fortunate enough to be diagnosed by a physician experienced in anxiety management.  Either way, you can’t overcome your anxiety unless you accept that you are suffering from it. Once you accept that you have anxiety, you should also come to peace with the reality of it becoming a lifelong battle. There is no cure for anxiety, but there are effective and successful coping mechanisms.
WORRY, BUT THEN LET IT GO
A feature of anxiety is the mind constantly worrying. It’s important to know that your mind will want to worry. Accept that and then practice the “don’t listen method”.  Whenever a worrying matter comes to your mind, give it the respect and think about it for about 15 minutes. Once it re-presents itself in your mind, do not give it attention. Accept that your anxious mind is working and do not listen to it a second time. Ignore the worrying issue. Once you do this, you will prevent the complication of you worrying recurrently about the same issue.
BE POSITIVE
Anxiety suffers tend to get drowned in their worrying mind and become depressed. When this is happening, picture a STOP sign in your mind. Once you have stopped the worrying, breathe and bring positive thoughts in your thinking. It may be a happy memory of someone, something or an achievement. Whatever makes you happy, think about it constantly. Remind yourself at least five times daily for the rest of your life that you have control of your life and you will make something great of it. Again, be positive.
DAILY EXERCISE
Exercise is one of the best ways to relax your body. Do it preferably in the morning to get your heart rate going and your body sweating. When you’re relaxed, it becomes easier to confront the day ahead of you.
LEARN WHAT TRIGGERS YOUR ANXIETY
It may be the boss at work, or a colleague, or a fear of you making a mistake in front of everyone. It may even be multiple factors. Whatever it is, write a list of your triggers and come up with a plan of addressing each of them one by one. Do not overwhelm yourself and address all at once. Build a routine plan and combat the easiest first, then slowly move up to the most difficult. Remember to be positive and know you can overcome each and every one of them.
EAT WELL
Do not skip meals. An empty stomach is an invitation for the anxious mind to become active. Eat well balanced meals, less processed, more natural. Limit/ avoid alcohol and caffeine which can aggravate/ trigger anxiety attacks.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
At least 7-9 hours of rest per night. When you sleep your mind is reprogrammed. The worries are slowly suppressed and your stress level comes down. If you are in bed worrying and cannot sleep, then do something to distract your mind and make you fall asleep. Reading a book may be a good way to start.
ENTERTAIN HUMOUR
Being around people who make you laugh or by making yourself laugh helps to curb your anxious mind.
ACCEPT THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL EVERYTHING.
Put your stress in perspective: Is it really as bad as you think?
TALK TO SOMEONE
Know that you may get overwhelmed at times and all it needs is for you to express your mind to a close one.
SEEK MEDICAL HELP
If you cannot overcome your anxiety by yourself, a visit to a doctor who is experienced in anxiety management or a Psychiatrist may be in order. They will determine if medication is right for you or may assist you with coping mechanisms.
It’s important to know that managing your anxiety is a process and not an endpoint, the goal is to be in control of your mind. Once you practice your acquired management skills, know that it will require patience and determination. However, once learnt, people gain a lasting sense of their own power and competence in working actively with their own symptoms to conquer anxiety through their own efforts.

(Dr Zulfikar Bux is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Vanderbilt University and Medical Center and holds the position of Head of the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.)

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