Overcome Worry, Anxiety, Stress
Sripad is a high profile lawyer working as a Senior Counsel in the Supreme Court of India. He specializes in company-related matters. Given his high credibility, he obviously gets more cases than he could handle. Thus, his schedule is quite hectic, and he always rushes from one court to another. However, being busy is not his only problem. Despite being extremely successful in his work, he is perpetually worried about the future. He worries about every small thing around him – from whether the junior would be able to handle the client to if the judge would be favorable towards his arguments. In short, he suffers from hypertension.
Anusuya is an interior designer, working in a well-known interior designing firm. Owing to her extraordinary talent in designing office spaces, the company acquires many new clients. However, everything in her professional life is not as rosy as it seems. Her biggest problem is that she gets extremely anxious whenever she has to give a presentation in front her clients. Her heart begins to beat faster than usual, and she also breaks into a sweat. What’s more, she also feels shooting pain in her chest and abdomen. Her discomfort in facing the clients led her bosses to depute her junior to make a presentation on her behalf. Anusuya, despite all her talent, is unable to take credit for the work she is doing. She feels sad and frustrated about her situation.
Harish is the Vice President – Sales in a reputed IT company. Lately, because of the changing contour of the IT industry his company’s products aren’t doing well in the market. He is finding it quite difficult to meet his targets despite putting all the efforts. Every time he meets his boss for a review he gets extremely stressed out. His blood pressure shoots up and there is a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones. His stress levels have increased so much that one casual sighting of his boss makes him want to run away from the office. This high level of stress at work has started to affect his personal life as well. He vents out his pent-up frustration on his wife. And the final straw is that he has also gotten addicted to drinking.
The stories of Sripad, Anusyua, and Harish are the everyday stories for most of us. Worry, anxiety, and stress are the biggest cons of contemporary lifestyle. These issues have a deleterious effect on not only the mental health but also on the physical and emotional health of a person. To overcome worry, anxiety, and stress, we need to take a holistic multidimensional approach towards mental health. It must be an approach that targets the root causes and works at physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels to help the person regain his/her equilibrium. If you are also beset with worry, anxiety, or stress, here are some things that you can do to overcome the same effectively:
Take stock of your worries
Yes! List down all your worries. Divide them into two categories – solvable and unsolvable. For the worries that can be solved, work on creating a roadmap to achieve the solution. For the worries that cannot be solved from your end, you need to learn to accept the same and move on with your life. Acceptance does not mean that you are scared or lazy. It just shows that you are prudent. There is no point worrying about an issue if you have no control over the outcome.
Follow the serenity prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
Also, every six months review your worry list to see whether all the things you worried about actually happened or were you just worrying pointlessly.
Walk, exercise, and play
Physical exercises give an immediate mood lift because of the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters that leave you feeling happy and relaxed. It is better to blow off some steam after a stressful day at work than to carry the stress with you. Not only you would feel fresh and happy after a workout or game, but your brain will also be able to grow more neurons to help you face stress better in future. Alternatively, playing with small children and pets also gives you a quick mood-lift.
Take up yoga and meditation
Yoga and meditation can not only help you to relax your ruffled nerves but provides you with deep insights into your problems and worries. In their book, Altered Traits, Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson have shown how meditation can help you to reverse stress-related changes in the brain. Another study published in the Journal Frontiers in Immunology also shows that mind-body exercises such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can switch off the activity of genes that promote inflammation. Chronic stress causes inflammation in the body and impairs both physical and mental health. People who experience stress or anxiety must practice these mind-body exercises regularly to have fewer biological signs of inflammation. Even a staunch practice for just 15 minutes can show positive effects on your body and mind.
Talk to someone you trust
Talking to someone you trust would not only help you to provide a new perspective to your problem but will also help you to build a support system. Talking helps in relieving stress and anxiety. You often realize that your worries are not that big when you voice them out loud. Also, do not hesitate to seek therapy if you find your situation overwhelming.
Try visualization and Yog Nidra to relax your body and mind
Guided imagery or visualization is one of the powerful methods for overcoming anxiety and stress. Here, the power of the mind can be channelized to heal the body and mind. Visualization is a mental technique that uses imagination to make dreams and goals come true. You can attract favorable outcomes by using visualization techniques. Dr. Martin Rossman in his book Self-Healing with Guided Imagery has shown the efficacy of visualization through many case studies.
Yog Nidra or sleeping meditation as practiced in Yoga, similarly, helps to harness the power of imagination in the guided meditation.
Try expressive writing to take the fizz out of your worries and anxieties
Recent studies have shown that expressive writing about worries help your brain to become more focused and less reactive. The offloading of worries on a piece of paper in a free-flowing manner has a cathartic effect on your body and mind. Try these techniques particularly before an important meeting or a test, it would help you to focus better on the immediate task.
Make your diet mood-friendly
Diet always plays an important role in boosting cognitive functions and reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. To feel relaxed and rejuvenated, increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, like strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, citrus fruits, mulberries, red sage, goji berries, avocados, broccoli, and salvias. At the same time, reduce simple carbohydrates, refined sugar, and processed food items. Since 70 percent of the brain is made up of fat and cholesterol, it is important to include healthy fats in your diets such as Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and few other nuts. Saturated fats, such as coconut oil, ghee, butter, and cheese are also good for mental health when taken in moderation. Grains should primarily be eaten whole, and lean proteins must be favored. Fermented food like buttermilk, yogurt, and pickled vegetables contain probiotics that can help you to grow beneficial gut flora. Good gut flora, in turn, helps to increase the secretion of serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for alleviating depression.
Use the science of Ayurveda to strengthen your emotional and mental health
Ayurveda prescribes detoxification, massages, sunbathing, and usage of natural herbs to treat both the body and mind. Herbs like Jatamansi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Shankhpushpi, and Sarpagandha are effective in calming the disturbed mind. You need to find out from your Ayurvedic doctor about the exact dosage of these herbs that are best suited to your condition. Soaking yourself in the early morning sun rays also helps to open blocked energy channels and improve sleep.
We hope that these tips will help you overcome worry, anxiety, stress and other mental health issues in a holistic manner.
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