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If your heart pounds every time you are ill prepared for an office presentation, you get butterflies in your tummy before a blind date, and are jittery at the prospect of submitting a leave application to your boss, you might be prone to panic attacks. While there's hardly anyone who's spared from anxiety, you need to take stock if your worries do not allow you to lead a normal life, leaving you restless. Here's how to figure out if your anxiety has crossed the line, and what you can do to keep it in check.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

You could be suffering from one of these:

Panic Attacks: You suffer from frequent panic attacks due to the fear of being at a place where there is no way to escape from.

Social Anxiety Disorder: You are shy and suffer from stage fright. You keep away from large gatherings. The thought of being humiliated by others, troubles you.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: You try to avoid remembering past situations, since you fear them. Flashbacks and nightmares often trouble you.

Phobia: You are petrified of something that is not at all, or slightly dangerous, in reality.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder: You are a worry wart. Fears keep distracting you, and you are plagued by insecurity.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: You have no control over your thoughts and are unsure whether you have done things perfectly.
 
How to tell you suffer from an Anxiety disorder ?

>You are constantly tense and find it difficult to concentrate on work.

> You suffer from frequent stomach upsets, and have to run to the loo often.

> You are plagued by fears that you know are irrational.

>You are superstitious to an extent. You believe that something bad will happen if certain things aren't done in a certain way.

> You are restless by temperament. You keep shaking your legs, bite your nails or play with your fingers.

>Your attitude is pessimistic. You always end up looking at the negative side of issues.


A simple asana that relieves you off anxiety
Shameen Akhtar, Yoga Instructor

Yoga Mudrasana  (Psychic Union pose):

Method: Sit cross-legged, in the lotus pose. Place palms on either knee and inhale. Exhale, bend forward to place forehead on ground. Ensure hips do not rise off the ground. Raise head with an inhalation. Repeat a few times.

Benefits: Very relaxing. Removes tension knots and clears complexion. Encourages deep breathing and can help fight insomnia. Massages heart, major glands in abdomen, liver and gut.


Anxiety attack can be misconstrued as heart attack
Dr Anjali Chhabria, Psychiatrist, Mind Temple

Anxiety generally crops up due to a feeling that something ill is about to happen. It can lead to something as minor as butterflies in the stomach, and can even progress to a stage of self-destruction. Some individuals experience sudden chest pain, and mistake it for a heart attack.


7 self-help tips to make you a cool cucumber
Dr Seema Hingorrany, Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist

Anxiety might be a genetic problem. People who suffer from it experience sweating palms, a feeling of being choked, and the inability to figure out what to do. They feel helpless and find it tough to express what they are going through. They may not connect with reality, and tend to be lost if their own world most of  the time.

Self-help tips:

1. Take time out to logically and calmly figure what it is that leaves you panicky.
2. Try being content with yourself, what you have and move ahead with successes in life.
3. Accept the fact that everything cannot always work out the way you want it to.
4. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 and Omega3 fatty acids can lead to anxiety. You need to eat a nutritious diet that's rich in these.
5. Drink lots of water so that it's cooling effect keeps you calm
6. Yoga, meditation and a morning walk are three great ways to help you bust stress.
7. If neither of these work, you may need to consult a reputed psychologist.