Health: Expert tips on how to deal with anxiety issues

Kendall Jenner is learning to cope with anxiety by diverting her thoughts picAFPldquoI once had a really bad attack on a plane and just had to ride it outI felt my heart beating a million miles an hour and I even went a little numbrdquo wrote Kendall Jenner on her website recently about a panic attack she suffered The American model and television personality opened up on how anxiety had been a huge hurdle for her in the year 2016 which got further aggravated by the infamous incident in Paris where her halfsister Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpointWe have all felt anxious more than once in life mdash before a tough exam a job interview or while taking off in a plane Certain unpleasant situations do set us back temporarily too But what causes a streak of worry or a transient state of mind to develop into a fullblown situation that seems to take over onersquos life We asked mental health practitioners to give us the lowdown on anxiety and related disordersCounting is a common symptom of OCDWhat is this beastTo put it simply it is an uncomfortable feeling of apprehension ldquoWe all need a certain amount of anxiety in life Thatrsquos how we know we need to be careful while crossing the road for instance It becomes a concern when the fear of the oncoming traffic restricts one to the footpath for 30 minutes or when one avoids crossing the road altogetherrdquo explains citybased consulting psychiatrist and author Dr Dayal Mirchandani He further explains the difference between feeling anxious as a normal experience from a situation where one may do better with help ldquoIt is a problem when it comes in the way of daily functioning There is a sense of loss of control over onersquos life which may impact job performance and or social liferdquoSeveral disorders of varying severities come under the umbrella of anxiety Generalised anxiety disorders include freefloating anxiety about one or several aspects of life Panic disorder or panic attacks may cause one to collapse or induce a feeling of having a heart attack Anxiety also includes phobias and obsessivecompulsive disorderWhat causes itThe cause of anxiety varies from person to person ldquoThere can be a genetic predisposition to anxiety or a it can be rooted in a traumatic past of bullying or abuse especially during childhoodrdquo says Jehanzeb Baldiwala family therapist and director of mental health services at Ummeed Child Development Center Adds Dr Mirchandani ldquoCertain medicines for cold too much caffeine hormonal imbalance as in the case of thyroid could cause anxiety toordquoCauses however are different from triggers ldquoOur body keeps the score If a certain situation which a person didnrsquot have control over earlier is repeated he may still react anxiously despite being fully equipped to take charge of itrdquo explains Baldiwala Sleep deprivation long commute or working hours not being appreciated or being reprimanded at work are some other triggersWhat help can you getldquoFinding the cause of anxiety is the first steprdquo says Dr Mirchandani ldquoIf the cause is rooted in lifestyle a conscious effort to make amends helps Selfregulation through yoga meditation vipasana and other relaxation exercises is beneficial too Medicines can help bring anxiety under control but not cure itrdquo he addsldquoWe work with the premise that the problem is not the person but the problem itselfrdquo says Baldiwala adding ldquoThoughts lead to emotions which lead to the behaviour so working on the thought is importantrdquo Hypnosis and psychoanalysis help recognise the thoughts as wellBut even if people realise that they need help is there a social stigma attached to anxiety ldquoWhatrsquos still stigmatised in India is seeing a psychiatrist where people would much rather visit their family doctor to get some tranquilisers prescribedrdquo says Dr MirchandaniAccording to Baldiwala anxiety still has better acceptance than depression in India though she agrees that we still have a long way to goSupport system mattersIf the triggers are at home the family should reduce its demands or stresses on the person shares Dr Mirchandani ldquoItrsquos important for family members to educate the sufferer and help them get helprdquoldquoBeing supportive and not dismissing a person as a weak mind worrywart or a family joke is key If heshe has a plan to combat anxiety help them stick to itrdquo adds Baldiwala ldquoOur society has a tendency of telling people to get on with their problems mdash we may need to reexamine that approachrdquo