Anxiety

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, a worry or fear that can be mild or severe. Anxiety is a worry about the future and fear is the reaction to current events.

It can be a future-oriented mood state in which the person is not ready to cope with upcoming negative events. It feels like nothing is ever going to be right.

Anxiety is when you care too much about something and not able to do anything about it. You may feel that you are not in charge and have lost control over your life.

When does normal worry become an anxiety disorder?

We all plan for our future and sometimes worry that our plans may not come to fruition. Too much analysis of the future situation leading to a paralysis (preventing action) could be a sign that you need professional help to deal with your disorder.

It’s the fear of failure but not making the efforts to be productive. It’s wanting to be alone but not wanting to be lonely. It is caring about everything and caring about nothing at the same time.

Anxiety can be debilitating and can lead to an unsatisfactory life. The symptoms of anxiety can be both mental and physical. You might notice that you feel anxious, restless, irritable and on edge. However, you could also experience fatigue, headache, or episodes of breathlessness and dizziness. The symptoms may only appear in certain situations or may occur often and for no clear reason. If anxiety is affecting your daily life it is a good idea to consult Dr Balu for diagnosis and treatment.

There are several types of anxiety

Generalized anxiety disorder
Specific phobias
Panic disorder
Agoraphobia
Social anxiety disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Separation anxiety disorder
Situational anxiety
Obsessive–compulsive disorder
Selective mutism

The worst part about anxiety attacks is that you are aware that it is irrational and many times unexplainable. This awareness in most cases deepens the anxiety as you realise that you are not able to change it.

"If I know it’s irrational, why can’t I stop it?"

You will begin to realise that you are no longer in control of your mind.

What is Anxiety Treatment?

Finding the right anxiety treatment is about more than just prescribing medication, although this may play a part in your care. Dr Balu may recommend the following options for anxiety treatment:

Self-help tips for managing your anxiety symptoms
Relaxation, meditation or mindfulness techniques to calm yourself
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to learn techniques for managing your emotions
Lifestyle tips to improve your sleep, diet and physical health as this can have a dramatic impact on anxiety
One to one therapy sessions with Dr Balu to discuss questions such as what is anxiety, what might trigger your symptoms and what you can do about it
Joining a support group or talking to other people online who have been affected by anxiety

Every individual who visits the clinic will receive personalised anxiety treatment with the aim of enabling them to lead a fulfilling and emotionally healthy life.

Call Dr Balu to find out about his unique approach to help overcome your worries and fear.