Part II of our series on mental health in association with Sahanaya

When fear and dread strike you

Anxiety increases circulation of adrenaline and noradrenaline levels and plays an important role in the survival function. In today's world, the fight or flight mode in the face of danger remains an important one. Anxiety can rouse you to action, make you alert, inspire you and gear you up to face a stressful or challenging situation. In general, it can help you to cope. However, when feelings of apprehension, fear or tension becomeoverwhelming, long- lasting and occur in inappropriate situations, then it becomes maladaptive. 

People become anxious due to numerous reasons. Some of these reasons are: 

* Stressful life situations (i.e., family problems, relationship problems, work problems, etc);

* Imbalances in brain chemicals;

* As a symptom of another illness.

Some signs to look for:

- Unrealistic or excessive worry;

- Unrealistic fears;

- Avoidance of certain objects or situations;

- impatience, irritability or distractability;

- Physical symptoms (palpitations, chest pains, difficulty in breathing, heaviness and pain in the limbs, sweating, abdominal pain, indigestion, nausea, headaches, dizziness, tingling sensations);

- Sleep problems;

- Difficulty in concentrating. 

If a person has four or more of the above symptoms he or she may be suffering from anxiety. 

There are different types of anxiety disorders and they share several common features. At their core is a sense of fear and dread which is inappropriate to the situation and impairs one's day to day living. 

Panic Disorder - Repeated episodes of intense fear that strike often without warning. The fear experienced can be so intense that it can make the person feel that he/she is dying or losing consciousness. 

Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder - Repetitive disturbing thoughts which the person is unable to resist and/or compulsive behaviours that seem impossible to stop or control. 

Phobias - Intense anxiety, fear and even terror experienced when faced with particular situations. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Persistent symptoms that occur after experiencing a traumatic event such as rape, criminal assault, war, abuse, natural disasters or crashes. Nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, depression, anger, irritability, startled responses and distractibility are common symptoms. 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Constant, troublesome thoughts and tensions about every day life events/activities over a period of time. The anxiety is diffused, unfocused and ongoing. Individuals suffering from GAD often anticipate the worst even though there is little reason to expect it. 

What you can do for yourself? 

All of us can benefit by controlling our levels of anxiety before it becomes severe. 

* Talk to someone about your fears and anxieties;

* Learn how to deal with difficult situations using better communication and problem solving skills; 

* Increase opportunities to relax and exercise;

* Meditation can be used as a form of relaxation.

Avoid self-medication and abuse of alcohol as a means of coping with the anxiety. 

If you are unsuccessful in managing your feelings of anxiety and it is persistent, then seek help. There are psychological therapies and medications that can help reduce levels of anxiety. 

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