We spoke to Dr Mayank, Medical, who writes at Happiest Health, Vandana S, counsellor and psychologist at mental health startup Psychoflakes in Bengaluru, and Dr Kishore Kumar R, professor of Ayurveda, Department of Integrative Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, and Neurosciences, who told us about how to manage anxiety and stress thought `number game’
If you were ever chased by a violent dog, you may still recall how your heart had raced, and your body went hot and sweaty as you ran for your life, breathless and in panic. Then it was completely natural for your body to have gone into a `fight-and-flight mode leaving you super anxious about escaping a wild canine.
But on a different day, if the same level and signs of anxiety crop up when there is no dog or other peril in the picture, it is time to look the feeling in the eye and tame it. Last year Anmol Kaur, 30, a fashion designer from Ludhiana, contracted COVID-19. She has recovered from it but continues to suspect that she caught the virus when she went shopping at a local grocery store. Even now just the thought of visiting that store gives her the jitters. “If I go to that grocery shop once again, I am sure I will get infected again,” she insists.
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Returning to the present
Anxiety is no stranger to most of us, be it over a past event, upcoming situations like a job interview, new job responsibilities, public speaking, and performance reviews – causes that can easily churn the calmest of minds.
Vandana S, counsellor and psychologist at mental health startup Psychoflakes in Bengaluru, says anxiety can take individuals either into the past or into the future. The individual’s thinking gets affected when fearful or traumatic memories return, and the person loses track of the present.
“When [such] persons are in the present moment, they become more rational, logical, and can decide what they want to do”, she added. Therefore, it is critical for either close associates or therapists – as the case may be - to draw the person’s mind back to the present moment by grounding the thought process. Only then can psychotherapy be applied and effective.
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A feeling of deficiency
According to Dr Kishore Kumar R, professor of Ayurveda, Department of Integrative Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, anxiety stirs u a sense of lacking and fills the mind with irrational thoughts.
He says, “There are many good things about oneself and positive thinking can help bring those positive feelings back. To accomplish positivity it is important to take time to address your feelings, particularly the positive aspect.”
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Making sense of thoughts
Vandana S says that before applying any psychotherapy like cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, the first thing to do is make the person relax and bring their thought process back to the present.
This is called the grounding technique and can be done using the sense organs – eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. Grounding technique cuts into unhealthy thought patterns and is a tool that can be exercised by anybody, at any time, anywhere and without anyone’s help – whenever the mind is stuck in a worry. And it works effectively in calming anxious persons and their overwhelming thoughts.
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A 2020 study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress Disorders mentions the grounding technique as a simple yet effective method for regaining control of the mind. However, the study also emphasizes that this technique is not some magic that can make our problems disappear, or distract a hyperactive mind; it helps to train the mind to be grounded and in the present.
Five steps to regain calm
Here is the countdown to driving anxiety out. While trying it, mentally say 5,4,3,2, and 1.
Experts also suggest ending the exercise with one positive thought about yourself. They say - enjoy your successes, small and big; stay positive and spread positivity. Let your family and friends know how you are trying to ground yourself and put them out of their anxiety about you. And do tell us how the exercise worked for you.