Mental health is a serious issue faced by several people today. However, in spite of the growing need to address this issue, we continue to show negligence towards it.
A number of studies reveal that anxiety disorder is the most prevailing mental health issue in our country. According to researchers, anxiety is an unavoidable part of our entire life because directly or indirectly we all have been victims of anxiety. So, as per need of present era, I would like to draw your attention towards this issue. But before going into the depth, it is essential to understand what anxiety is and why it happens? Anxiety is basically an unpleasant feeling which may make one uneasy and restlessness. It makes one continuously worry over something and think a lot on issues that may or may not exist.
There are numerous situations in life where we must face anxiety, for example before confronting examinations, competitions, interviews etc. Although this anxiety is a normal part of life, sometimes it reaches extreme levels which may be harmful for us. (Sherman, 2015) Has beautifully depicted the concept of anxiety in his book, NO MORE FEAR NO MORE ANXIETY, in which he describes the “Directing attention to the feeling of ‘me’ and its consequences”. When we give attention to ourselves, we focus on sensations in our body: the way we breathe, our heartbeat and our overall physical conditions. This often causes us to overthink, thus stimulating the fears and worries we call anxiety.
Anxiety can be caused by a number of different factors; such as our guilt over past experiences, traumas, negative thoughts, relationships, financial crises, change of environment, lack of confidence, lack of interest in activities, changing values, work stress, lack of social skills, lack of social support, conflicts, terrorism, academic burdens and overt expectations of parents etc. So, it is clear from the above discussion that anxiety has a negative impact on our life which distracts our mind from daily functioning.
Most people do not recognize their anxiety due to lack of awareness, and they think that there is something “wrong” with them. However, this perception is wrong.
(Zahra, 2017) wrote a letter to the editor, “An anxious, depressed Pakistan “, which was published in The Express Tribune on 30th April 2017, She tried to draw attention towards today’s main issue of anxiety and mental health problems in our country. She stated that approximately 50 million Pakistanis are suffering from anxiety today; however, in spite of such perturbing statistics, there is an acute shortage of psychiatrists in our country.
Now after understanding anxiety, its causes, symptoms, and prevalence in our country it is time to learn how to handle its symptoms on our own. We are currently living in an era where a majority of people take medicines for most of their health issues. This approach, however, may not be beneficial for anxiety patients. If you know the techniques to reduce the level of anxiety, you will be able to manage it in its initial stages. The question is how to tackle anxiety on your own? Since anxiety is mostly the result overthinking, it can best be overcome by mental consolation. To do this it is essential to keep yourself busy, do some mental exercises and keep your mind occupied. This can be achieved through a number of ways, such as through meditation, yoga, and prayers.
In conclusion, to cure anxiety it is necessary to keep your mind calm. This is the only method of self-treatment which actually works. However, it is also necessary to keep your faith strong in God, and I’m sure that by following these tips you will be able to tackle anxiety much more easily. So, take it easy, relax, laugh it off and have a good life. Stay blessed.
References:
Jawaid, M. (2015). Retrieved from www.america.aljazeera.com: america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/10/pakistans-mental...
Sherman, J. S. (2015). No More Fear No More Anxiety (2nd Edition ed.). Just One Look Press.
Zahra, S. N. (2017, Appril 30th). An anxious , depressed Pakistan. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/1397062/anxious-depressed-pakistan/