How to deal with anxiety disorder?

While a lot of people focus on being physically healthy, our mental health needs as much attention. The above mentioned signs do not need doctors who send you for a battery of tests but a psychiatrist or a psychologist.

Jyothi (name changed), is only 25 years old but she has visited over 20 hospitals and underwent a series of tests to understand what is wrong with her. She has experienced severe heart racing, hands and legs shaking and sweating, and incessant breathing frequently for the last seven years. As these attacks usually last for about ten minutes and are so frequent, she was convinced that she is suffering from a life-threatening ailment.

Finally, when she met a psychiatrist, she found out that she has severe anxiety disorder!

Dr Jyothirmayi K., consultant psychiatrist explained, “Signs such as racing of the heart, sweaty palms and legs, dry mouth, choking feeling and also, in very rare cases, loose motions are some of the symptoms of a panic attack.”

A lot of youngsters in the age-group of 25 to 35 years are opting for physical health checks and ECGs as they are worried that there is something seriously wrong with them.

Dr Jyothirmayi explained, “There are too many thoughts about the person’s life that engulfs them, like worrying about family, children, parents, if they fall ill. Keeping a regular tab on health checks can reassure them that nothing is physically wrong with them. But at the same time, they are ignoring their mental health completely.”

Psychiatrists state that panic attack requires medication for treatment. While therapy is required, some medication in the beginning helps the person to work their way to getting better. In most cases, patients tend to get back to normal life soon enough.

What is important is to identify it as a psychological problem as diagnostic tests are not able to detect them.