You know that feeling before an exam or before your music or dance recital, where you get a little nervous and people say that it is okay to have butterflies in your stomach?
What if that feeling of nervousness haunted you day in and day out? What if your day is full of worry, tension, strange feelings in your stomach, fast breathing, hot flashes and worst of all what if that feeling of dread to go anywhere or meet anyone takes over? These feelings are all too familiar for anyone suffering from an anxiety disorder.
The topic of anxiety becomes more relevant to us as undergraduates, our minds regularly victimized to emotional strain with the hard-pressed schedules that take over our lives. The inculcation of feelings such as dread and fear due to constant bullying, isolation, the stress and dread of what might happen next; will finally result in an anxiety disorder. Anxiety may also develop among students who are living outside home due to separation from their loved ones. These feelings of anxiousness will affect their concentration and learning abilities, social skills and communication skills which will cost them many great experiences. Some who are unable to cope with these feelings may even leave the university. Hence now it is more important than ever to create awareness about anxiety so that we can lend a helping hand to our friends in need.
Unlike a physical illness, a mental disorder is not visible to the eye and so just like any other mental disorder anxiety slips the radar and goes undetected while the person continues to suffer. In order to overcome this hurdle The World Federation of Mental Health celebrates World Mental Health Day this year with the primary goal of raising awareness on mental health. They intend to shed light on the provision of a better understanding of mental health problems by identifying the causes, recognizing that it is a valid medical issue and by providing solutions.
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders found amongst people. The causes of anxiety are a combination of factors including genetic and environmental factors. It can include past and current life situations such as being bullied, being under stress and pressure at work or school and even feelings of loneliness. Anxiety can take various forms; anxiety arising from phobias to objects or situations, from unexpected panic attacks, from a traumatic experience and from separation from a loved one or home, are a few of them. In order to support someone suffering from an anxiety disorder, psychotherapy or medication can be suggested. However more natural ways of overcoming anxiety include regular exercise along with healthy meals, getting sufficient sleep, meditation and quitting habits like smoking and consumption of alcohol.
As Glenn Close once said “What mental health needs is more sunlight and more unashamed conversations”. In order to put those words to practice, it is important to be more educated on disorders like anxiety and to be more understanding, to be more open on having discussions and to provide the necessary support when needed. For you never know when your good deed for the day can turn around to save a life.
–Written by Rtr. Dilisha Gunawardana–
Harry says
Really good post