Anxiety… Even hearing this single word rings a bell in your mind. You remember the first day of your school when you had to introduce yourself in front of a hundred students staring at you without even blinking for a second. You remember the day where you were already running late for an interview and on top of that, you got stuck in the worst possible traffic jam of your life. You remember your mother introducing you to aunties full of makeup, staring at you from head to toe with eyes more powerful than an x-ray machine, and you were simply standing there knowing that you would now be asked awkward questions that would determine whether you are capable enough to become their future ‘bahu’ or not. You remember the day when you lost something really important and you were wandering all over the house shouting at the top of your voice because it was absolutely essential to find it on an urgent basis.

On all these days, you experienced anxiety. But guess what? The good news is that you overcome that anxiety, either knowingly or unknowingly. The fact that you have your mobile phone in your hand and you are reading this blog without trembling hands suggests that at certain instances of your life, you have successfully overcome your anxiety. So join your hands together and give yourself a round of applause!

With that being said, it is also important to note that you still experience anxiety whenever you run late or whenever you are supposed to meet a stranger. Not only this, even your minor thoughts cause anxiety. You still think that the ‘lizard on the wall might fall on me’ whenever you see it, and you still tremble whenever you have to give a speech in front of the entire college. But don’t worry, this is completely normal. Anxiety has always been a part of our lives in the PAST and it will always be a part of our lives in the FUTURE. All of us experience anxiety. To say that I don’t experience anxiety is the biggest lie. But it is our responsibility to not let our anxiety go beyond the limits. Hence, it is important to reduce anxiety and here are a few tips to help you with it:

• Relaxation Exercises. Tired of hearing these words? Trust me, it’s useful. Relaxation is the most effective way of reducing anxiety and it could be as easy as deep breathing. So you don’t have to practice any sort of difficult steps, you can simply inhale and exhale properly and alas, anxiety will be reduced in an instant.
• Limit Caffeine Intake. In this extremely cold weather where everyone is cuddled up in their warm blankets, it is absolutely irresistible to stop drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee again and again. But sadly enough, you have to control it as caffeine increases anxiety and can even trigger panic attacks.
• Learn to accept things as they are. You are not a God who can control everything, there will always be things that will be beyond your control so why worry? Learn to accept things the way they are. Don’t blame yourself for a traffic jam on your way to work, instead try to take action about the things that can be changed like try waking up a bit early to avoid rush hours.
• A good laugh always goes a long way. Laughing not only reduces anxiety but it also relieves stress. So what are you waiting for? Stretch your lip muscles and start laughing right now to feel the difference yourself!

Even after practicing these techniques, if you still encounter anxiety then pick up your mobile phone and call Pukaar. We have highly qualified psychologists who specialize in dealing with anxiety and would love to help you.

Written By: Rida Irfan