All About Anxiety

Symptoms-

The anxiety disorders and the symptoms described in the classical ayurvedic text are nearly the same with those of modern sciences. The symptoms in anxiety disorders can be divided into physical symptoms and mental symptoms.
The physical symptoms are the consistent condition of the reflex action that body shows in cases of danger like increased pulse, heartbeat, hot or cold flashes, stiffed muscles, stomach pain, nausea, dizziness, headache, insomnia.

The mental symptoms seen in the patient are restlessness, behavior problems, nervousness, imaginary fear, hyperactivity, and confusions.
The common symptoms seen in the anxiety disorders are insomnia, some times loss of memory, nervine weakness, unrest, and more specific symptoms like convulsions and phobias are there in advance stages.

How to Diagnose Anxiety?-

To find out if you have this problem, your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and how long you have had them. Your doctor will also do physical exam ask questions about your medical history, and ask questions about medicines you are taking. This information helps your doctor find out whether you have any other condition.

To be diagnosed with anxiety disorder, you must have more worry and stress than normal. You must feel worried and stressed about many things almost every day. And these feelings must last for at least 6 months. You will also have some physical symptoms. The worry, stress, and physical symptoms might make it hard for you to do normal activities such as going to work every day.

Dos and don’t for anxiety-

Ayurveda considers anxiety as primarily due to the aggravation of vata dosha in the nervous system. So the primary treatment for anxiety is to balance vata dosha.

· Do focus on whole foods it should be balanced and nutritious.

· Eat fresh, in season, fruits and vegetables.

· Take a hot or herbal tea with snacks in the late afternoon. Avoid drinks with high caffeine as vata gets disturbed by it.

· Warm milk is good. You can add a little sugar or honey to it if you prefer.

· Use warm moist foods such as cooked grains and cereals, bowl of hot oatmeal or cup of steaming vegetable soup.

· All sweet fruits are Ok for vata. Avoid unripe fruits as they are astringent.

· All soothing foods are good for settling disturbed Vata. Use foods such as: warm milk, cream, butter, warm soups, stews, hot cereals, fresh baked bread. Since vata is a cold dry dosha, warm, nourishing foods such as these are good for stabilizing vata. On the other hand cold foods such as cold salads, iced drinks, raw vegetables and greens are not very good for persons with vata imbalance.

· Breakfast is usually desirable. Hot foods and sweet and sour tastes. Reduce dry foods and bitter tastes. Warm or hot water and drinks. Raw nuts and nut butters. Spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, ginger, cloves in moderation.

Treatment of Anxiety-

YOGIC MANAGEMENT-

Before you start practicing yoga to control anxiety, spend 10 minutes in Shavasana (Corpse pose). Make use of this time, mentally, for separating yourself from the experience of the past and from expected happenings in the future. Focus your awareness on the present moment.
Relaxation induced by Ujjayi (The psychic breath) , Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Psychic Network Purification) and Deep Relaxation would calm down the mind and the resting body.
Lie on your back in a comfortable place and breathe slowly through your nose. Make use of diaphragm to suck air to the lung and simultaneously allow the abdomen to expand. After the full expansion of the abdomen, continue inhaling deeply. The process should be reversed while breathing out. Abdomen should be contracted when exhaling slowly and completely. This exercise is to be repeated several times.
Tadasana (Palm tree Pose), Salamba Sirsasana (Supported headstand Pose), Uttanasana (Squat and rise Pose), Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose) , Veerasana (Hero's pose), Supta Virasana (Sleeping Hero's) and other Yoga sequences manage anxiety.

Anxiety can most effectively be treated with asanas and Pranayama. Ayurvedic remedies are also beneficial. Apart from this, home remedies can also treat mental stress successfully.

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT

Abhyangam- Ayurvedic Oil Massage

A full-body oil massage helps to reduce anxiety. What oil you use for the massage depends on your basic ayurvedic dosha type.

Dosha Type	Recommended Massage Oil
Vata	Sesame oil
Pitta	Sunflower or coconut oil
Kapha	Corn oil

Use 6 or 7 ounces of warm (not hot) oil. Rub the oil all over your whole body from head to toes. Helps relieves Stress, fatigue and tiredness and anxiety.

This massage is generally given before the morning bath. But if you have high anxiety or insomnia, you can also do it just before going to bed.

Swedana- Following a full body Massage with dosha specific oils, therapeutic sweating is induced by application of warm herbal steam. This process speeds up the elimination of toxins from the body and relives stress, anxiety, tension.
Shirodhara- A continues pouring of warm herbal oil, which is carefully selected according to individual's Dosha (VPK), in an even stream, onto the forehead to pacify and revitalize the mind and body.
Helps relieve insomnia, fatigue, tension, anxiety, anger, chronic headaches, hypertension and Stress. Gives great mental relaxation.
Nasyam- The nasal administration of herbal oil is called nasyam. Helps relieves insomnia, fatigue, tension, anxiety, chronic headaches and stress.

Ayurvedic Herbs Therapy-

Single herbs in the management of Anxiety: sarpagandha, khus, jatamansi,
bramhi, kevada, vacha, tagar, amla, and rose. the medhya (brain tonics
/intellect improvisers) category drugs are used to balance the loss of
concentration, memory, and insomniac disturbances. The nervine tonics
like ashvagandha and bala are used to strengthen the nervous system. the
choorna of single and multiple combinations are used. The herb brahmi (bacopa monari)
is a good anti anxiety medicine and have good anti stress property. The regular use of brahmi medicated oil on scalp at bedtime and
inhalation is a better preventive measure to avoid the anxiety disorders.

Combination of herbs in the management of Anxiety: Like saraswat
choorna, tagaradi choorna and ashvagandhadi choorna, and single drug
choorna like vacha choorna, jatamansi choorna are used. along with these
medicines the rasayana preparation brahmi rasayana, ghrita (ghee based
medicines) like panchagavya ghrita, puran
ghrita, and brahmi ghrita are given to the patient.
The fermentation preparations like saraswatarishta, balarishta are used.

OTHER Home Remedies-

Add nutmeg and honey to orange juice. Stir it well and drink it to reduce anxiety.
You can pacify your anxiety by taking a bath in water, which contains baking soda and ginger. Soak the soda and ginger for 15 minutes and relax.
Soak 10 raw almonds in water for one night and peel off the skin before blending with milk. While blending, add pinches of saffron, nutmeg and ginger.
Basil – Put the freshly extracted juice of Basil leaves in the nostrils as nasal drops. Basil soothes the brain, relieves anxiety, boosts intellect and acts as a nerve tonic.
Shankhushpi – Pound dried Shankhushpi into a powder. Take 1 tsp twice daily along with warm cow’s milk.
Use ghee (clarified butter oil) made from cow’s milk, or almond oil as nasal drops 2 or 3 times a day.
Petha (White gourd) – Use Petha in your regular meals. Crush its pulp and extract the fresh juice. Take 10 to 20 ml twice a day.
Brahmi – Pound Brahmi to extract juice. Take approx. 20 ml twice or thrice.

YOGIC MANAGEMENT-

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT

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