HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

Anxiety is dominating feeling of worry, nervousness or discomfort about a thing which has unpredictable likelihood.

A continued state of anxiety prompts producing of stress hormone in our system. In longer period it leads to the stage of stress building in our body. This is reflected in the symptoms like feeling of weakness, headache, upset stomach, aching  and tense muscles, restlessness, interrupted sleep hours, chest pains and so on.

The stress is a result of our inability to tackle the circumstances we are in. The very word stress is significant and must be understood properly.

The basis for any of our circumstances is our own desire and our efforts to fulfill them. Failure to fulfill our desire leads to stress. This in turn affects our overall health inevitably.

Even we often observe  that when we are under stress, our fingers of hands and toe are  tensely curled inwardly or inwardly. And actually we are not at all aware of this thing.

Even some times we observe a person arguing to himself loudly trying to convince some thing unaware of his surroundings.

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

But here I would share my own experiences when my abnormal blood pressure was diagnosed. 

I remember, during that particular days, I was working under tremendous pressure in my office, I could not even have time to share my state of mind with my dear ones.  All my natural routines had become sort of mechanical process. For example, one afternoon I just could not remember what I had in my lunch half an hour ago.  I tried and tried, but just could not remember. I tried to brush aside that subject, thinking that may be it was some thing peculiar pertaining to that day.  But to my amazement, in next few days, I observed the same thing. I just could not remember well what I had in my breakfast or lunch. Not only that, to my surprise, I just could not remember the taste of the vegetable and salad I had, or whether I had pickle in my lunch or not.  

Apart from that there were no other significant symptoms in my system that I noticed. 

I realized further few facts that -

• it had been so long, I did not enjoy  sunrise or the sunset.
• for a long long time I had not observed the trees, flowers, birds welcoming rising sun.
• I used to interact with my family members at the minimum scale.
• I was not particular about the color preference of my formal dress.
• for a long long duration I did not remember the occasions when I enjoyed taking  luxury bath.
• I had nearly nil occasions shared with my close friends.
• I could not enjoy my favorite hobby of listening music.
• My smoking had increased.
• I was not able to enjoy my lunch or dinner
• I could not engage myself in my favorite hobby of reading.

After a few days, while commuting by train late in the night, I  observed that I could not see the clear outline of the signals on the railway line. All the signal lights were appearing blur.  Therefore, I decided to see my Ophthalmologist. In the routine  initial check-up my BP was found to be 200/85.

So this is how I then consulted my physician who prescribed tablets for me  for controlling my BP. And thus I started taking  BP tablets  twice a day on regular basis.  There is no option.

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

In this aspect, I realized the need of having peace of mind.   Avoiding agitated mind and to ensure to have peaceful mind is next  significant step. Because agitated mind leads to health problems inevitably.  

Hence having healthy mind is important.

Instead of going into various exercises, as you prefer it, I will share here with you the basic idea and significance of having a healthy mind.

If only we are aware of this fact, we can have a healthy mind. And a healthy mind is peaceful, fresh. stress-free mind. Such mind  is capable of tackling day today issues in our life.

Because brain is only instrument of thought and application. And when the mind is healthy, peaceful and enthusiastic, our purpose of getting our mind tension free will be served.

What to do to have a healthy mind?

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

You are right, we must also take regular mental bath like we take physical bath every day. And you know, some people take bath twice a day.

Briefly speaking, it is to avoid negative thoughts, accumulate and assimilate good and positive thoughts, and application thereof in our day today life, giving good diet to our mind regularly, (remember sat sanga ie company of good thoughts and wisdom?) and so on.

We must avoid -

• exposure of our mind to negativity in all respects
• seeing good for nothing tv programmes, movies, dramas etc.
• reading useless material
• company of people of negative nature

These are examples. One may find many more such ways personally.

And we must engage our mind in -

• positive thoughts
• informative, educative, inspirational tv programmes, movies, dramas etc.
• quality reading ie reading books of wisdom, inspiration, motivation.
• engage in sat sang - not essentially physical one, sat sang means to keep mind occupied in any manner effective in getting wisdom of life, positivity in all respects,
• creative hobbies like reading, painting, drawing, and the likes.

I would like you to read my post - WHAT IS MENTAL BATH AND HOW TO TAKE IT?

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

Humor books.

Humor is one of the most effective way to overcome stress.

And reading humor books is one of the many ways apart from watching cartoon movies, eg. Tom and Jerry, or movies of Laurel and Hardy, or Just for Laugh Gags.

One can have humor author of own choice. Like in Marathi language, P. L. Deshpande is the most popular author. For generations, people have enjoyed his humor books and easily get connected with the characters.

In our elder generations, P.G. Woodhouse was one of the most popular author in English. A few names that come to my mind are Marc Twain, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Lyne, George Bernard Shaw, etc.

It is suggested that for humor reading it is better to find the author and the books personally as per own liking which gives additional immense satisfaction to the reader thereby finding a significant way towards stress managemen to reduce the stress levels in our day today life.

Watching cartoon movies -

Eg. Tom and Jerry, or movies of Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, or Just for Laugh Gags videos etc. 

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

Apart from, the following activities I have found to be very significant and have given me very good results.

In my own case, depending on the time at my disposal, I engage myself in one of the following creative activities which, I have experienced, help me a lot to de-stress after a hard day.

• a stroll in the open nature

A stroll in the open nature

• meditation
• light exercise
• quality reading (especially humor books from my favorite authors)
• relaxed and deep breathing technique.
• prayers
• interactions with the dear ones

Obviously, I do select one of the above as per my own convenience  and also similar ones  I find interesting.

HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ANXIETY

Here I must mention that our ultimate aim is to have a good and normal health.

Any person can be said to be perfectly healthy means -

• he is able to follow the basic instincts in life - ahhaar, nidra, bhaya, maithuna ie food, sleep, survival and procreation.

• he has ability to feel happiness and express happiness.
• he is eager to share his own happiness with others.
• he is not dependent on medication.
• he has a healthy mind.
• he is independent both physically and mentally.
• he has ability to engage himself in positive acts.
• he is able to help others.
• he is able to sleep in time and also able to get up in the morning as per his own will.
• once having awakened in the morning, he does not simply spend time lying in the bed.
• he is exercising his control to have mit ahhaar and nidra ie optimum food intake and optimum sleep.

Dear readers, I have shared my own  meaningful and significant experiences of my efforts to overcome stress and anxiety. Every one has to face stress and anxiety which is inevitable.  Only thing we can do is to find ways to overcome stress and anxiety in our life. 

I hope you will also find them meaningful and significant.

Your comments are welcome.  They will help me further improve my way of sharing experiences with my readers.

Thanks.

Next time......

 

MENTAL HEALTH HACKS

MENTAL HEALTH HACKS

I remember an incidence my friend shared with me. He was returning home from night duty at around 2.00 a.m. when he alighted from the train at the station.  The road was completely deserted. He could not get auto rickshaw.  Getting scared of the stray dogs roaming in groups on the way, he started to walk down hesitantly towards home.  And the worst thing he was afraid of happened the very next moment, when the stray dogs started to run towards him and attack him in an alarming manner.  He started running away as fast as he could, often looking back at the wild attackers.  His mind was very much active as he could easily count the number of the attackers. They were around nineteen in different groups, chasing him as if he was the only threat to their life.  My poor friend kept on running and running with all the energy he had.  Suddenly an auto rickshaw passed them in full speed which caught immediate attention of the chasing and attacking stray dogs. Next moment, they changed their target and started to chase the auto rickshaw, leaving my friend at the total mercy of the lonely and deserted street. My friend instantly had great relief of escaping possible attack by the stray dogs which looked merciless, cruel and furious.Some how he reached home safely.

When I was considering his experience in detail, I felt that we human beings have strong analogy with the attitude of these stray dogs - we do not know what  we are doing, what we are  running after, what exactly is the goal to achieve, what is our priority, is it right or wrong what we are doing, and so many similar questions arose in my mind. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SELF AWARENESS !

MENTAL HEALTH HACKS

That makes the man superior to animals - he is rational.  And in his application of rationality man needs healthy mind and healthy body.

You must have read these terms - healthy mind and healthy body ?

Very few people have the awareness of the fact that healthy mind ensures healthy body.  

And having both healthy mind and healthy body is the secret of happiness which is discovering happiness in life.

And very few people know what is mental bath and how to take it. 

MENTAL HEALTH HACKS

I am always careful to  avoid -

• exposure of my mind to negativity in all respects
• seeing good for nothing tv programmes, movies, dramas etc.
• reading useless material
• company of people of negative nature

And I prefer to engage my mind in -

• positive thoughts
• informative, educative, inspirational tv programmes, movies, dramas etc.
• quality reading ie reading books of wisdom, inspiration, motivation.
• engage in sat sang - not essentially physical one, sat sang means to keep mind occupied in any manner effective in getting wisdom of life, positivist in all respects,
• creative hobbies like reading, painting, drawing, and of course observing scenic nature.

MENTAL HEALTH HACKS

Here I share with my dear readers my own health hacks which have proved very significant and meaningful for maintaining healthy mind and healthy body essential for living a healthy life.

• Accept reality.
• No comparison with others.
• No involvement in other's affairs.
• No expectations from others.
• Be grateful for what I am and what I have.
• Compassion for every living entity. This includes following strict vegetarian diet. (Of course, I am a Brahmin, a pure vegetarian from birth.)
• No criticism of others.
• Ready to share my learning from experience in life with others, only if asked for.
• No insistence on improving others.
• Always learn new things,  getting acquainted with latest technology in communication.
• Always prepared to learn and learn and learn in my life. 
• Believe in learning is a continuous process in life.
• Love to observe nature,sunrise,sunset,birds,pet animals, communication among birds,animals, their behavior.Love children. 

A BIRD ENJOYING BEING ALONE !

• I am aware we old people can learn from children.
• Love not only family members but every one I interact in life.
• Never think of the  past.
• Never worry about the future.
• Prefer living at the moment.

Dear readers, your considered comments are  most welcome.  Your comments will enable me to learn and improve. Thanks.

Next time......