Anxiety Relief Ayurvedic Treatment

The intense, excessive, uncontrollable and continuous worrying (anxiety) and fear about everyday activities is called anxiety disorder. Episodes of panic attacks are common for people with anxiety disorder. Varieties of anxiety disorder include generalised anxiety disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder etc. Most of the time, the person suffers from more than one type of anxiety disorder.

Anxiety Signs and Symptoms

The common symptoms are excessive tension, nervousness, feeling of danger, restlessness, increased heartbeat and breathing, more sweat, feeling weak, trembling, difficulty to control the worries, avoiding the circumstances that make them anxious, sleeping problems, lack of concentration and stomach issues (eg: acidity, loose motion). The specific symptoms of different varieties of anxiety disorder include:

Generalised anxiety disorder- continuous and excessive worrying about routine things; and it is very difficult to control.

Social anxiety disorder- avoiding social situations, excessively conscious about self, over-concerned about being judged etc.

Panic disorder- repeated episodes of sudden, intense fear and anxiety that reaches the peak within minutes (panic attacks), rapid heartbeat and breathing, chest pain etc.

Selective mutism- children constantly fail to speak in certain situations (eg: school) despite of being social in other situations.

Separation anxiety- child getting anxious while being separated from parents or other close relatives.

Anxiety Ayurvedic Analysis

When manodosha (basic humors of mind) rajas and tamas got vitiated and they affect manovaha srotas (the channels of nourishment to the psyche), Chittodwega (mental agitation) occurs. It causes excessive anxiety, thoughts, fear, sadness etc and interferes with day-to-day activities. The Tridosha (bodily humors) also get vitiated and they produce bhaya (fear), shoka (sadness), dainya (weakness), smrti bhramsha (problems with memory), anavasthita chittatwa (flickering of mind), aswapna (sleeplessness), heaviness in chest, breathing difficulty etc.

Anxiety Causative Factors (Ayurveda)

The manodosha- rajas and tamas are vitiated by viruddha ahara (incompatible food), dushtanna (staled food) etc, non-suppression of feelings like anger, sadness, jealousy etc and sometimes due to trauma (mental as well as physical).

Possible Complications of Anxiety Disease

Untreated or chronic anxiety disorder may lead to depression, insomnia (lack of sleep), problems with digestion, substance abuse, problems with education and work, social isolation, constant headache or suicidal tendency.

Other systemic diseases and precautions to be taken

Consider any relevant medical history that will trigger anxiety (eg: anti-diabetics, heart diseases etc). Check whether there was any mental trauma, family history of mental disorder etc.

Anxiety Disease Management with Ayurveda Treatment

The management is based on the principles of ‘yuktivyapasraya chikilsa’ (with medicines and procedures) along with ‘satwavajaya chikilsa’ (psychotherapy). Remove the blocks in manovaha srotas using appropriate medicines and procedures- snehana (internal and/ or external), swedana (eg: steam bath), nasya (nasal instillation of medicine), vamana (emetic therapy) and vasthi (with decoction and oil), along with Psychotherapy.

Diet

Avoid the intake of more spicy/ cold/ incompatible/ dry/ stale food. Include more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk etc in diet.

Exercise

Indulge in regular exercise as per the guidance of physician. Yoga and meditation are also beneficial.

Anxiety Preventive Aspects in Ayurveda

Eat healthy nutritious diet. Exercise regularly. Share your good and bad feelings with those who are trustworthy. Maintain healthy relationships with others. Meditate more. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of a psychologist if needed.

Importance of Diet

Diet plays an important role in the vitiation of rajas and tamas. Avoid incompatible foods, stale food, mixing cold and hot food together, excess intake of curd etc.

Lifestyle

Take control over your emotions. Exercise regularly. Read and meditate more. Mingle with loyal people. Avoid coffee and tea, limit the intake of alcohol and drink more water.