‘Get rid of anxiety as soon as possible’

By RITA AGGARWAL (Consulting Psychologist) :

Q.My friendhas been feeling extremely anxious and overwhelmed lately. He is experiencing a financial crisis and hence he seems to be constantly worrying about various aspects of his life and it's starting to affect his ability to focus and relax. I'm reaching out to seek advice on how I can support them and help them manage their anxiety better.

Ans. Anxiety is generally a useless emotion and keeps you in a state of tension and fear. A better option would be a problem-solving approach to find out the various options for dealing with the financial crisis. He could consult various people, like, seniors in the family, friends, consultants and any one he trusts. Getting into action and solving the problem will help him better than getting anxiety. Relax, meditate and focus on solutions till he finds it. Deep breathing exercises and physical exercises will help too. The other option is to send your friend for a session of counselling. Arnav, Nagpur

Q. My sister has been experiencing recurring intrusive thoughts and struggles to control her worries. We really tried to understand the cause behind this, but were not able to figure out anything. These thoughts are causing her distress and affecting her sleep and daily functioning. I believe she may benefit from professional intervention, and I'm seeking advice on how to approach the topic with her sensitively and encourage her to seek therapy. Please guide!

Ans. Please do guide her and encourage her to seek guidance from a counsellor or psychologist. Intrusive and recurring thoughts is also a condition of anxiety and may lead to obsessive thoughts. It’s always better to treat it early on rather than prolongitwhichaggravatesitfurther andmakesitworse. If they persist for more than two or three weeks, she should consult a professional and get it treated. ABC, Raipur

Q. I want to seek help for my son who is 17 years of age. I've observed that he has been displaying signs of low self-esteem and negative self-talk. He often puts himself down and struggles to see his own worth. I want to help him build a more positive self-image and boost his confidence. Could you provide me with some strategies or resources that could assist him in improving hisself-esteem and developing a healthier mindset?

Ans. We regularly help teenagers with the development of the personality. It is important to have a high self-esteem, selfconfidence and positive mindset. He could read up self-help bookson popularpsychology andhelphimself.The better alternative is to take behavioral training from us on the development of such skills and habits. We are doing it with school children and college youth routinely and it is not tough at all. He will enjoy the process of learning and training as he gains confidence and starts asserting himself.We have trained thousands of adolescents to think positive and develop self-esteem and be healthier and happy.

RITA AGGARWAL (Consulting Psychologist)