Ayurvedic Treatment for Stress and Anxiety in Coimbatore

Stress

The body has a natural effort to adjust to external or internal stimuli that tend to produce strain or disequilibrium of the body and mind. Such physiological and psychological efforts of the body are termed stress. Stress is experienced by everyone at many points in day-to-day life, not only for humans but also for every living being in this world.

Stress can be classified into two types:

• Eustress: This is positive stress created after engaging in activities like playing, working, and other pursuits.
  
  
• Distress: This is prolonged, recurrent stress which can cause damage to the body and mind.
  
  

Acute distress is sudden in origin like accidents, trauma, assault, illness, loss of close ones, leading to symptoms like grief, anxiety, depression, insomnia, headache, restlessness, and lack of concentration. Chronic distress, considered a lifestyle disease, stems from continuous exposure to negative factors like work pressure, family problems, financial stress, social issues, and health anxieties. Stress manifests in the body through anxiety, depression, emotional outbursts, insomnia, hypertension, respiratory discomfort, and susceptibility to addictions like alcohol and tobacco.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

It can range from mild to severe and can be a normal reaction to stressful situations.

However, when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily life, it may indicate an anxiety disorder.  

There are several types of anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), where people experience prolonged bouts of worry, anxiousness, and irrational fear that interferes with their day-to-day activities, social life, personal health, and work for more than 6 months. Phobias are intense and irrational fears of very specific things or situations, leading to an unreasonable response to fear or anxiety towards conditions that may otherwise not be considered harmful.

Examples include phobia of heights (Acrophobia), phobia of insects (Entomophobia), phobia of seeing blood (Hemophobia), phobia of needles (Trypanophobia), phobia of darkness (Nyctophobia), phobia of water (Aquaphobia), phobia of confined spaces (Claustrophobia), and phobia of social interactions (Social Phobia).

Panic disorder involves sudden, recurrent bouts of extreme fear and anxiousness, often accompanied by excessive sweating, a pounding and fast heartbeat, trembling, and shortness of breath. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops after experiencing a shocking, scary, or dangerous event, with intrusive thoughts about the incident in the form of flashbacks, bad dreams, and frightening thoughts triggering anxiety.

Bulimia nervosa is a serious, life-threatening eating disorder where individuals secretly binge with a loss of control over eating, followed by excessive concern about weight gain, triggering anxiety attacks. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder where people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas, or sensations (obsessions) that drive them to perform repetitive actions (compulsions).