Anxiety in Everyday Life: A Medical Guide to Understanding, Managing, and Treating Anxiety

• Dr. Saurabh Jaiswal

Anxiety is no longer limited to extreme situations or crises. Today, many people experience anxiety quietly while going to work, managing family responsibilities, or lying awake at night with racing thoughts. Over time, this constant mental pressure can affect emotional health, physical well-being, and daily functioning. As a mental health specialist in Lucknow with over 15 years of clinical practice, Dr. Saurabh Jaiswal has seen how untreated anxiety slowly disrupts lives often before people realise they need medical help. This blog helps you recognise when self-help is enough and when professional care becomes necessary.

What Is Anxiety from a Medical Perspective?

Anxiety is the brain's natural alarm system. It prepares the body to deal with perceived danger. The problem begins when this alarm stays switched on even when no real threat exists. Medically, anxiety disorders occur when:
Worry becomes excessive or uncontrollable Fear responses are out of proportion to situations Physical symptoms appear without clear medical cause This is not a personality flaw or lack of willpower. Anxiety involves neurochemical imbalance, stress-response dysregulation, and learned thought patterns, which require structured treatment.

Common Types of Anxiety Seen in Clinical Practice

In real-world psychiatric settings, anxiety often presents in different forms:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - persistent worry about routine matters
• Panic Disorder - sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms
• Social Anxiety - fear of judgment or embarrassment
• Health Anxiety - excessive fear about illness despite reassurance
• Stress-related Anxiety - linked to work pressure, caregiving, or life transitions

Many patients experience overlapping symptoms, which is why professional evaluation by a psychiatric doctor is important instead of self-diagnosis.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Most People Ignore

One of the biggest misconceptions is that anxiety is "only mental." In practice, many patients first visit physicians for physical complaints.

• Chest tightness or palpitations
• Breathlessness without lung disease
• Chronic fatigue
• Stomach pain, acidity, IBS-like symptoms
• Head pressure or unexplained dizziness
• Muscle pain and jaw clenching
• Sleep issues

When routine medical tests appear normal, anxiety is often the underlying cause.

Why Anxiety Is Increasing in Urban India

In cities like Lucknow, anxiety cases have risen due to multiple lifestyle factors:

• High work expectations and job uncertainty
• Financial responsibilities and social comparison
• Constant digital exposure and reduced downtime
• Nuclear families with limited emotional support
• Post-COVID health and safety fears

These stressors continuously activate the nervous system, increasing the need for structured anxiety treatment in Lucknow rather than temporary coping methods.

Can Anxiety Be Managed Without Medication?

Yes many cases improve without medication, especially when identified early. Medical management usually follows a step-wise approach:

1. Psychoeducation: Understanding how anxiety works itself reduces fear and improves control.
2. Structured Therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps patients identify distorted thinking, reduce avoidance behaviour, and improve emotional regulation.
3. Lifestyle-Based Interventions: Sleep regulation, stress scheduling, controlled screen exposure, and regular physical movement.

When Is Medication Necessary for Anxiety?

Medication is considered when symptoms are severe or disabling, panic attacks are frequent, anxiety causes depression or insomnia, or therapy alone is insufficient. As a trusted mental health professional, Dr. Saurabh Jaiswal follows evidence-based prescribing with the lowest effective dose, regular follow-up, clear explanation to patients, and avoiding unnecessary long-term use. Medication is supportive, not a lifelong dependency when used correctly.

Why Professional Evaluation Matters

Self-help content can be useful, but it cannot differentiate anxiety from depression,OCD, or medical illness, identify comorbid conditions, personalise therapy intensity, or monitor response and side effects. A qualified mental health doctor ensures accurate diagnosis and safe treatment.

Final Takeaway

Anxiety is common, treatable, and manageable when addressed correctly. Ignoring symptoms or normalising constant distress only prolongs suffering. If anxiety is interfering with your sleep, work, relationships, or physical health, consulting an experienced psychiatrist in Lucknow is a medically sound decision not a weakness.