I was moved to write this post after receiving some moving words from patients this week. Anxiety and depression are the most common issues affecting patients in my practice. Sadly, often it is not the main complaint as many of us 'learn to live' with mental and emotional health issues. These feelings of anxiety, sadness, panic, overwhelm, anger, frustration, desolation and despair become the norm and we find ways to live in this world with them. We mask, suppress, carry on, or hide away as there seems no other way. This does not need to be the case, however long you have lived with with these symptoms and I have used the experiences and words of my patients to try and show you this is true.
Anxiety - Mental, emotional and physical pain
From an Ayurvedic perspective Anxiety is about balancing the doshas, and most importantly Vata dosha. Treating anxiety is always unique to the individual and holistic, taking into consideration nutrition, lifestyle and self care practices. For some, practices like meditation, breathing techniques and even sleep are elusive, and can often seem unachievable to those in a highly anxious or depressed state. The inner belief continues that, as sufferers we will never 'control', calm or 'stop' their minds - and so we cope.
I struggled to meditate for over 20yrs. and with perseverance found moments of clarity, but still struggled to maintain a calm mental state. Studying Ayurveda helped me to understand how taking a holistic approach can enable us all to achieve this. Using Ayurvedic herbs and oils to support or 'hold' us as we make the lifestyle and nutritional changes required to heal ourselves. It is a lifelong and unique journey we are all on, and along the way different people and experiences will guide us. Recently I have found that the support of a local Buddhist meditation centre helps me a lot, finding the welcoming community of others has been hugely beneficial to me, though 20yrs ago I struggled with that.
Mindfulness, meditation and breathing practices are key to helping us to live more in the present and let go of our anxious and painful thoughts. In essence it is about realising that we really do have a choice. That may seem impossible to see when we are overwhelmed with sadness, anger, grief or panic from trauma or daily life. Here are the recent words of a few patients, as their words describe better than I could how it is possible, to find relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression which can lead to physical issues too.
'I had become so accustomed to just dealing with’ extremely high anxiety, that I didn’t even recognise it as a problem, or imagine that it could be changed! I had thought I just had to live it as it had been a constant I had lived with for as long as I can remember. I thought it was just a part of my personality. However, after only about 2 months of Tish’s care this had shifted. It became more usual for me not to feel anxious than to feel anxious. This was an absolute revelation for me and has given me much more ‘thinking space’ than I thought was possible. 4 months in to my treatment and I am now at the stage where I really notice if I am anxious showing that it is no longer a baseline state for me! I never imagined I could feel so calm every day! It is hard to express just how significant this change has been for me. It is not an exaggeration to say that this has changed my life. I have learned how to look after myself in ways that create ongoing good health. I know how to help my body heal itself and the shift has been profound.''
M.M. November 2024
Another patient this week, expresses it very well..
I have always been a fairly healthy person, but my mental health has always been a problem for me and were getting worse after a recent major event, and I was finding it hard to cope. Within a few weeks of starting treatment, for the first time in my life, my mental health started improving with some herbs she gave me. This is the first time in my life I am having steady mood through the month and coping with life better than ever. My partner and family are seeing a visible difference. My energy levels are amazing and there is a big shift in my confidence levels. This inner happiness has replaced the sadness that I felt most of the time.
Emmilotta Rahkola November 2024
This post is intended to serve as a message of hope, that you can find relief, and Ayurveda can be very helpful on that journey, with a holistic and person centred approach. I will let the words of another patient end this post as they are so true, as she realises now that she has a choice, after living with debilitating panic attacks and anxiety for many years.
I hope that her words give you some hope. Take care and to find out more, click below.
I have noticed changes in my physical health and emotional state, not necessarily as things change in my life, but because I deal with them a lot better ...
Enya Markzak, November 2023
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