Every day, we find ourselves grappling with unresolved emotions, past experiences, and triggers. Sometimes, we can cope. Sometimes it’s enough to send us into a whirlwind of anxiety and panic. 

In the inaugural episode of The Therapy Room podcast series, Smitha Murthy talks to Sanchita Agrawal, a licensed Clinical Psychologist at DocVita, about managing anxiety, understanding triggers, and coping with overwhelming emotions. What follows is an enlightening discussion, with valuable insights and practical tips to make our days easier on ourselves.

Identifying and understanding triggers

Sanchita begins the conversation with the concept of triggers. Triggers, she says, are beautiful indicators of thoughts and feelings that we’ve attempted to evade. They are uncomfortable emotions that we’ve suppressed as a way of coping. These triggers often manifest as anxiety, anger, or disturbance when stimulated by external factors. 

Sanchita says the first step towards emotional healing is to acknowledge triggers. It helps us open the door to understanding and addressing the root causes of our emotional responses, which enables them to be addressed more effectively.

Managing anxiety in everyday life

Sanchita shares practical strategies for managing anxiety. Mindfulness and being present in the moment is one of the most important methods she recommends. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals can develop a heightened awareness of their thoughts and emotions. This enables us to respond with composure and understanding. 

Coping strategies for overwhelm

Sanchita explains how grounding exercises can be powerful tools to bring oneself back to the present moment. These exercises involve sensory awareness and can include activities like deep breathing, focusing on physical sensations, or even carrying a small object that serves as a tactile anchor. 

Guided breathing exercise

Sanchita walks us through a specific breathing exercise which acts as a quick remedy for stress. Here’s how to do it. 

Breathe in for 5 seconds. Breathe out for 7 seconds. No pause in the middle. When you breathe out longer, it gives you a sense of calm because it slows down your heart rate.

Sanchita touches upon many more topics – about how to use the 9 breaths purification technique, how to do paced breathing, the usefulness of building an emotional vocabulary, and how to take time out for self-care, among others. 

Listen to the episode, and do write in to tell us your thoughts at podcast@myndstories.com