Brief Answer:
Cure is for sure. Therefore, worrying about it is futile

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for asking the question

I went through your details. I sincerely believe that you are doing well for a person who suffers from stress and anxiety disorder.

Yes. So many people come to me suffering with daily symptoms like head pressure, and terrible vision problems all the time due to anxiety.

Now you have to address those symptoms. As you know the basic cause is anxiety and apprehension. Panic attacks are due to underlying anxiety and stress. Panic attacks are usually of very short duration. You do know those situations when you have panic attacks. For the time being you have to avoid them or manage them.

You suffered from a panic attack 14 months ago. It has to be connected with stress. Prior to that date, you must be stressed for a significant duration somehow, somewhere and sometime. Please identify those stressful situation and write down on a book.

Now identify the anxiety. Anxiety is fear of something which may or may not happen in your future. Means fearing something which is unpredictable. Apprehension is the first step of anxiety. Wrong perception and cognitive activity leads to apprehension.

Once you understand your anxiety, apprehension and panic situation, management starts.

You are cleared from any physiological problems that can be associated with your current symptoms like head pressure, vision problems. Then those problems could be definitely due to obsession. Remember, human mind is capable to produce any type of physical and mental symptoms as the human obsess it. In my opinion, you are obsessed with those symptoms and therefore you feel they are always there.

I hope you are working. What about these symptoms while working wholeheartedly? My experience says, these symptoms usually manifest themselves when you are idle, rather your mind is idle. When the mind is idle, it starts obsessing. I hope you understand.

So you have to understand these four issues. 1. Apprehension. 2. Anxiety 3. Obsession and 4. Panic attacks.

Stop apprehension completely. You have no authority to think negatively about your body, diseases, future etc. Even though you think, you can control a future event up to certain extent. Almost 99% is uncertain. Understand it and live with it. Believe in god and he will do the rest for you.

Anxiety has reasons and started due to stress. Identify the anxiety thoughts. Take an online test to determine your anxiety disorder, whether it is generalized or health related etc. Once you know please come back to me.

Panic attack came 14 months ago. Such a thing may come again when you are in a stressful situation. Panic attack simply means excess anxiety and fear. Pounding heart beat, sweating, restlessness, breathing difficulty etc are symptoms. Same symptoms applicable for simple fear. That means panic attack is extreme fear. just understand and stop giving significance to normal body reaction to fear.

Obsession and obsessive thoughts needs to be diverted. They won't disturb you while you work, engage in other entertaining activities etc. Therefore stop sitting idle and always engage in work or some entertaining activities. You can always counter obsessive thoughts by diverting your attention towards more priority tasks or entertainment. learn to do it.

For any therapy to work for you, you should learn to master these techniques to overcome 1. Apprehension. 2. Anxiety 3. Obsession and 4. Panic attacks.

Lastly, understand that your cure is a slow and steady process. Wait, be patient. Each and every step you take, will bring satisfaction up to certain level. Appreciate it, encourage yourself, say "you are in the right direction.

Do continue with CBT with the above techniques. Bring on life style changes to suit the given techniques.

You should also try relaxation techniques. Breathing is a good relaxation technique. Try "mindfullness" meditation. Sit comfortably in a quite place. Close your eyes. Breath slowly. Slowly fill your lungs 75%. Hold for three seconds. Exhale fully. Hold for three seconds. Again fill your lungs 75%. Hold for three seconds. Exhale fully. Hold for three seconds. Repeat this cycle for 20 minutes, twice daily. Try to look at your breath. Don't worry about your mind. It will wander. No problem. When you are aware about its wandering, slowly bring it back to breathing.

I am sure you are doing well. Cipralex is usually prescribed for Anxiety disorder and Obsessive compulsive disorder. Do continue taking it. You can talk about tapering it after some time, after you master your problem.

I assure you, if you take the medicine and do as I said, your problem can be cured within s span of around 1 year. If you do not do these, you will get a cure by around 6 years.

In any case, cure is for sure. Therefore, worrying about it is futile.

God bless you.

Dr. K V Anand PhD

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Brief Answer:
Worrying about tomorrow ruins your today

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thank you for the follow up

I reassure you, your problem can be cured within s span of around 1 year. If you do not do these, you will get a cure by around 6 years. Cure is for sure. Therefore stop worrying.

For you these symptoms are new and weird and confusing and obsessing. But for us, we see and treat these symptoms every day. That is why I said, just be sure, you will be cured.

Hoping for the best is the key. In actuality you don't do it. When you hope, worries are supposed to be sidelined, ignored. Hope and worry cannot go hand in hand.

That is where belief in god comes as a help. We all know he is the creator. We believe that he had already made decisions about our destiny, what will happen to us tomorrow, a year later or 5 year later and so on. So if you believe in him fully, you will not worry or rather think about tomorrow. Because it is already decided 99%.

Worrying about something on which you have no control, is futile. You can pray. Prayer and belief, gives you mental strength to face the future. Hope make you live happily today.

You have two children. Enjoy life with your family. Leave tomorrow to the god. Let him take care of it. Live today. Enjoy today. Be happy today. Tomorrow is tomorrow.

Worrying about tomorrow ruins your today.

Understand the life dynamics to master your problems in a better and permanent way.

As I told you, your vision problem is supposed to be due to obsession. You had that disturbing sensation once. You expected it to happen again and waited it to happen. Then you started experiencing it as you were expecting it. Then your body brought the familiar symptom because you are expecting it. Then you started worrying that the symptom is coming again and again and expect it. Body brings it again as you are expecting it. You become worried and so on. That is obsession in simple terms. Understand it, Ignore it and the problem vanishes.

I reassure you once again, Your disorder will be cured soon if you stop worrying about it. Take it as a part of your life.

God bless you.

Dr. K V Anand PhD

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