If you feel more anxious nowadays, you are not alone. The Singapore Association for mental health (SAHM) has seen an 80 percent increase in people who required counscelling for anxiety, compared with the same period last year.
Dr Jodie Lowinger is a clinical psychologist and founder of the Anxiety Clinic. As she explains. “Anxiety itself is very much a part of our common human experience. It’s the result of living in this uncertain, ever-changing world – a result of being human.”
The difference is the level of anxiety you feel. Some of the people visiting the SAMH Insight Centre for counselling in Singapore had become overwhelmed by anxiety. They noticed changes to their eating or sleeping patterns. Some had trouble focusing or concentrating,
Dr Lowinger explains that anxiety isn’t a flaw or a weakness. You don’t have to be ashamed if you feel this way. “We need to let go of ideas about anxiety meaning you are ‘not good enough’. In fact, anxiety can be a superpower. This is because the majority of people who struggle with anxiety have a depth of thinking and a rare depth of feeling – a strong, analytical mind combined with an empathic heart.” Here, she shares her tips for dealing with anxiety;