Be Kind to your mind this World mental Health day 10 October 2025.
Worry is one of the core human emotions. It keeps us safe & it’s normal to feel worried or fearful in certain situations. These feelings set off the natural ‘fight or flight’ response to a perceived danger or when faced with risky situation. However, worrying constantly holds us back from achieving our full potential. Feeling constantly on edge, unable to sit still or relax. No matter what is the nature of worry, the worried mind clouds judgement. It doesn’t let us see things clearly. It makes us go off the track. Worrying excessively leads to anxiety. It’s that feeling of trepidation that makes us feel something terrible is going to happen. Fear makes us freeze. It turns into anxiety disorder when the day to day life is disrupted affecting education, work & personal relationships. It affects mood, sleep & clarity. It depletes confidence, dampens productivity. It doesn’t let you move forward. It doesn’t let you think of what else is out there. It doesn’t let you think of the alternative options. It doesn’t let you see the situation clearly. It comes in the way of finding solutions.
Worried mind creates several thoughts, mostly negative. ‘I can’t do this’. ‘I won’t be able to deal with the situation’. ‘I find it very hard’. ‘I’m a failure’. ‘What will someone say?’ Or ‘what if I upset someone?’ Negative thoughts lead to negative behaviours. Your actions become limited. They usually mirror the negative thoughts about how you feel. These thoughts bring you down. They tell you that you are incapable of doing anything about the existing problem. The guarded actions undermine confidence. They make you believe that you cannot face the situation at hand. And you find it very hard to deal with the issue. Just to give an example, if you are experiencing a long standing pain, you may choose to stay indoors due to worrying any activity could make the pain worse. Whereas being outdoors, in the sun makes you feel good! Releasing the feel good hormones.
Similarly, if you feel anxious, you may choose avoidance. Avoiding social events. Avoiding meeting with family or friends. That makes you feel even worse which in turn feeds into anxiety, making you feel more withdrawn. Repetitive behaviours create the anxiety loop. Eventually, you get caught up in what seems like an unbreakable loop! In reality, stepping out of comfort zone, meeting people, nurturing social interactions, can provide opportunities to break this loop. Over 8 million people in the UK suffer from anxiety, the most prevalent mental health disorder, which is also treatable. And yet, the fear of judgement & stigma around mental health prevent many from expressing themselves & talking about their true feelings. They are afraid of getting labelled as – ‘weak’, ‘boring’, ‘moaner ’or ‘attention seeker’.
Nevertheless, the whole cycle keeps repeating itself. And the next time there is opportunity knocking on your door, you repeat the behaviour & keep treading the path of avoidance. Next, you start bringing yourself down. Criticism follows and you start blaming yourself for letting you or someone else down. This creates guilt, more unpleasantness. You don’t feel good about yourself. The confidence goes down along with the clarity of mind & decision making. So, acknowledge your fears. Change what you can and have the courage to ‘let go’ of whatever is not in your control. Positive behaviours are certainly uplifting, making you happier!
Acknowledge the feeling of discomfort. Practice breathwork, box breathing, relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation or deep belly breathing. Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t let it stop you from trying, achieving & experimenting! Despite uncertainties, take that first step! Be courageous. The first small step will lead to the next one and the next one & soon you’ll realise you are already crossing the hurdles in your journey! That too mostly through just changing the mindset. No matter how big or small the goals are. It may be something as small as going for a walk around the block, or something bigger like completing the work related project, passing the exam or resolving relationship issues. You will be happy that you are carving your own path to accomplishment. You can start anew at any stage of your life or career!
Keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Have faith in your own abilities. With the leap of faith, you will feel courageous & confident! Just don’t give up & have the courage to take that first small step!
Get in touch for consultation. Email: drsuchita.karthik@mindinsightleeds.com or use the link Contact
Dr Suchita Karthik (Psychiatrist, Integrative Medic, Founder Mind In Sight- Leeds) Practice : At Tower Clinic, Coockridge, LS16 7AP. (https://www.towerclinic.co.uk/dr-suchita-karthi-joins-the-tower-clinic/)
Mind in sight - Leeds 