04/04/2022
Feeling anxiety while fasting:
-Having a feeling of being stuck with your fast.
-Feeling suffocated or restricted about not being able to drink water.
-Feeling like thirst will become intolerable.
-Experiencing dry mouth.
-Experiencing a lumpy feeling in the throat and finding it difficult to swallow.
-Being unable to sleep.
Tips to overcome this anxiety:
-First make sure there is no medical cause of excessive thirst or mouth dryness ( dehydration, diabetes, certain medications, hormonal imbalance)
-Keep yourself hydrated. During non fasting hours, drink enough water and other foods which help quench thirst.
-Make sure you’re breathing through the nose only. Mouth breathing can further worsen mouth dryness.
-Tell yourself this is anxiety. First accept your anxiety and sit with it. (Pushing away thoughts that produce anxiety or avoiding them only makes them worse)
-After you have accepted this is anxiety, challenge the anxiety causing thoughts. E.g I will die of extreme thirst. Ask yourself if this is possible. Ask yourself if a life threatening situation arises, is it not allowed to drink water.
-Tell yourself anxiety is making the situation seem worse than it is.
-While sleeping, practice deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation (gradually relaxing all parts of your body), positive imagery.
-Practice meditation/clearing your mind.
-Pray for the relief from anxiety.
-Seek help from a professional if above tips do not help.
Anxiety is real, it is a medical condition and it can be quite disabling. Please address your anxiety and do not suffer in silence.
