No matter the circumstance, this how you can stay calm according to a psychiatrist

We’ve all faced tough situations in our lives but it is how we manage our emotions at such times that determines how well we will overcome them. For a lot of us, especially those who end up panicking at the first sign of distress, staying calm can be quite tough. 

However, it is extremely important to train our brains to be calm because it helps us manage our circumstances better as we put all our mental energy into finding solutions rather than worrying about it.

So, we talked to Dr Samir Parikh who is the Director and Head of Department of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Healthcare to understand how to maintain calm in every situation that life throws at us. 

His advice, if put to action, can help us achieve peace of mind even during tough circumstances:

1. Work-life balance is key
Life is truly a balancing act. You need to make sure you maintain a healthy balance between your work life and social life. One shouldn’t get heavier than the other. You need to take regular breaks from the stress of work and spend a healthy amount of time with your friends and family to make sure you don’t feel burnt out.

At the same time, make sure your leisure activities don’t eat into the time reserved for your professional work. You are likely to lose the peace of mind if you don’t make sure there’s a balance.

2. Step back and plan
It is important to have the ability to be able to step back, look at a certain situation, and come up with an effective plan to deal with it. Remember, nothing is the end of the world and with just a little planning, you can overcome any circumstance.

3. Seek help whenever needed
We often forget how important it is to ask for guidance when needed to make life easier and less confusing. If you find that you’re extremely stressed, don’t know your way out of a certain situation, or cannot maintain your calm—do not be afraid to seek help.

It could be asking a colleague for guidance, requesting help from a trusted friend, or even trusting a good medical professional to restore your mental health.

“Practising all of this helps you build resilience and develop pillars of strength to help you get through tough times while promoting a positive outlook of life,” concludes Dr Parikh.

Being calm, in even the toughest of situations, isn’t something that you can learn overnight. Instead, it is all about how you build your life.