Dear,

Thank you very much for trusting us with your concern. From your letter I can notice that this situation is a cause of great stress to you. If I understood correctly, you started experiencing symptoms of anxiety when watching a particular TV show. These symptoms include: lack of sleep, heart palpitations, tension, fear, worry, and chest pain. Understandably these reactions worry you further. However, you mention that these reactions did not start with the first episode of the TV show. It seems from your description that you used to enjoy this particular TV show in the past free of anxiety. Moreover, you point out towards the end of your letter than you tend experience anxiety and high levels of stress in your day-to-day life and that the past year was a challenging year on a personal level.
Below I will describe the symptoms of anxiety and its relation to stress and the role of a strong peer support group. Furthermore, some techniques of how to avoid anxiety along with some relaxation exercises will be presented.
Anxiety is a psychosomatic reaction to exposure to high stress, change, and uncertainty. Symptoms usually include both psychological reactions (fatigue, fear, or worry) as well as physical ones (insomnia, sweating, increased heart rate, tension in the muscles). It is thus normal to experience anxiety when being under pressure or facing a continuous stressful situation. Most individuals experience short episodes of anxiety when faced with stressful situations such as an important exam or a job interview. Anxiety becomes problematic when it is constant and overwhelming interfering with one’s everyday activities and general mood. Thus, it is important to be able to differentiate between the triggers of anxiety. In your letter, you mention that you become anxious every time you are watching an episode of your favorite drama especially at night. It would be a good exercise to see if this anxiety is coming from watching the drama or is it independent of it. One option would be to stop watching the TV show for a long period of time and see if during that period you experience any of the symptoms described below. Moreover, watching any type of TV shows just before going to bed might not be a good solution to any sleeping problems you are experiencing. A good idea would be to try as much as possible to relax before going to sleep. You could try doing some light reading or drinking a glass of milk or listening to some relaxing music in the background while trying to clear up your mind of worries and stress. Some individuals find it helpful to put their day in order by revising everything they did that day just before going to sleep. This works for some while for others it creates more stress. The most important step is to be able to have a good night sleep by trying as much as possible to create the premise of relaxation. Lack of sleep exacerbates stress giving you feelings of fatigue and worry during the day. Moreover a healthy diet is crucial in fighting stress and anxiety and helping you sleep. Try to avoid high-sugared and fatty food especially before bedtime. Try to eat as much vegetables and light meat as possible and make sure you are hydrated during the day.

A further exercise you could try is to watch an episode of your TV series while you are relaxed in the weekend and take the time to analyze what exactly triggers your reactions. Is it the plot? Is the plot related in any way to your life or to what is worrying you? What is your general feeling about the movie? Why do you like it? Being aware of these questions during the screening of the show might help you identify the trigger of your anxiety. This would further help you find the root of your concern and try to solve it.
You mention in your letter you are afraid that this is a symptom of something bigger and that the thought of that brings you a lot of distress. It is important to note that it might be possible that you channel your anxiety towards the TV show while this is a reaction to your day-to-day stress. This is only a speculation since you did not describe your situation in detail and the challenges that you are facing at home and at work. A good thing would be to take the time and rationalize the triggers of your stress and anxiety. You should not be scared of this process since this will help you identify origin of your stress. Moreover, as you noted yourself, the role of a peer support group is crucial. You mention in your letter that your anxiety seems to diminish when you are talking to your sister or your friends even when this is not related to the TV show. This shows the benefits of a strong support group. A good idea would be to try as much as possible to be surrounded by people you trust and like to spend time with and socialize with them. You do not have to tell them about your worries and concerns unless you feel comfortable with this. The mere fact of positive social interaction will relax you and help you release stress. Moreover, physical exercise proved to be a great tool in combating stress and relaxing your mind and body. Simple exercises such as light stretching or taking a walk in the park will improve overall well being, help you sleep, and alleviate the stress.
However, apart from these long term solutions you can also use short-term techniques to keep your anxiety under control before it gets triggered. During an anxiety attack, the most important is the breathing rate. When feeling anxious your breathing becomes rapid and irregular. This will trigger heart palpitation. Sweating and fear will soon follow after this. Thus, by controlling the breathing rhythm you can keep the anxiety under check. A very simple exercise for controlling the breathing rhythm is to simply take a deep breath and hold it for the count of 10. After this exhale deeply. You can do this for up to 5 times until your breathing gets regular. Another option is to lay down on the floor with your knees bet and one arm over your chest. Take deep breaths focusing on how your chest moves with every inhale and exhale.

Hope this will help you identify the triggers of your anxiety as well as offering you some instruments in trying to combat it. If you have any further concerns of questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,
AB