The method is an easy one – and can help lots of people
A doctor has revealed that there is one particular type of sweet that may actually help ease anxiety. Whether your stress is because of work, home life, or a sense of unease you can’t quite explain, it’s completely normal to feel this way.
To help, Dr Raj Arora, an NHS GP and medical educator, has offered advice on how to manage anxiety and the horrible symptoms that come with it. Many know her from her appearances on ITV’s This Morning, but she also posts to her own socials, helping others to advocate for themselves and understand the impact certain health issues can have.
Posting to TikTok at @drrajarora, the much-loved doctor reacted to a video of a woman eating sour sweets after her therapist suggested trying the method. The doctor then revealed that this actually works.
She explained: “This is something that actually helps with anxiety. The idea behind this is a sensory experience. So when you have an anxiety or a panic attack, diverting your attention away from that or distracting your attention, it can be pretty powerful.
“So eating a really sour sweet, for example, is quite a sensory experience. It will calm you down, distract you away from that panic attack or that anxiety attack that you’re having and sort of redirect you.”
This isn’t a treatment, she warned. After she explained why it works, she also cautioned: “Is it a treatment for it? Is it a long-term management option? Obviously not. Sweets are full of processed sugars. They’re full of high sugar content and overall not very good for your health. So I wouldn’t recommend you’re just eating bags and bags of our sweets. However, the odd one here and there, if you feel like it does distract you, can be helpful.”
She added: “It can be helpful because it shifts your brain’s thoughts away from those anxious thoughts into what is actually happening in the mouth and that experience that you’re going through.”
If you aren’t keen on this approach, “there are other ways to distract yourself if you’re going through anxiety and it’s called a grounding technique”, the doctor explained.
You can try:
- Going outside and stepping on the grass
- Stomping your feet on the ground or grass
- Holding ice in your hand
- Use breathing techniques
In her final message, she said: “In conclusion, having sour candy can be a short and easy distraction. But it’s not something I would recommend long-term. So if you are suffering with anxiety, please go and see your GP and get some treatment and management.”
