Treating Anxiety Disorders
Speak to a mental health professional if your anxiety is persistent and interferes with your daily activities. Psychologists are experts in psychotherapy and can prescribe medication. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in treatments for mental health.
Counseling, medication and other treatments can ease your symptoms and help you manage your anxiety. You can also learn stress management techniques and join support groups (both in person and online).
Medication
Anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy (talk-therapy) or medication or a combination of both. Therapy for anxiety can help people cope better with their anxieties and reduce symptoms. Exercise, sleep and strategies for managing stress can help improve mood. The medication can help reduce the intensity of anxiety and make the other treatments more effective.
Anxiety disorders are more susceptible to developing other mental health issues, such as depression. The symptoms of depression are often interspersed with symptoms of anxiety so it is important to treat both at the same time. A specialist in treating mental disorders (a psychiatrist) can diagnose anxiety and prescribe medications to ease the symptoms.
Certain life experiences and genetic traits increase the chances of developing anxiety disorders. Traumas, such as an accident or war can cause anxiety disorders in certain people. A chronic illness or caregiving can also cause people to worry excessively. Drug abuse, especially alcohol and illegal drugs can contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder.
Antidepressants are the most popular option for treatment for the majority of anxiety disorders. Modern antidepressants, referred to as SNRIs and SSRIs such as escitalopram (Lexapro) and duloxetine (Cymbalta), have been shown to be efficient in a variety of clinical studies. Benzodiazepines, like diazepam (Valium) are often used to help ease anxiety. However, they aren't usually prescribed for more than four weeks at a time because they can become addicting and do not work as well after that.
Other types of medication that are commonly used to treat anxiety are beta-blockers, such as propranolol (Inderal) and atenolol (Toprol XL), which can reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Anticonvulsants, such as the levothyroxine sodium (Levothyrix), can help to control trembling and shaking. Buspirone (BuSpar) in low doses can be helpful for people suffering from physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating or a rapid pulse.
Certain sedatives like Clonazepam (Klonopin), can only be obtained through prescription. Monoamine Oxase Inhibitors, such as moclobemide (Anxair) are prescribed for people suffering from severe anxiety.
Psychotherapy
While it is normal for children to at times to feel anxiety or fear, these feelings shouldn't affect their daily lives or cause them to withdraw or isolate themselves from their families, friends or school. Anxiety disorders can lead to severe depression, or other mental health problems that affect one's quality of life. These conditions are often managed with psychotherapy (counseling) as well as medications.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most popular psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. It helps you alter patterns of thinking and beliefs that cause your anxiety. Your therapist will assist you to learn relaxation techniques and find ways to cope when you feel negative emotions. Exposure therapy can also be used to gradually expose you to situations that trigger anxiety. This is done through systematic desensitization, which involves creating a list of triggers and grading them according to intensity.
Your therapist will show you how to challenge irrational thoughts and predictions. They will assist you in testing your beliefs with experiments, weighing up the pros and cons, and determining the realistic probability that something bad could occur.
Psychiatrists may prescribe short-term and long-term medications to treat anxiety disorders. Antidepressants such as SSRIs and buspirone may help with anxiety by altering brain's chemicals that regulate mood. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or lorazepam can help in promoting relaxation of muscles and relaxing the brain. SNRIs, including venlafaxine, are able to help reduce anxiety by increasing serotonin levels and norepinephrine levels in the brain.
Psychiatrists can monitor your symptoms, answer any questions and make changes to your treatment plan if necessary. Based on the severity of your condition it could take a while to heal. It is possible to test different therapists and a variety of different methods before you discover one that is effective for you. It is crucial to stick to the treatment plan you have chosen to get outcomes. The longer you delay to seek help, the worse your symptoms could get.
Therapy with people
Interpersonal therapy is a kind of psychotherapy for short durations that focuses primarily on solving interpersonal problems. It usually lasts 12-16 sessions. It has been empirically proven to improve depression and anxiety symptoms. It has also been demonstrated to be effective for treating depression comorbid to PTSD. It can also be used to address social and occupational difficulties for people suffering from PTSD.
The first three sessions are devoted to gathering information and identifying the root of the issue. The therapist may assist you in making an inventory of your most important relationships. The therapist will then assist you in determining the most problematic areas according to your needs and the potential for improvement. In the middle sessions (4-14) you and your counselor will work together to find solutions to these issues. You will then apply these new strategies to your everyday life in between sessions.
The most significant feature of IPT is that it frames the patient's problems as a medical condition, not as a character flaw. This can relieve patients' guilt and self-criticism. It can also help them recognize that their symptoms are a result of a combination of their current situation and their medical illness.
Choose a therapist that is licensed and specialized in the issue you are dealing with. Research the therapist's training and background. You can ask other doctors for referrals. Make sure that you and your therapist are on the same page about the goals of the sessions before starting therapy. For instance, you may be looking to improve your relationship skills or overcoming your fears of intimacy.
Self-help
Anxiety is normal in response to stressful events. However, it becomes a problem when it becomes too intense that it affects your daily life. People with anxiety disorders usually need medication and psychotherapy to recover. But a few self-help techniques can reduce symptoms and make them easier to deal with. For example, breathing exercises and relaxation can help lower your heart rate and help calm your mind. Try to do these exercises several times a week, paying attention to the way your body feels when you breathe in and out. Recognizing negative thoughts and replacing them by positive ones can ease anxiety.
Changing your diet and getting regular exercise can help you feel better. You can reduce your intake of nicotine, caffeine and alcohol which can worsen or cause anxiety. Regular exercise relieves tension and stimulates the brain to produce serotonin. This chemical is thought to boost mood. You should do 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week.
Self-help resources for anxiety include support groups, self help books and online resources. Some of these resources offer various tasks that can be completed at home, like finding the triggers that cause your anxiety and learning to challenge your anxious thoughts. Some also require face-to-face meetings with therapists and other people who are suffering from the same problems.
Psychological treatments for anxiety disorders are crucial. They include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps to change the thought patterns that lead to anxiety exposure therapy, which is where you gradually confront the situations such as people, objects, or other individuals that cause anxiety, as well as complementary health practices like relaxation, breathing exercises meditation, breathing exercises. These techniques can be utilized together with medications.
Some people will require a consultation with a physician to rule out medical conditions that could be the source of anxiety. severe anxiety disorder can then begin treatment. Anxiety disorders can be crippling and can cause problems with work, school and social life. They can also lead to depression, which comes with an increased risk of suicide. People who don't seek treatment for their issues have a higher risk of them developing into a more severe mental health problem.