How Anxiety is Treated

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, often in response to stressful life events. But when these feelings become overwhelming and disrupt daily life it could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Mental health professionals can examine your symptoms and run tests to rule out other illnesses. Treatment options include psychotherapy as well as medication.

Medicines

Everyone feels nervous and worried at times But if they're persistent or affect your everyday life to the point that you're unable to function, it's time to speak to your mental health professional regarding medication. If you are suffering from anxiety, your physician will help you find the best treatment for generalised anxiety disorder medication for you. They'll also discuss other treatments that could be beneficial, like therapy, exercise, and stress management techniques.

The medications used to treat anxiety include antidepressants and anxiolytics. Antidepressants increase the activity of chemicals in your brain, like serotonin, which affects mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating a variety of conditions, including depression and anxiety. Other antidepressants like tricyclic antidepressants are also approved to treat anxiety disorders. Other medications, like benzodiazepines, increase the activity of receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA which can have an calming effect.

There are two types of anxiolytic medications such as standing doses, which you take regularly or as-needed, and medications you take when anxiety is a major issue. The first can take some time to kick in but they typically eliminate or reduce your symptoms. The most needed medications can work more quickly, usually within 20 minutes, but they improve your anxiety only as long as they are present in your system.

Although medications are an important component of your treatment, they cannot alleviate anxiety. Your physician will discuss with you about other options to treat your symptoms, including psychotherapy (talk therapy), exercise and stress management techniques and self-help techniques, like breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and biofeedback. Many people with anxiety and phobias benefit from cognitive behavior therapy, also known as CBT, which helps you to identify the thoughts that trigger your fears and learn to control them. Other treatments include eye movement desensitization as well as reprocessing, or EMDR which can help people overcome trauma and anxiety that is associated with it as well as depression. Certain people may benefit from acupuncture. This involves placing needles at specific locations on the body to ease tension and pain.

Counseling

The goal of counseling (or psychotherapy) is to help you learn better ways of thinking and coping with anxiety. It also helps you identify your triggers and discover the underlying causes. The research-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and interpersonal therapy are effective for treating anxiety. These therapies can be combined with a pharmacotherapy plan.

It's important to realize that you're not the only one if anxiety is impacting your life. Anxiety affects over 40 million adults in the US and the stress and anxiety can cause issues in all aspects of your life. There are a myriad of mental health professionals that can assist with anxiety, such as psychologists counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists. WithTherapy can match you with a therapist that is specifically matched to meet your preferences and needs.

Many people who suffer from anxiety have symptoms like dread or restlessness or having trouble sleeping. These symptoms are usually triggered by certain situations or events. Counselling can help you to recognize these triggers and control them so that you feel better.

The use of behavioral and cognitive therapies has been proven to be more effective than medications to manage anxiety, and the effects of therapy can continue for months and even years after treatment is finished. This is because, unlike medications, psychotherapy teaches you skills to overcome your anxious thoughts and behavior.

Counseling can help you recognize the triggers that cause performance anxiety treatment and provide a safe environment to share your feelings with a person who is on the same journey. Talking with a therapist can help you deal with anxiety-related symptoms that are commonplace, such as worrying, ruminating, experiencing negative or depressing feelings, and worrying.

In addition to psychological therapy, some people find relief from herbal remedies and supplements. However, it's important be aware that these alternatives aren't regulated by the FDA in the same way prescription drugs are and can have dangerous adverse effects. Before you begin taking herbs or supplements, you should consult your doctor. You can also join a group for anxiety sufferers to meet others who share your experience.

Strategies for self-help

Anxiety is not just an emotion, it can cause real physical symptoms, such as sweating, heart palpitations and nausea. Although there are a few medical conditions that can trigger anxiety, most times it is caused by lifestyle factors such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and sleep issues. Self-management strategies can help control these symptoms and improve the quality of your life. These include relaxation exercises, avoiding caffeine and nicotine, sleeping more and implementing effective stress management. A regular exercise routine is also recommended to boost serotonin levels, which can combat anxiety-related symptoms.

Self-help methods are usually more effective in managing anxiety symptoms than medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments. It helps patients identify and change their negative thought patterns. Another treatment is exposure therapy, which helps individuals confront things or people that trigger anxiety by gradually increasing their interaction with them. This can be done by imagination or by actually entering the fearful situation. Exposure therapy is usually used in combination with CBT.

Some people with anxiety have found that keeping a log of their symptoms is beneficial. This can be a way to keep track of the severity and frequency of the symptoms and how they affect daily activities and relationships. Journals can help a person determine the triggers that cause anxiety. An individual can also join a support group to connect with other people who are suffering from anxiety and discuss their experiences.

Counseling and psychotherapy are also effective in reducing anxiety. A psychiatrist is a physician specializing in mental health. They can prescribe medication. Psychotherapy is offered by a psychologist or any other mental health professional who can help you talk about your concerns and develop strategies to cope. One of the most popular types of therapy for anxiety is cognitive behavior therapy or CBT which is a form of psychotherapy which has been proven to be effective in clinical trials.

Psychotherapy

The use of medication to treat anxiety is helpful, but therapy gives people the chance to regain emotional and physical control when worry takes over. Randomized clinical studies have shown that psychotherapy can reduce anxiety symptoms better than medication, and the effects persist long after treatment sessions.

The main type of psychotherapy that is used to treat anxiety is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). In CBT, patients are taught skills to manage anxiety by finding negative thoughts that cause fear. Then they replace these thoughts with realistic, calming ones. Patients also learn to use various strategies to lessen their symptoms, like learning to practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

Another form of psychotherapy that can be useful for anxiety is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) which helps individuals to acknowledge and deal with their worries in a healthy way, instead of absconding from them. In this form of therapy, patients can be encouraged to experiment with new ideas and gradually confront their fears until they are able handle them without issue. Other coping techniques include eye movement desensitization therapy (EMDR) which is a method that uses repetitive eye movements back and forth to alter negative emotions into memories that cause anxiety.

Exercise and stress-reduction techniques can be incorporated into psychotherapy for anxiety. Regular exercise can help keep the heart rate and blood pressure at a normal level, which can reduce anxiety symptoms. A balanced diet that is low in levels of sugar and caffeine can also reduce anxiety symptoms.

The most effective psychotherapists for anxiety will be capable of communicating with you in a manner that makes you feel comfortable opening up and expressing your feelings. Finding a good therapist may require some time. It's not uncommon for people to visit multiple therapists until they discover one that works. To get the most effective anxiety treatment out of therapy, you have to be patient, dedicated and be open with your therapy therapist.