How Anxiety is Treated
Everyone is prone to anxiety from time time. This is usually a reaction to stressful events that happen in life. When the anxiety becomes overwhelming and disrupt your everyday life, it could indicate that you have an anxiety disorder.
Mental health professionals can assess your symptoms and run tests to rule out any other conditions. The use of medication and psychotherapy is available as treatment options.
Medicines
Everyone is anxious or nervous occasionally, but if these feelings persist and are affecting your daily life that you're unable to function, it may be time to talk to your mental health professional regarding medication. If you are suffering from anxiety, your doctor will assist you in finding the best medication for you and will also discuss other treatments that could be beneficial, like psychotherapy, exercise and stress management techniques.
The medications used to treat anxiety include antidepressants and anxiolytics. Antidepressants improve the activity of certain chemicals in your brain that affect mood, including serotonin. 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 such as tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitors antidepressants are also approved to treat anxiety disorders. Other benzodiazepines enhance the activity of receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA, which has an calming effect.
There are two types of anxiolytic medications: standing doses, which are taken regularly, and as-needed medications that you use when your anxiety is a major issue. The former may take a while to start working, but they can eliminate or significantly reduce your symptoms. The medications that are needed work faster, in about 20 minutes. However, they can only enhance anxiety so long as the medication remains in your system.
Although medications are an important component of your treatment, they do not help you overcome anxiety. Your doctor will talk with you about other ways to treat symptoms, including psychotherapy (talk-therapy), exercise and stress management, as well as self-help strategies such as breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and biofeedback. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is beneficial for many people suffering from anxiety or phobias. CBT can help you identify the thoughts and feelings that trigger your anxiety, and help you learn to manage them. natural ways to treat anxiety include eye movement desensitization and EMDR, also known as reprocessing which can help people overcome trauma and related anxiety and depression. Some people benefit from acupuncture, which involves placing needles in certain areas of the body to relieve tension and pain.
Counseling
Counseling (or psychotherapy) is designed to help you learn better methods of thinking and dealing with anxiety. It assists you in identifying your triggers, and uncover the root causes. Research-backed treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as 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 are not alone if anxiety is impacting your life. Anxiety affects more than 40 million people in the US. The fear and anxiety that anxiety brings can cause problems for you throughout your life. There are a variety of mental health professionals who can help. They include psychologists, counselors, and social workers. The WithTherapy platform can connect you with a therapist who's suitable to your needs and preferences.
Many people who suffer from anxiety experience symptoms like dread or restlessness or having trouble sleeping. Often, these feelings are triggered by specific situations or events. Counselling can help you recognize and manage these triggers so you feel better.
The use of behavioral and cognitive therapies has been proven to be more effective than medication for anxiety management and the benefits of therapy can last for months and even years after treatment has ended. Psychotherapy, unlike medication, helps you overcome your anxious thoughts.
Counseling can help you understand your anxiety triggers and offer a safe space to discuss your feelings with someone else on the same journey. The ruminations, negative or depressing thoughts, and worrying are all common symptoms of anxiety that can be helped by discussing them with counselors.
Some people find relief through herbal remedies and supplements, in addition to psychotherapy. It's important to remember that these remedies aren't regulated by the FDA in the same way as prescription medications and could have negative side effects. Before you start taking herbs or supplements, you should consult with your doctor. You can also join a support group for those suffering from anxiety to meet other people who can relate to your own experiences.
Self-help strategies
Anxiety can cause physical symptoms like sweating and heart palpitations. There are medical conditions that can trigger anxiety, most times it is caused by lifestyle factors, such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise and sleep problems. Self-management techniques can help to reduce the symptoms and increase quality of life. These can include relaxation exercises including avoiding nicotine and caffeine as well as a better sleep schedule and effective stress management. A regular exercise routine is also recommended to boost serotonin levels, which could combat anxiety-related symptoms.
Self-help strategies are often more effective than medication in managing anxiety symptoms. These can include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches patients to recognize and modify negative thought patterns. Exposure therapy is a different treatment that assists patients in facing the situations or objects which create anxiety by enhancing their contact. This can be done using imagination or by actually entering the feared situation. Exposure therapy may be used alone or as part of CBT.
Some people with anxiety keep a diary of symptoms is helpful. It can be a means to monitor the severity and frequency of the symptoms as well as how they affect day-to-day interactions and relationships. A journal can help a person identify what triggers their anxiety. A person can also join a support group to connect with others who suffer from anxiety and share their experiences.
Other options for treating anxiety include psychotherapy and other types of counseling. A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in mental health. They can prescribe medications. A psychologist or another qualified mental health professional may provide psychotherapy, which involves talking about your concerns and developing coping strategies. A common type of treatment for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy also known as CBT, which is a form of psychotherapy that has proven to be effective in clinical tests.
Psychotherapy
The use of medication can help with anxiety, but psychotherapy does something medication can't: it empowers people with the ability to take control of their bodies and emotions when anxiety takes over them. Studies conducted on randomized clinical trials show that psychotherapy reduces anxiety symptoms better than medication, and the effects persist long after sessions of treatment.
The most common method of psychotherapy for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, patients acquire skills to manage anxiety by identifying and looking at negative thoughts that trigger their fear. They replace these thoughts with positive real ones. Patients can also learn different ways to cope that can reduce symptoms, including mindfulness and relaxation.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is another form of psychotherapy that is helpful for anxiety. It teaches people how to manage their anxieties and not evade them. This type of therapy encourages patients to experiment with new things, and then gradually confront their fears, until they can handle them without issues. Other techniques for coping include eye movement desensitization therapy (EMDR) is a method that makes use of repetitive eye movements back and forth to alter negative emotions into memories that cause anxiety.
Psychotherapy for anxiety may also incorporate other methods that can help reduce stress, for example, stress-reduction exercises and exercise. Regular physical activity can help keep the heart rate and blood pressure at a normal level which can aid in reducing anxiety symptoms. A balanced diet that is low in levels of sugar and caffeine can also help to reduce anxiety symptoms.
The most effective psychotherapists for anxiety will be in a position to communicate with you in a way that helps you feel comfortable speaking up and expressing your feelings. However, the process of finding a good therapist may take some time, and it's not uncommon for people to visit many therapists before they find the right match. To reap the most benefit out of therapy, it is essential to be patient, dedicated and be open with your therapy therapist.