Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
Everyone worries and feels fearful at times, but those who suffer from anxiety have a difficult managing their reactions. Psychotherapy can help, as can medications such as beta blockers (used to lower blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.
Self-help strategies can help alleviate symptoms. For example, exercise helps reduce stress and relax the body.
Medication
If a change in lifestyle or psychotherapy aren't helping your anxiety, medication may be a viable alternative. Anxiety medication helps to reduce fear signals and the body's fight or flight response. Antidepressants, the most popular medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants. They function by enhancing levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are often the first medications prescribed. SNRIs such as venlafaxine and duloxetine, as also tricyclic antidepressants, such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil or Pamelor can also be effective in treating anxiety.
Benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety. They're quick-acting and are extremely beneficial in the short-term however they are also addictive and should only be employed when other treatments fail to work. Benzodiazepines are used to treat insomnia and anxiety.
Only licensed health care professionals can prescribe medications to treat anxiety. These providers can include psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians and some OBGYNs. Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses are also able to prescribe certain medication, but they must get special training in doing so.
Certain people make use of alternative therapies, like exercise, to ease anxiety. They can also find ways to relax and relieve stress like mindfulness meditation and deep breathing. Biofeedback can be another beneficial technique, in which a therapist monitors your brain-wave patterns on an electroencephalograph and teaches you how to treat anxiety disorder naturally (
odgaard-fletcher.federatedjournals.com) to control them at will.
Lastly natural supplements like 5-HTP and melatonin can help ease anxiety. Talk to your doctor prior to taking supplements for anxiety, or any other
health anxiety treatment condition. Supplements can be taken in conjunction with a complete therapy plan that incorporates lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most studied and empirically validated psychotherapeutic methods for anxiety disorders. It focuses on maladaptive thinking or behaviors that create anxiety. Although different CBT protocols were developed for different
travel anxiety treatment disorders, they all share common goals and strategies for treatment.
The first step in CBT is to identify problematic thought patterns that contribute to
separation anxiety disorder treatments. In sessions, patients are taught to recognize these negative beliefs and then challenge. The therapist will also help patients recognize and modify behaviors that cause them to avoid. The therapist might ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries outside of sessions, and to apply the strategies for behavioural change they have learned in everyday life.
In the end, the goal is to teach patients to become their own therapists by helping them to understand their current patterns of thinking and behaviour. This will help them eliminate unfounded fears, reduce their anxiety and other negative feelings and build a stronger resilience.
CBT techniques include the identification and correction of distortions in the patient's thinking which include overgeneralizing or catastrophizing, as well as minimizing positive events. The therapist can also help the patient develop coping strategies for anxiety-provoking situations. These techniques can be employed to treat all types of anxiety disorders. Often, they are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to mental health called "cognitive-behavioral therapy".
Another element of CBT is exposure therapy. It involves exposure to the thing or circumstance that causes them anxiety. This can be done by creating a mental picture or confronting the situation or object in real life. A patient suffering from PTSD who is scared of a particular area, may be urged by their doctor to visit the site in which they were attacked. A person suffering from social anxiety disorder, who is afraid of speaking in public, could be encouraged to deliver an address before an audience.
Some studies have proven that combining CBT with pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes. However, the results aren't conclusive, and further research is required. In general, mixing medications with CBT is more effective than any one alone. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have proven to be particularly effective in patients suffering from generalized
travel anxiety treatment or panic disorder.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is among the most effective treatments to treat anxiety. It can help you confront the things that you are afraid of in a secure setting with a therapist. It can be difficult but it can help you recognize that your fears aren't justified and that you can tolerate your triggers. It will also boost your confidence to face life's challenges.
There are several different types of exposure therapy. These include imaginal, virtual reality, and systematic desensitization. For instance, if scared of speaking in public Your therapist may encourage you to imagine yourself giving a speech or to practice with your friend. Then, you'll be able to gradually confront the situation in real life with your therapist's support. In each session, your therapist will check to see if you're feeling anxious or panicked and alter the intensity of your exposure as needed.
During the session, your therapist will teach you to relax, cope with your emotions and then introduces you to triggers that can make you feel anxious. This could include techniques such as mindfulness, rhythmic breathing, and guided imagery. They can also teach you strategies to avoid engaging in the behaviors that cause anxiety, for example, avoidance of elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some individuals require more than two sessions to overcome their anxiety.
The first step is to pinpoint the triggers that cause anxiety. For instance, being on a flight or being around strangers. Your therapist will help you select an approach to exposure therapy that will suit your needs and personality. This could involve establishing a hierarchy to determine the order of exposures or practicing relaxation techniques before starting.
In vivo exposure therapy is directly facing the thing or situation that you're afraid of. It could be as simple as walking across a bridge or touching your arm. This method can be employed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific fears.
It isn't easy to schedule sessions for vivo exposure therapy. Therefore, it is important to find a therapist who is skilled in this type of cognitive therapy for behavioral disorders. You can locate a certified specialist through your local psychological association or mental network. You can also read reviews and ask family and friends for recommendations.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies cover a wide range of healthcare treatments not considered to be part of Western medicine. They can reduce anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and encouraging an active lifestyle. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines as well as yoga, meditation, music therapy, massage and yoga. They also can reduce depression symptoms by reducing the levels of stress hormones in your body.
A recent study has found that mindfulness-based meditation programs were associated with slight improvements in anxiety symptoms. This method uses a variety of meditation techniques to promote mindfulness or being present in the moment while let go of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation is suitable for almost everyone and doesn't require any special equipment or training. However, people with physical limitations may not be able to take part in meditative practices that involve moving.
Other treatments that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) biofeedback, self-hypnosis and the use of hypnosis. These techniques help you control anxiety by focussing on relaxing muscles breathing techniques, relaxing breathing, and visual imagery. These techniques can be used at
home treatment for anxiety attack or in the context of a treatment facility. They are usually used in combination with other forms of therapy, including exposure therapy and cognitive behavior therapy.
Another way to ease anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet. Regular exercise can reduce your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels which are hormones that can cause anxiety. A healthy diet will make you feel more energetic which can lessen anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is among the most effective anxiety treatments. It teaches you to identify and combat negative thoughts which lead to anxiety. Your therapist will teach you how to evaluate fears and determine their likelihood of occurring. You can apply strategies like looking at your fears in relation to previous experiences by taking into consideration the pros and cons of the situation and determining whether or not it is realistic to worry about what could happen.
Acupuncture is an old Chinese technique that can be used to treat anxiety. It is based on an assessment of deficiencies and excesses in your energy, also known as Qi, that is found in specific meridians. For example, a deficiency in the spleen or kidney meridians could cause anxiety. Acupuncture studies have suggested that it can help alleviate anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy or other CAM techniques.
