Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
People suffering from anxiety are unable to control their reactions. Everyone is anxious and scared at times. Psychotherapy and medications like beta blockers that help reduce blood pressure, and benzodiazepines can aid in managing.
Self-help strategies can aid in easing symptoms. Exercise, for example can help reduce stress and relaxes your body.
Medication
If a change in lifestyle or psychotherapy aren't helping your anxiety, medication could be an alternative. Anxiety medication reduces fear signals and the fight or flight response that occurs in the body. Antidepressants, the most popular medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants. They work by increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters which affect mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are often the first drugs prescribed. SNRIs like venlafaxine, duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil, or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.
The benzodiazepines can also be used to combat anxiety. They're quick-acting and can be very helpful in the short-term however they are also addictive and should only be used when other treatments don't work. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam).
Only licensed health care professionals are able to prescribe medications to treat anxiety. These providers can include psychologists, psychiatrists, primary care physicians and some OB-GYNs. They must also undergo special training in order to prescribe medications.
Exercise and complementary therapies are used by some people to lessen anxiety. You can also find methods to relax and relieve stress, such as deep breathing and mindfulness meditation. Biofeedback can be another beneficial technique, in which a therapist monitors your brain-wave patterns on an electroencephalograph and teaches you how to control them at will.
Finally, natural supplements like melatonin or 5-HTP may also aid in easing anxiety. Consult your physician before taking supplements to treat anxiety or any other condition. Supplements can be taken as part of a comprehensive therapy plan that incorporates lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
CBT is one of the many psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety disorders that has been extensively studied and supported by empirical evidence. It targets maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate anxiety over time. While a variety of individual CBT protocols have been developed for various anxiety disorders, they all share some common goals for treatment and methods.
CBT begins by identifying the dysfunctional thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety. In sessions, patients are taught to recognize these negative beliefs and confront them. Therapists can also help patients identify and alter behavior patterns that cause them to avoid. The therapist might ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries in between sessions, and to apply the behavioural strategies that they have learned in everyday life.
Eventually, the final goal is to help patients to become their own therapists by helping them understand their patterns of thinking and behaviour. This will help them eliminate unfounded fears, reduce their anxiety and other negative feelings and become more resilient.
CBT techniques include identifying and changing the way that the patient thinks that lead to overgeneralization or catastrophizing, as well as minimizing positive events. Therapists also aid the patient in developing coping skills for anxiety-provoking situations. These techniques can be used to treat all kinds of anxiety disorders. Often, they are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to mental health called "cognitive-behavioral therapy".
Exposure therapy is another element of CBT. Exposure therapy involves exposing the patient's anxiety-inducing subject or event. This can be done by creating a mental picture of the object or the situation, or by confronting it in actual life. For instance, a patient with PTSD who is afraid of a particular location could be encouraged to visit the spot in which they were assaulted. A person with 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 combination strategies of pharmacotherapy and CBT can improve outcomes. These results are not conclusive, and more research is required. Combining medication with CBT is generally more effective than either of them on its own. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have proven to be particularly effective for patients suffering from generalized anxiety or panic disorder.
Therapy for exposure
Exposure therapy is one of the most effective treatments for treating anxiety. It can help you confront the things that you are afraid of in a safe environment with an expert. It may sound like a daunting process but it can help you understand that your fears aren't based on fact and that you are able to accept the discomfort caused by your triggers. It can also boost your confidence to take on life's challenges.
There are a variety of forms of exposure therapy, such as virtual reality, imaginal and systematic desensitization. If you're scared to speak in public, your therapist may suggest that you practice with a buddy or imagine yourself giving the speech. Then, you can gradually confront the issue with your therapist's assistance. Your therapist will be monitoring your anxiety and panic levels during each session. They will adjust the level of exposure as needed.
During the course of a session, your therapist will teach you to calm and manage your emotions, before explaining the triggers that cause you anxiety. This can include mindfulness, breathing rhythms and guided images. treatment anxiety will also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behaviors that cause anxiety, like avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some individuals require more than two sessions to overcome the anxiety.
The first step is to pinpoint the thing or event that causes anxiety, for example, flying on a plane, or being with strangers. Your therapist will help you choose the best exposure therapy method that suits your personality and needs. This could involve using a hierarchical system to decide the order in which exposures are performed or practicing relaxation techniques prior to starting.
In vivo exposure therapy is directly facing the thing or situation that you're afraid of. This might be as simple as walking across a bridge or having someone touch your arm. This method is often used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific phobias.
In vivo exposure therapy may be difficult to incorporate within your schedule between appointments, which is why it is important to find a therapist that is skilled in this kind of cognitive therapy for behavioral. You can find a certified specialist by contacting your local psychological association or the mental health 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 aid in reducing anxiety by teaching you relaxation techniques and encouraging healthy lifestyle habits. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines Meditation, Yoga, music therapy, massage, and yoga. They also can reduce depression symptoms by lowering the levels of stress hormones within your body.
Recent research has shown that mindfulness-based programs resulted in moderate improvements in anxiety symptoms. This method uses a variety of methods of meditation to increase mindfulness or being present in the moment while let go of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation can be practiced by anyone, and does not require any special equipment or training. People with physical limitations might not be able participate in a meditation practice that involves movement.
Other treatments that can help relieve anxiety include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis, as well as self-hypnosis. These techniques can help you control your anxiety by focussing on relaxing muscles breathing techniques, relaxing breathing techniques and visual imagery. These techniques can be employed at home or within the context of a treatment facility. These techniques are typically used in combination with other types of therapy, including exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Another way to ease anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced, healthy diet. Regular exercise can lower your heart rate, blood-pressure, and cortisol levels, which are hormones that cause anxiety. A healthy diet can help you feel more energetic which can lessen your anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is among the most effective treatments for anxiety. It teaches you to recognize and confront negative thoughts that lead to anxiety. Your therapist will teach you how to evaluate your anxiety and determine the likelihood that they'll happen. You can apply strategies like comparing your fears to past experiences, weighing the pros and cons of a situation and determining whether or not it is reasonable to worry about what could happen.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique that is used to treat anxiety. It is based on an evaluation of the deficiencies and excesses in your energy, also known as qi, located in specific meridians. A deficiency in the spleen meridian or kidney can trigger anxiety. Acupuncture can help alleviate anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy and other CAM techniques.