Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
People with anxiety are unable to control their reactions. Everyone worries and feels nervous at times. Psychotherapy and medication like beta blockers that help lower blood pressure, as well as benzodiazepines may help.
Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. For instance, exercise can help reduce stress and relax the body.
Medication
If changes to your lifestyle or psychotherapy don't help your anxiety then medication could be a good option. Anxiety medication reduces fears and triggers the fight or flight response in the body. Antidepressants, the most common medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants. They boost levels of certain neurotransmitters which affect mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are often the first prescription medications prescribed. SNRIs such as duloxetine, dulafaxine and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil (imipramine) Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.
Benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety. They're quick-acting and can be very helpful in the short term however, they can be addictive and should only be used when other treatments don't work. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
There are many different medications that can be used to treat anxiety, but only licensed health professionals can prescribe them. These providers can include psychiatrists, psychologists primary care physicians, and some OB-GYNs. Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses are also able to prescribe certain medication, but they must receive special training to do this.
Exercise and complementary therapies are a common method used by some people to help reduce anxiety. They can also find relaxation methods to reduce stress such as 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 control them at will.
Lastly natural supplements like melatonin and 5-HTP can also aid in easing anxiety. Consult your physician before taking supplements to treat anxiety or any other condition. Utilizing supplements together with a comprehensive treatment plan that incorporates lifestyle and psychotherapy can maximize the effectiveness of your treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT is among the many psychotherapeutic techniques for anxiety disorders that has been extensively studied and supported by empirical evidence. It targets abnormal behavior and thoughts that cause anxiety over time. Despite the fact that different CBT protocols were developed for different anxiety disorders, they all have common treatment goals and methods.
CBT starts by identifying dysfunctional thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety. In the course of therapy, patients learn to recognize the negative beliefs they hold and challenge. The therapist can also help patients recognize and modify their behavior patterns that cause them to avoid. The therapist may request patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries in between sessions, and to implement the behavioural strategies they have learned in their daily life.
The ultimate goal is to teach patients how to be their own therapists, by helping them to understand their current patterns in thinking and behavior. This will help them to overcome unfounded fears and anxiety, as well as other negative emotions and be more resilient.
CBT methods include identifying and changing the way that the patient thinks that lead to overgeneralization or catastrophizing, as well as minimizing positive events. In addition, therapists will help the patient to develop coping skills for stressful situations. These techniques can be applied to all types 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. It involves exposure therapy, which involves exposing the patient to the situation or object that causes them anxiety. This can be done by creating a mental picture of the object or the situation, or by confronting it directly in real life. A patient with PTSD who is scared of a particular location, might be encouraged by their doctor to visit the site in which they were attacked. A person with social anxiety disorder, who is scared of speaking in public, could be encouraged to deliver an address in front of a group.
Certain studies have demonstrated that combining CBT and pharmaceutical therapy can improve outcomes. However, the results aren't conclusive, and further research is required. In general, combining medications with CBT is more effective than each alone. Combinations of benzodiazepines with CBT have been shown to be particularly efficacious in those suffering from panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
Exposure therapy
One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is exposure therapy, which helps you confront things that scare you in a safe environment with a therapist. It may sound like a daunting process, but it can help you realize that your fears are not based on reality and that you can tolerate the discomfort that triggers you. It can also boost your confidence in facing the challenges of life.
There are a variety of forms of exposure therapy, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization. For instance, if scared of speaking in public, your therapist might encourage you to imagine yourself giving a speech or to practice with an acquaintance. You can then gradually confront the issue with your therapist's support. Your therapist will monitor your anxiety and panic during each session. They will adjust the level of exposure if necessary.
In a session your therapist will show you to calm down and deal with your emotions before introducing you to the triggers that cause you anxiety. This may include mindfulness, rhythmic breath, and guided images. They will also teach strategies to avoid engaging the behaviors that cause anxiety, like avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series weekly sessions. Some people need more than two sessions to overcome the fear.
The first step is to pinpoint the situation or object that causes anxiety, for example, flying on a plane or being with strangers. Your therapist will then help you choose an approach to exposure therapy that is appropriate to your needs and personality. This could involve establishing an order of exposure to determine the order of exposures or a series of relaxation exercises prior to beginning.
In vivo exposure therapy is confronting the object or event that you're scared of. This might be as simple as crossing a bridge or having someone touch your arm. This method can be used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder and specific phobias.
In-vivo exposure therapy can be hard to fit into your schedule between appointments, which is why it is important to find a therapist that specializes in this type of cognitive behavioral therapy. You can find a qualified specialist through your local psychology association or mental network. It's an excellent idea to review reviews and ask your friends or family members for suggestions.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies encompass a broad array of health treatments that aren't considered to be part of Western medicine. They can reduce anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and promoting a healthy lifestyle. These treatments can include acupuncture, herbal therapy, meditation, yoga music therapy, massage. They can also help alleviate depression symptoms by reducing levels of stress hormones within your body.
A recent study has found that mindfulness-based meditation programs were linked with moderate improvement in anxiety-related symptoms. This approach employs various types of meditation to help promote mindfulness, which is the ability to concentrate on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and feelings. This kind of meditation is suitable for almost anyone and does not require any special equipment or instruction. People with physical limitations might not be able participate in meditation that requires movements.
Other treatments that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercise, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), biofeedback, self-hypnosis and the use of hypnosis. These techniques assist you in controlling your anxiety through focusing on relaxing muscle breathing, calming breathing and visual imagery. These techniques can be used at home or in the context of a treatment facility. These techniques are typically employed in conjunction with other types of therapy, including exposure therapy and cognitive behavior therapy.
Another way to relieve anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced, healthy diet. Regular exercise can reduce the heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels, which are hormones that contribute to anxiety. A healthy diet will make you feel more energetic, which can reduce your anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It helps you identify and combat negative thoughts that can cause anxiety. Your therapist will show you how to assess your the likelihood of occurrence. You can use strategies such as looking at your fears in relation to previous experiences by weighing the pros and cons of a situation and determining if it is realistic to worry about what could happen.
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese technique, can be employed to alleviate stress. It is based upon an assessment of excesses or deficiencies in your energy (called qi) that are located in specific meridians. For instance, a lack of qi in the spleen or kidney meridians could cause anxiety. Some studies suggest acupuncture may improve anxiety symptoms in combination with psychotherapy or other CAM techniques.