Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
People with anxiety are unable to manage their reactions. Everyone is anxious and nervous at times. Psychotherapy can help, as does medications such as beta blockers (used for blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.
Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. Exercise, for example helps reduce stress and relaxes your body.
Medication
If changes in your lifestyle or psychotherapy aren't helping anxiety, medication might be a viable alternative. Anxiety medications reduce anxiety signals and the fight or flight response within the body. Antidepressants are the most commonly used drugs used to treat anxiety. They raise levels of certain neurotransmitters, which affect mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are typically the first prescription medications prescribed. SNRIs like venlafaxine and duloxetine, as also tricyclic antidepressants, such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.
Sometimes, benzodiazepines can be used to treat anxiety. They are quick-acting, and can be helpful in the short-term. However, they can be addictive. Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Only licensed health professionals can prescribe medications to treat anxiety. These doctors include psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians and some OBGYNs. They must also receive special training to prescribe medication.
Exercise and complementary therapies are used by some people to reduce anxiety. They can also find methods to relax and relieve stress, including 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 doctor before taking supplements to treat anxiety or any other health condition. Supplements can be used as part of a comprehensive therapy program that includes lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most studied and empirically validated psychotherapeutic strategies for treating anxiety disorders. It focuses on the maladaptive thoughts or behavior patterns that lead to anxiety. While a variety of individual CBT protocols have been developed for various anxiety disorders, they all share the same treatment goals and methods.
The first step in CBT is to discover the thoughts that are not working and contribute to anxiety. During sessions, the patients learn to identify the negative beliefs they hold and challenge. The therapist may also assist patients identify and change behavior patterns that cause them to avoid. The therapist will request patients to keep journals or "thought records" outside of therapy sessions and to practice the behavioural strategies they've learned in their daily life.
In the end, the aim is to train patients to be their own therapists by helping them to understand their habits of thought and behavior. This will allow patients overcome fears that are unfounded, reduce their anxiety and other negative emotions, and become more resilient.
CBT methods include identifying and changing mental distortions that affect the patient which include overgeneralizing catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or minimizing positive events. The therapist can also help the patient develop strategies to cope to deal with anxiety-inducing situations. These techniques can be applied to any type 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. Exposure therapy involves exposing the patient's anxiety-inducing object or circumstance. This can be done by imagining the object or situation or 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 public speaking might be encouraged to speak in front of an audience.
Certain studies have demonstrated that the combination of pharmacotherapy and CBT can improve outcomes. The results are mixed and more research is needed. Combining medication with CBT is generally more effective than either of them on its own. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have proven to be especially effective in those suffering from panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is among the most effective treatments to manage anxiety. It allows you to confront the things that you are afraid of in a comfortable setting with a therapist. It can be difficult but the process will help you understand that your fears aren't justifiable and that you are able to be able to accept the triggers. It will also increase your confidence in navigating the obstacles of life.
There are many kinds of exposure therapies, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization. For instance, if nervous about speaking in public your therapist might suggest you to imagine yourself speaking or to practice with an acquaintance. Then, you can slowly face the situation in real life with the help of your counselor's assistance. Each session your therapist will be able to determine if you're experiencing anxiety or panic and adjust the intensity according to the need.
During the session, your therapist will teach you how to relax, manage your emotions, and then introduces triggers that make you feel fearful. This can include mindfulness, breathing rhythms and guided imagery. They will also teach you ways to avoid engaging in behaviors that cause anxiety, like avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is typically conducted over a number of weekly sessions. However, some people require more than one or two sessions to overcome their fear.
The first step is to pinpoint the thing or event that triggers anxiety, such as being on a plane or being in a crowd of strangers. Your therapist will assist you select the best exposure therapy method that fits your preferences and personality. This could include using a hierarchical system to determine the sequence in which exposures are performed or practicing relaxation techniques prior the start of.
In vivo therapy requires you to confront the situation or thing that you are afraid of. This might be as simple as crossing a bridge or having someone touch your arm. This method can be used to treat specific fears and posttraumatic stress disorder.
It can be difficult to fit in sessions for vivo exposure therapy. Therefore it is essential to find a therapist who is specialized in this kind of cognitive behavioral therapy. You can search for an experienced specialist by searching your local psychology association or mental health network. It's also a good idea to read reviews and ask relatives or friends for suggestions.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies encompass a broad variety of treatments for health that are not considered to be part of Western medicine. They can ease anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and promoting an active lifestyle. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines yoga, meditation, music therapy, and massage. treatment for depression and anxiety can also help reduce depression symptoms by reducing the levels of stress hormones in your body.
A recent study revealed that mindfulness-based meditation programs were associated with moderate improvement in anxiety symptoms. This approach uses different types of meditation to help promote mindfulness, which is the ability to concentrate on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation is suitable for nearly anyone and does not require any special equipment or knowledge. People with physical limitations might not be able to take part in meditative practice that involves moving.
Other treatments that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercise and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), biofeedback, self-hypnosis, and the use of hypnosis. These techniques teach you to control your anxiety by using relaxation exercises breathing, calm breathing and visual imagery. They can be used at home or in a therapy setting. These methods are often combined with other forms therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.
Another way to ease anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet. Regular exercise can lower your heart rate, blood-pressure and cortisol levels which are hormones that can cause anxiety. A healthy diet can help you feel more energetic and, in turn, decrease your feelings of anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a highly effective treatment for anxiety. It teaches you to recognize and challenge negative thoughts that lead to anxiety. Your therapist will demonstrate how to assess the potential for anxiety and assess their likelihood of occurring. You can employ strategies such as comparing your fears with past experiences, weighing out the advantages and disadvantages of an event, and determining whether it's reasonable to be worried about something that could happen.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method, can be employed to alleviate stress. It is based upon an assessment of deficiencies or excesses in your energy (called Qi) that are located in specific meridians. A deficiency in the spleen or kidney meridian can cause anxiety. Some studies suggest that acupuncture can reduce anxiety symptoms when it is combined with psychotherapy and other CAM techniques.