Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
Everyone is worried and anxious at times, but people with anxiety have a hard time controlling their reactions. Psychotherapy can help, as does medications like beta blockers (used to treat blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.
Self-help strategies can help ease symptoms. For instance, exercise can reduce stress and relaxes the body.
Medication
If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy aren't helping your anxiety, medication may be a good alternative. Anxiety medication helps to reduce fear signals and the body's fight or flight response. Antidepressants are the most common medications used for anxiety. They raise levels of certain neurotransmitters, which affect mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are usually the first drugs prescribed. The SNRIs include venlafaxine, duloxetine, and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil (imipramine) Elavil, Tofranil (imipramine), or Pamelor can also be effective in treating anxiety.
The benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety. They are fast-acting and can be helpful in the short-term. However, they are addictive. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Only licensed health professionals are able to prescribe medications to treat anxiety. These providers can include psychiatrists, psychologists doctors of primary care and OB-GYNs. Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses can also prescribe certain medications, but they have to receive special training to do so.
treatment for anxiety and complementary therapies are utilized by some people to help reduce anxiety. You can also find relaxation techniques to reduce 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.
Lastly natural supplements such as 5-HTP and melatonin may aid in easing anxiety. But, it is essential to consult your doctor before taking any supplement for anxiety or other reason. Supplements in conjunction with a complete treatment plan that includes lifestyle and psychotherapy can maximize the effectiveness of your treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most studied and empirically validated psychotherapeutic methods for anxiety disorders. It targets abnormal thoughts and behaviors that maintain anxiety over time. While a variety of individual CBT protocols have been developed for different anxiety disorders, they share some common goals for treatment and methods.
CBT begins by identifying the dysfunctional thoughts that cause anxiety. Through sessions, patients learn to recognize these negative beliefs and confront them. The therapist also helps patients identify and alter behavior patterns that hinder them from doing so. The therapist may request patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries outside of sessions and to implement the behavioural strategies they have learned in their daily life.
The aim is to eventually teach patients how to be their own therapists, by aiding them in understanding their current patterns in thinking and behavior. This will enable them to overcome unfounded fears and anxiety, as well as other negative emotions and be more resilient.
CBT methods include identifying and reversing distortions in the patient's thinking that lead to overgeneralization or catastrophizing, as well as minimizing positive events. The therapist also assists 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".
The exposure therapy is a different aspect of CBT. This involves exposure therapy, which involves exposing the patient to the thing or circumstance that creates anxiety. This can be done by creating a mental picture of the object or the situation or confronting it directly in real life. A patient with PTSD, who is afraid of a certain location, could be urged by their physician to visit the place where they were attacked. Alternatively, a person with social anxiety disorder who is scared of public speaking might be encouraged to deliver a speech front of the group.
Some studies have proven that combining CBT and the use of pharmacotherapy can enhance outcomes. The results are mixed and more research is needed. Combining medication with CBT is generally more effective than either alone. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have proven to be particularly effective in people with generalized anxiety or panic disorder.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is among the most effective methods to manage anxiety. It helps you confront the things that you are afraid of in a comfortable environment with an expert. It might seem daunting but it will help you understand that your fears aren't justifiable and that you are able to be able to accept the triggers. It can also help increase your confidence in navigating the challenges of life.
There are many different types of treatments for exposure, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization. If you're nervous about speaking in public, your therapist might advise you to practice with a friend or imagine yourself delivering the speech. You can then gradually face the issue with your therapist's assistance. Your therapist will be monitoring your anxiety and panic levels during each session. They will adjust the amount of exposure if necessary.
During the session, the therapist teaches you how to relax and cope with your emotions and then introduces you triggers that cause you to feel anxious. This can include techniques like mindfulness, breathing rhythms and guided imagery. They can also teach strategies to avoid engaging in the behavior that causes anxiety, such avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is typically conducted over a series of weekly sessions. some people require more than one or two sessions to overcome their fear.
The first step is to identify the triggers that cause anxiety. For example, flying on a plane or with strangers. Your therapist will help you select the method of exposure therapy that is appropriate to your personality and needs. This might involve using a hierarchy to determine the order of exposures or a series of relaxation exercises prior to starting.
In vivo therapy is the process of confronting the thing or situation you are afraid of. It could be as easy as crossing an overpass or having someone else reach out to you. This technique can be employed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific fears.
It can be difficult to schedule the vivo exposure therapy in between appointments. Therefore it is crucial to find a therapist that is skilled in this type of cognitive therapy for behavioral disorders. You can find a certified specialist through your local psychology association or mental network. You can also read reviews and ask family and friends for recommendations.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies are a wide range of healthcare treatments not considered to be part of Western medicine. They can reduce anxiety by teaching you relaxation techniques and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. These treatments could include acupuncture, herbal medicines, meditation, yoga, music therapy, and massage. They can also help reduce depression symptoms by reducing levels of stress hormones in your body.
Recent research found that mindfulness-based programs lead to moderate improvements in anxiety-related symptoms. This method employs different kinds of meditation to increase mindfulness, or the ability to concentrate on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation can be done by everyone, and does not require any special equipment or training. However, people with physical limitations may not be able in meditative practices that involve moving.
Other therapies that can be used to ease anxiety include breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation biofeedback, hypnosis, as well as self-hypnosis. These techniques help you control your anxiety by focus on relaxing muscles breathing, calming breathing and visual imagery. They can be used at home or in a therapy setting. These techniques are often paired with other forms therapy, such a cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.
Another way to ease anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced, healthy diet. Regular exercise can reduce your blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol level, which is the hormone that triggers anxiety. A healthy diet will make you feel more energetic which can lessen anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It teaches you to recognize and overcome negative thoughts that lead to anxiety. Your therapist will show you how to assess your fears and determine the likelihood that they'll happen. You can use strategies like comparing your fears with past experiences, weighing out the advantages and disadvantages of an event, and determining whether it is realistic to be concerned about what could happen.
Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese method, can be employed to relieve stress. It is based upon an assessment of deficiencies or excesses in your energy (called qi) found in specific meridians. A deficiency of the spleen or kidney meridian can cause anxiety. Acupuncture can improve anxiety symptoms when paired with psychotherapy and other CAM methods.