Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
The people suffering from anxiety aren't able to manage their reactions. Everyone is anxious and anxious at times. Psychotherapy and medications such as beta blockers that are used to lower blood pressure, as well as benzodiazepines can aid in managing.
Self-help strategies can help ease symptoms. For instance, exercise can reduce stress and relax the body.
Medication
If changes to your lifestyle or psychotherapy don't help your anxiety, medication may be a good alternative. Anxiety medications reduce fears and triggers the fight or flight response that occurs in the body. Antidepressants are among the most popular medication used to treat anxiety. They increase levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are often the first drugs 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 are extremely beneficial in the short term, but they are addictive and should only be employed when other treatments fail to 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 include psychiatrists and psychologists as also primary health care doctors, some doctors of OB/GYNs and some psychiatrists. Nurse practitioners as well as family practice doctors and psychiatric nurses can also prescribe certain medications, but they have to be trained specifically to do this.
Some people use complementary therapies, such as exercise, to help alleviate anxiety. They can also find ways to relax and reduce 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.
Additionally natural supplements like melatonin and 5-HTP can also help ease anxiety. Talk to your doctor prior to taking supplements to treat anxiety or any other health condition. Utilizing supplements together with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes lifestyle and psychotherapy will maximize the effectiveness of your treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most thoroughly researched and empirically supported psychotherapeutic approaches for treating anxiety disorders. It targets abnormal thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate anxiety over time. Despite the fact that various CBT protocols were designed for different anxiety disorders, they all have common treatment goals and methods.
The first step in CBT is to identify problematic thought patterns that can cause anxiety. In the course of therapy, patients are taught to recognize the negative beliefs they hold and challenge. The therapist also helps patients identify and alter behaviors that cause them to avoid. The therapist might ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries outside of sessions, and to apply the behavioural strategies they've learned in daily life.
The ultimate final goal is to help patients to be their own therapists by helping them to understand their patterns of thinking and behaviour. This will allow them overcome unfounded fears and anxiety, as well as other negative emotions and be more resilient.
CBT techniques include identifying and changing distortions in the patient's thinking that lead to overgeneralization catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or minimizing positive events. In addition, therapists will assist the patient in developing techniques to cope with anxiety-inducing situations. These techniques can be utilized to treat all kinds 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 exposing the patient to the object or situation that causes them anxiety. This can be done by creating a mental picture or confronting the situation or object in real life. A patient with PTSD who is afraid of a certain location, could be urged by their doctor to visit the site in which they were attacked. A person with social anxiety disorder who fears public speaking might be encouraged to give a speech in front of the group.
Certain studies have demonstrated that combination strategies of pharmacotherapy and CBT can improve outcomes. However, the results are mixed and further research is required. Combining medication with CBT is generally more effective than either of them on its own. Combinations of benzodiazepines with CBT have been shown to be particularly effective for patients suffering from panic disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder.
Exposure therapy
One of the most effective methods for treating anxiety is exposure therapy, which helps you confront things that scare you in a secure environment with the help of a therapy. Iam Psychiatry may sound difficult, but it can help you understand that your fears are unfounded and you can accept the discomfort of your triggers. It will also boost your confidence in facing the challenges of life.
There are a variety of exposure therapies, such as imaginal therapy, virtual reality and systematic desensitization. If you're nervous about speaking in public, your therapist could suggest that you practice with a friend or imagine yourself delivering the speech. Then, you'll slowly face the situation in real life with your counselor's assistance. Your therapist will be monitoring your anxiety and panic during each session. They will adjust the intensity of exposure if needed.
During the session, your therapist teaches you how to relax and cope with your emotions and then introduces triggers that cause you to feel fearful. This can include techniques like mindfulness, rhythmic breathing and guided imagery. They can also teach strategies to avoid engaging the behavior that causes anxiety, for example, avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. some individuals require more than one or two sessions to overcome their fears.
The first step is to pinpoint the triggers that cause anxiety. For instance, being on a plane or being with strangers. Your therapist will assist you select an approach to exposure therapy that is appropriate to your needs and personality. This could include using an orderly system to determine the order in which exposures are performed or practicing relaxation techniques prior the start of.
In vivo therapy requires you to confront the thing or event you are afraid of. This could be as simple as crossing the bridge or having someone else reach out to you. This method is often used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific fears.
In vivo exposure therapy can be difficult to incorporate in your schedule between appointments, so it is essential to find a therapist who is skilled in this kind of cognitive therapy. You can find a certified specialist through your local psychological association or mental network. You can also read reviews and ask your family and friends for recommendations.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies are a wide variety of treatments for health that are not considered to be part of Western medicine. They can help reduce anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and encouraging an active lifestyle. These treatments could include acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation, yoga, music therapy, and massage. They also can reduce depression symptoms by reducing the levels of stress hormones in your body.
A recent study revealed that mindfulness-based meditation programs were linked with slight improvements in anxiety-related symptoms. This approach employs various types of meditation to promote mindfulness, or the ability to focus on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and feelings. This type of meditation can be done by almost everyone, and doesn't require special equipment or training. However, those who have physical limitations may not be able in meditation practices that require movement.
Other therapies that can relieve anxiety include breathing exercise, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) biofeedback, self-hypnosis and hypnosis. These techniques can help you manage your anxiety by using relaxation exercises breathing techniques, relaxing breathing and visual imagery. These techniques can be used at home or within a treatment environment. These techniques are often combined with other forms therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.
Another way to relieve anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced, healthy diet. Regular exercise can lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol level, which is an important hormone that causes anxiety. A healthy diet will increase your energy levels, which can reduce anxiety.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a highly effective treatment for anxiety. It teaches you how to recognize and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety. Your therapist will demonstrate how to evaluate the potential for anxiety and assess their likelihood of occurrence. You can apply strategies such as the comparison of your fears to previous experiences, considering the pros and cons of a situation and determining whether it's realistic to be worried about something that could happen.
Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese technique, is utilized to treat stress. It is based on an assessment of the deficiencies and excesses in your energy, also known as Qi, that is found in specific meridians. A deficiency of the spleen meridian or kidney can trigger anxiety. Some studies suggest acupuncture may improve anxiety symptoms in combination with psychotherapy or other CAM methods.