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https://www.iampsychiatry.com/anxiety-treatment

Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety Everyone is worried and anxious at times but those who suffer from anxiety have a tough time controlling their reactions Psychotherapy can help as can medication like beta blockers used for blood pressure and benzodiazepines Selfhelp strategies may also help alleviate symptoms For example exercise helps reduce stress and relax the body Medication If changes to your lifestyle or psychotherapy dont help your anxiety medications could be a good option Anxiety medication reduces fears and triggers the fight or flight response that occurs in the body Antidepressants the most common medication used to treat anxiety are antidepressants They function by enhancing levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs such as citalopram escitalopram sertraline and prozac are typically the first prescription medications prescribed SNRIs like venlafaxine duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil imipramine Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety The benzodiazepines are sometimes used to treat anxiety Theyre quickacting and are very helpful 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 along with primary health care doctors some OBGYNs and a few psychiatric nurses They must also receive special training in order to prescribe medications Some people use alternative therapies like exercise to reduce anxiety There are also ways to relax and relieve stress like mindfulness meditation and deep breathing Biofeedback can be another beneficial technique in which a therapist monitors your brainwave patterns on an electroencephalograph and teaches you how to control them at will In addition natural supplements like 5HTP or melatonin can help ease anxiety But it is essential to consult with your doctor prior to taking any supplement to treat anxiety or for any other reason Supplements can be taken as part of a comprehensive therapy plan that incorporates psychotherapy lifestyle changes and supplements Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is among the most extensively studied and empirically supported psychotherapeutic approaches for treating anxiety disorders It focuses on the maladaptive thoughts or behaviors that cause anxiety to persist Despite the fact that different CBT protocols were developed for various anxiety disorders they all have common treatment goals and techniques The first step in CBT is to recognize the thoughts that are not working and can cause anxiety During sessions the patients learn to identify these negative beliefs and challenge The therapist will also help patients recognize and modify avoidance behaviours The therapist will ask patients to keep diaries or thought notes outside of sessions and to practice the strategies theyve learned in everyday life The ultimate goal is to help patients become their own therapists by helping them understand their current patterns in thinking and behavior This will allow patients overcome fears that are unfounded and anxiety as well as other negative emotions and become more resilient CBT techniques involve identifying and modifying distortions of the patients thoughts like overgeneralizing and catastrophizing The therapist also assists the patient develop strategies to cope for stressful situations These techniques can be used to treat any type of anxiety disorders Often they are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to mental health called cognitivebehavioral therapy Another aspect of CBT is exposure therapy This involves exposing the patient to the situation or object that creates anxiety This can be done by creating a mental picture or confronting the situation or object in real life A person suffering from PTSD who is afraid of a certain area may be urged by their doctor to visit the location in which they were attacked A person suffering from social anxiety disorder who is scared of speaking in public may be encouraged to deliver a speech before a group Some studies have proven that combining CBT with pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes However the results arent conclusive and further research is required Combining medications with CBT is generally more effective than either alone Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have been proven to be especially effective in those suffering from panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder Exposure therapy One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is exposure therapy which helps you confront the things that scare you in a secure setting with an experienced professional It may seem difficult but the process can help you recognize that your fears arent justifiable and you can be able to accept the triggers It can also improve your confidence when it comes to navigating lifes challenges There are many different kinds of exposure therapy These include virtual reality imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization If youre nervous about speaking in public your therapist may suggest that you practice with a partner or imagine yourself delivering the speech You can then gradually face the issue with your therapists support During each session your therapist will be able to see whether youre feeling anxious or panicked and alter the intensity of your exposure according to the need During the session your therapist will teach you how to relax and manage your emotions and then introduces you triggers that make you feel fearful This could include techniques such as meditation breathing with rhythm and guided imagery They can also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behaviors that cause anxiety like being cautious about elevators Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions and some people require more than two or three sessions to overcome their fear The first step is to identify the thing or event that triggers anxiety for example flying on a plane or with strangers Your therapist will assist you choose the best exposure therapy method that is suited to your preferences and personality This could involve establishing a hierarchy to determine the order in which exposures are given or a relaxation practice prior to beginning In vivo exposure therapy is confronting the thing or event that youre scared of This might be as simple as walking across a bridge or having someone touch your arm This method can be used to treat certain phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder 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 specialized in this type of cognitive therapy You can search for a qualified specialist by checking your local psychological association or mental health network You can also read reviews and ask your family and friends for recommendations Complementary therapies Complementary therapies encompass a broad range of healthcare treatments not considered to be part of Western medicine They can aid in reducing anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and encouraging healthy lifestyle habits These treatments 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 anxiety treatment therapy has shown that mindfulnessbased programs lead to moderate improvements in anxiety symptoms This approach uses different methods of meditation to increase mindfulness or the ability of being present in the moment and let go of negative thoughts and emotions This kind of meditation is suitable for nearly everyone and doesnt require any special equipment or knowledge People with physical limitations might not be able participate in a meditation practice that involves moving Other therapies that can ease anxiety include breathing exercise progressive muscle relaxation PMR biofeedback selfhypnosis and the use of hypnosis These techniques can help you manage anxiety by focus on relaxing muscles calming breathing and visual imagery These techniques can be employed at home or within the context of a treatment facility These techniques are often employed in conjunction with other forms of therapy including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy Regular exercise and eating balanced meals are another way to reduce anxiety Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure heart rate and cortisol levels which is the hormone that triggers anxiety A healthy diet will make you feel more energetic which can reduce anxiety Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety It helps you identify and challenge negative thoughts which lead to anxiety Your therapist will show you how to evaluate your anxiety and determine the likelihood that theyll actually happen You can employ strategies such as the comparison of your fears to previous experiences weighing the advantages and disadvantages of an incident and determining if it is realistic to be worried about something that could happen Acupuncture is 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 in the kidney or spleen meridian can cause anxiety Certain studies suggest that acupuncture could reduce anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy or other CAM approaches