Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety

Everyone worries and feels fearful at times, but those who suffer from anxiety have a difficult managing their reactions. Psychotherapy can help, as does medication like beta blockers (used for blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.

Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. For instance, exercise can help reduce stress and relax the body.

Medication

If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy don't help your anxiety medications could be a viable option. Anxiety medications reduce fears and triggers the fight or flight response in the body. Antidepressants are the most common medications used for anxiety. They work by increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are typically the first drugs prescribed. SNRIs such as venlafaxine and duloxetine, as well as tricyclic antidepressants, such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.

Benzodiazepines can also be used to combat anxiety. They are quick-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 care professionals are able to prescribe medications to treat anxiety. They include psychologists and psychiatrists as also primary health care doctors, some OB/GYNs, and some psychiatric nurses. Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses are also able to prescribe certain medications, but they must be trained specifically to do so.

Certain people utilize alternative therapies, like exercise, to reduce anxiety. They can also discover relaxation methods to reduce stress like 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.

Additionally natural supplements like 5-HTP and melatonin may help ease anxiety. Consult your doctor before taking supplements for anxiety disorder treatment without medication (click the up coming article) or any other condition. Supplements can be taken in conjunction with a complete therapy plan that incorporates lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and supplements.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

CBT is among the many psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety disorders that has been extensively studied and backed by empirical evidence. It targets maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain anxiety over time. Although several individual CBT protocols have been designed for different anxiety disorders, they share the same treatment goals and techniques.

CBT starts by identifying dysfunctional thoughts that cause anxiety treatment medicines. During sessions, the patients learn to identify these negative beliefs and then challenge. The therapist may also assist patients recognize and modify their avoidance behavior. The therapist might ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries outside of sessions and to implement the strategies for behavioural change they have learned in their daily life.

In the end, the aim is to train patients to become their own therapists by helping them to understand their habits of thought and behavior. This will allow them to eliminate unfounded fears, reduce their anxiety and other negative feelings and build a stronger resilience.

CBT techniques involve identifying and changing distortions of the patient's mind, such as overgeneralizing and catastrophizing. The therapist will also help the patient develop strategies to cope 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".

Exposure therapy is an additional component of CBT. This involves exposing the patient to the object or situation that causes them anxiety. This may be done through imagining the object or situation, or by directly confronting it in real life. A patient with PTSD, who is afraid of a certain location, might be encouraged by their doctor to visit the site where they were attacked. A person suffering from social anxiety disorder, who is afraid of public speaking, might be encouraged to deliver an address before an audience.

Some studies have shown that combining CBT with pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes. However, the results are not conclusive and more research is needed. Combining medication with CBT is generally more effective than either of them on its own. Combinations of benzodiazepines as well as 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 the things that make you anxious in a secure setting with an experienced professional. It may sound like a daunting process but it will help you understand that your fears aren't based on fact and that you can tolerate the discomfort that triggers you. It will also increase your confidence in dealing with the challenges of life.

There are a variety of exposure therapies, including imaginal therapy, virtual reality and systematic desensitization. If you're afraid to speak in public, your therapist could suggest that you practice with a partner or imagine yourself delivering the speech. Then, you'll be able to gradually face the scenario in real life with your therapy therapist's help. Each session your therapist will examine you to determine if you're feeling anxious or panicked and adjust the intensity according to the need.

During the session, the therapist teaches you to relax, manage your emotions, and then introduces you to triggers that make you feel fearful. This could include techniques such as mindfulness, breathing rhythms and guided imagery. They can also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behavior that causes anxiety, such avoidance of elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some people need more than two sessions to overcome their fear.

The first step is to identify what triggers your anxiety. For instance, being on a plane or around strangers. Your therapist will assist you choose an exposure therapy approach that fits 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 starting.

In vivo therapy involves facing the situation or thing that you are afraid of. This might be as simple as walking across the bridge or touching your arm. This method can be used to treat specific anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder.

It can be challenging to squeeze in vivo exposure therapy between appointments. Therefore it is essential to find a therapist who specializes in this form of cognitive therapy for behavioral disorders. You can locate a certified specialist through your local psychology association or mental network. You can also read reviews and ask family and friends for suggestions.

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 promoting a healthy lifestyle. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicine to treat anxiety and depression yoga, meditation music therapy, massage. They can also aid in relieving depression-related symptoms by reducing levels of stress hormones within your body.

Recent research found that mindfulness-based programs led to moderate improvements in anxiety symptoms. This approach uses different methods of meditation to increase mindfulness or the ability of staying in the present moment and getting rid of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation can be performed by almost anyone, and it doesn't require special equipment or any special training. However, those with physical limitations might not be able in meditation practices that require movements.

Other treatments that can help reduce anxiety include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis and self-hypnosis. These techniques can help you manage your anxiety by the focus on relaxing muscles breathing, calming breathing and visual imagery. These techniques can be utilized at home or within the context of a treatment facility. These techniques are often combined with other forms therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.

Regular exercise and eating balanced meals are two other ways to reduce anxiety. Regular exercise can lower your heart rate, blood-pressure, and cortisol levels, which are hormones that can cause anxiety. A healthy diet will make you feel more energetic which can lessen your anxiety.

Cognitive behavior therapy is a very effective treatment for anxiety. It helps you identify and confront negative thoughts that can cause anxiety. Your therapist will demonstrate how to treat anxiety disorder naturally to evaluate the potential for anxiety and assess their likelihood of occurring. You can apply strategies such as looking at your fears in relation to previous experiences by considering the pros and cons of the situation, and determining whether or not it is reasonable to worry about something that might happen.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique, is employed to relieve stress. It is based on an assessment of the excesses and deficiencies in your energy, called Qi, which is located in specific meridians. For instance, a deficiency in the kidney or spleen meridians could cause anxiety. Some studies suggest acupuncture may help alleviate anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy or other CAM techniques.