Anxiety Disorder Help
If you experience persistent anxiety symptoms, you should seek help. Treatment for anxiety disorders usually involves therapy and medication.
Your doctor might prescribe medication to ease anxiety, including benzodiazepines or modern antidepressants. SSRIs (like Lexapro and Prozac) and SNRIs (like duloxetine and venlafaxine) are common examples. Your therapist will also teach you strategies to ease anxiety symptoms, such as challenging negative thoughts and exposure therapy.
Medicines
Medicines are a type of anxiety disorder help that can reduce symptoms and reduce the need for psychotherapy. They're not for everyone and there are many other options. Exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation techniques can help reduce stress without the necessity of medication. If you're taking medication to manage anxiety, be sure to follow the prescribed dosages and attend your therapy appointments.
Antidepressants are frequently prescribed by doctors to patients who suffer from anxiety disorders. These medications fix an imbalance in brain chemicals and can take anywhere from four to six weeks to begin working. SSRIs are also known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the antidepressants used most often to treat anxiety. The medications such as Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine) and Lexapro (escitalopram) work by altering neurotransmitters in mood. Other medications, like SNRIs, for instance Effexor (venlafaxine) and Cymbalta (duloxetine), are also prescribed for both anxiety and depression.
If SSRIs do not work, doctors may prescribe benzodiazepines to treat anxiety symptoms. These tranquilizers work by targeting GABA (gamma-aminobutyric Acid) an ingredient that helps calm the brain. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam). They can have serious side effects, including addiction, which is why they are typically prescribed for short-term use.
Other medicines, like propranolol (approved for the treatment of social anxiety disorder), work by inhibiting the actions of a chemical known as monoamine oxidase. They don't affect the brain the same as benzodiazepines, but they are more efficient. Benzodiazepines as well as SNRIs and SSRIs are typically used for those suffering from severe anxiety. SSRIs however can be utilized to treat a wide range of anxiety disorders.
Psychotherapy
Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy could be a part of the treatment plan for anxiety disorder. There are a variety of psychotherapy, and a trained mental health professional can assist you to find the right one for you. Psychotherapy involves speaking to an therapist and learning techniques and skills to manage anxiety.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps you overcome anxious thoughts and behaviours. CBT helps you recognize and break destructive patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior. It also helps you recognize the specific situations and people or objects that trigger anxiety and how to cope with these triggers. CBT is a suggested treatment for many types of anxiety disorders.
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a different type of psychotherapy that may be used to treat of anxiety disorders. During this treatment you will lie on a couch, reclining chair, while the therapist guides you through the different phases of therapy. This may include following an object with your eye, listening to music, and reminiscing about a negative experience from your past. EMDR can help you reduce anxiety symptoms and help overcome negative associations.
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a kind of psychotherapy that focuses on improving your social and interpersonal relationships. IPT is not a treatment for anxiety, but it may help you deal with problems that may be contributing to anxiety.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to ease anxiety and stress. It is also important for physical health and can help improve sleep as well, both of which could be affected by anxiety-related disorders. It is a cost-effective treatment you can carry out yourself.
The kinds of exercises that work best vary however, most studies show the efficacy of anything from tai chi to high-intensity interval training. Finding disorders anxiety that you enjoy is crucial to increase your chances of participating and building up your endurance. Exercise can also provide an escape from the day to day and help reduce anxiety. This is especially helpful for patients who are struggling to manage the Distraction Theory. According to this psychological theory, anxious patients tend to avoid social interactions and are more likely to are more likely to engage in self-talk and worry.
Exercise does not eliminate anxiety, but it can be combined alongside other treatments to reduce the severity of symptoms. Exercise and exposure therapy can be used to help a patient overcome their fear of driving or flying. Attention training is a different technique that helps a person control their brain's waves. During a series of sessions with a certified therapist, the patient watches their own brain waves on an electroencephalograph monitor and teaches themselves to achieve a more relaxed state at will.
The evidence for the effectiveness of exercise as a standalone treatment for anxiety is a bit shaky however it is an attractive option for treatment of this incredibly prevalent mental illness. Exercise is likely to play a role in the treatment of anxiety disorders, in particular because many GPs have "exercise on prescription" programs that offer patients a subsidised training program at the local gym.
Relaxation techniques
Relaxation techniques help reduce anxiety and stress by triggering the body's relaxation reaction that is described as an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Meditation guided imagery, guided breathing and biofeedback assisted relaxation are all examples of these practices. These techniques are most effective for most people if they use them regularly.
A health care professional or mental health professional can show you these techniques and provide you the tools to practice these techniques on your own. Your healthcare team might also encourage you to join self-help groups or group therapy. These are great opportunities to meet other people with similar struggles. Maintaining contact with friends and family as well as exercising regularly and staying clear of alcohol and other drugs can be helpful in decreasing stress.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are two forms of psychotherapy that treat anxiety disorders. CBT helps you identify and confront irrational fears and negative thoughts that cause anxiety. Then you can replace these thoughts with more realistic, calm ones. Exposure therapy is a process of gradually dealing with situations that trigger anxiety until you can manage them without anxiety. You usually start with the more threatening situations, and then move on to more challenging ones.
Other psychological treatments for anxiety include hypnosis, mindfulness and support groups. These treatments can be especially beneficial when you have co-occurring issues, such as depression and substance abuse. A good night's sleep and eating healthy are other helpful habits that can help ease the symptoms. Regular exercise is important because it helps burn up stress chemicals produced during stressful periods. And it is important to establish strong relationships with others, as loneliness and isolation can worsen anxiety symptoms.
Healthy eating habits
Anxiety can trigger a range of physical symptoms, like abdominal pain, muscle tension, and feelings panic. While it is normal to feel anxious and anxious at times, excessive anxiety can lead to an overwhelming feeling of helplessness and anxiety that interferes with daily life. If you suffer from anxiety, you can manage your symptoms by learning strategies for dealing with anxiety and following the advice of your doctor.
A nutritious diet, in addition to therapy and medication, can help ease anxiety symptoms. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates can help reduce stress and give your body the nutrients it needs to perform at a high level.
It is crucial to avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat, as they can worsen anxiety symptoms. Drink plenty of water and other beverages that are not caffeine-based to keep well-hydrated. A few of the many foods that have been found to ease anxiety are avocados, bananas chocolate as well as oysters, berries and fish. Leafy green vegetables, like swiss-chard and spinach as well as pumpkin seeds, beans, nuts and whole grains are all excellent sources of magnesium. Omega-3 fatty acid, found in fish like sardines, trout and salmon along with walnuts, can also aid in relieving anxiety symptoms.
It is essential to seek treatment for anxiety disorders as well as eating disorders. Treatment for both conditions is usually best achieved by combining psychiatric medication with mental health therapy. Talk therapy can help you understand how to deal with your negative emotions and replace them with more positive ones and psychiatric medications can assist to reduce anxiety symptoms and prevent them from becoming out of control.