Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can ruin a person's life by making them feel depressed and tired. Stress can hinder people from engaging, causing a false sense that they are in danger, and creating a sense of isolation.
Exercise, medication, and psychotherapy are all part of the treatment of anxiety. Antidepressants are a few options, like SSRIs (citalopram, escitalopram), and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or lorazepam.
Medicines
Most people feel anxious at times however, when the feeling persists for a long period of time or is a hindrance to daily activities, it could be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Psychotherapy and medication are usually used to treat anxiety disorders. While medications can alleviate the symptoms, they do not solve anxiety disorders. They must be used alongside psychotherapy and lifestyle adjustments.
Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed to alleviate anxiety. Antidepressants correct an imbalance of the chemicals in the brain that causes anxiety. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam) are sedatives that work fast to stop the body's reaction to anxiety. They can also be addictive and should not be used long-term.
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, help to reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. They also block the brain's receptors that absorb serotonin and allow more of the mood-enhancing chemical to circulate. This helps reduce anxiety. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, have similar effects to SSRIs and can also be effective in treating anxiety. Pros: SSRIs are readily available and effective for the majority of people and have a high safety profile. Cons Some patients suffer from side effects like dizziness, drowsiness or dry mouth.
Other psychiatric medicines like propranolol can also be helpful for anxiety symptoms. These drugs are usually prescribed to treat high blood-pressure and heart-related conditions. However, doctors can prescribe them "off label" to treat anxiety. They act to blunt the effects of stress hormones within the body, including noradrenaline and adrenaline, which increase your blood pressure and heart rate. They can also cause side effects such as orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up) and bradycardia (slower than normal heart rate) and sedation.
You can reduce anxiety by adjusting your diet and exercising enough. Relaxing activities like meditation and yoga can also aid in relieving anxiety. There are also treatments for the mind like acupuncture and tai chi that can help with anxiety. Consult your physician about the options that are appropriate for you.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a scientifically-based psychotherapy that works in treating anxiety disorders. It is based on the notion that feelings, thoughts and physical sensations are connected and that negative patterns can trap you in a vicious loop. CBT helps you identify the negative patterns of your mind, and implement techniques to help you manage them. It also teaches you to control your reactions to anxiety-provoking situations and develop coping strategies.
In the initial sessions the therapist will usually perform an assessment. This could include filling out questionnaires, conducting an interview, or even supplying written material. They will be able to understand the specific condition you suffer from, identify distressing symptoms, and determine whether the current treatments are working. They will also use the test to determine whether they can build a therapeutic relationship with you.
CBT usually lasts 20 sessions or less. During these sessions, you will meet with your therapist at least every week or twice a week. Your therapist will guide you through various self-help techniques, such as how to change your perspective on unhelpful thinking and practice positive outcomes. They will also teach you strategies for coping such as how to calm your mind and relax your body.
Your therapist can also give you different tools, such as therapy worksheets that will assist you in identifying your symptoms and triggers. They will assist you in working through your anxiety in smaller steps to ensure that the process is less intimidating. If you are afraid of social situations, your therapist could allow you to role-play them before moving on to talking to family or friends.
CBT also involves behavioural studies. It can help you question your irrational and catastrophic predictions by developing helpful evidence against them. If you're afraid that something terrible will occur to you if leave your house, you can do an behavioural test by making an assumption. For example, "If I go for dinner, I'll be afflicted with food poisoning." Then, you can verify whether or not your prediction was right.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy can be a viable alternative to medication for anxiety. Hypnosis can help people relax, change their perception of their symptoms, and alter their behavior. It can also be used to conquer fears. It is frequently used to reduce stress and anxiety, but it can also help in reducing pain. The effects of hypnosis can last for a long time and can be seen after just one session.
In a hypnosis session (or while listening to a recorded recording) the therapist guides you into a state that feels like a daydream. In this state of trance you will be able to listen and respond to suggestions given by the therapist. They might ask you to imagine a safe and peaceful place, and then they will instruct you to pay attention to the sensory details as they slowly become more real. This is referred to as 'deepening trance'. This is where the therapy starts to take effect and you will start to see a difference in your symptoms.
Many people notice a change immediately. After hypnotherapy you can feel the shift immediately after they leave the room or close their eyes. This is normal and can sometimes feel magical. For some people however, it could require several sessions before they can notice any positive changes. This is normal and it's crucial to give the therapy time to be effective.
You should always consult your physician prior to undergoing the hypnotherapy method. They will be able to discuss your options and answer any questions you might have about the benefits of hypnotherapy for anxiety. You'll need to schedule an appointment in private in order to utilize hypnosis. These sessions are expensive, but they are more cost-effective than other types of treatment for anxiety.
Hypnosis is sometimes used to treat PTSD. how to treat anxiety is often triggered by traumatizing events such as a car crash, natural disaster or war. It can trigger depression, anxiety, and other problems. The symptoms of PTSD include recurring memories, nightmares and an increase in anxiety or hypervigilance. Hypnotherapy can be a very effective treatment for PTSD, and it's usually combined with other talking therapies to get the best results.
Exercise
Exercise may be the best treatment for anxiety. Exercise can ease anxiety symptoms for a long time. A regular schedule of exercise can aid in reducing them.
Although it is well-documented that regular exercise has health benefits, very few studies have looked specifically at the effects it has on anxiety. A new study suggests that intense exercises are particularly effective for the condition.
The researchers in the study, headed by University of Gothenburg psychologist Henriksson the study enrolled 223 adults suffering from anxiety to a 12-week group exercise program that included either high or low intensity exercises. They also gave them instructions on how to incorporate exercises into their daily routines. The results were evident that those who were in the high-intensity group showed significantly more improvement in their anxiety levels than those in the low-intensity group.
These findings have implications for the use of exercise schemes in general practice. Patients suffering from anxiety tend to be more sedentary than those who are not affected, and the absence of physical activity can contribute to their psychiatric problems. Physical activity is associated with an increase of 25 percent in the chance of developing depression or anxiety disorders than people who are sedentary.
It's not a surprise that exercise can have a positive impact on mental health. It stimulates the release of positive hormones like serotonin and dopamine. Additionally, it can help increase self-esteem and improve the quality of sleep. However, the benefits of physical exercise is greater than that. A variety of studies have shown that it is as effective as antidepressants in treating anxiety.
A recent meta-analysis done by Jayakody et al identified eight trials which compared groups who exercised against those who did not exercise. The studies all showed an improvement in anxiety levels. However, the researchers limited their analyses to trials which included participants who had an anxiety disorder that was officially diagnosed. It is evident that further research is needed to determine whether exercise is an effective treatment option for those with clinically elevated anxiety levels.