Mcleod Stefansen posted an update 3 weeks, 1 day ago
Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety
Everyone fears and worries at times, but those with anxiety have a hard to control their reactions. Psychotherapy can help, as does medication like beta blockers (used to treat blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.
Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. Exercise, for example helps reduce stress and relax your body.
Medication
If psychotherapy or lifestyle changes aren’t working medications could be a viable alternative. Anxiety medication helps to reduce anxiety signals and the body’s fight or flight response. Antidepressants are among the most popular medications used for anxiety. They increase levels of certain neurotransmitters, which affect mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are usually the first prescription medications prescribed. SNRIs such as venlafaxine and duloxetine, as also tricyclic antidepressants, such as Tofranil (imipramine) Elavil, Tofranil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.
Sometimes, benzodiazepines can be used to treat anxiety. They’re quick-acting and may be beneficial in the short-term. However, they are addictive. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat insomnia and anxiety.
There are many different medications that can be used to treat anxiety, but only licensed health care providers can prescribe these medications. These include psychiatrists and psychologists as along with primary care physicians, OB/GYNs, and some psychiatrist nurses. They also need to undergo special training to prescribe medications.
Certain people utilize complementary therapies, such as exercise, to help alleviate anxiety. They can also discover ways to relax and relieve stress, such as 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.
Lastly natural supplements such as 5-HTP and melatonin may aid in easing anxiety. Talk to your doctor prior to taking supplements for anxiety, or any other condition. Supplements can be utilized in conjunction with a complete therapy program that includes lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and supplements.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of many psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety disorders that has been thoroughly researched and supported by empirical evidence. It focuses on the maladaptive thoughts or behavior patterns that create anxiety. Despite the fact that various CBT protocols were developed for different anxiety disorders, they all have common treatment goals and methods.
The first step in CBT is to discover the thoughts that are not working and cause anxiety. During sessions, the patients learn to identify the negative beliefs they hold and challenge. The therapist will also help patients recognize and modify behavior patterns that hinder them from doing so. The therapist will ask patients to keep journals or “thought notes” outside of therapy sessions and to practice the behavioural strategies they’ve learned in everyday life.
The ultimate aim is to train patients to be their own therapists by helping them to understand their habits of thought and behavior. This will enable patients overcome fears that are unfounded, reduce their anxiety and other negative emotions, and become more resilient.
CBT methods include identifying and changing the way that the patient thinks that lead to overgeneralization catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or minimizing positive events. The therapist can also help the patient develop coping strategies for stressful situations. These techniques can be applied to all kinds 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. It involves exposure therapy, which involves exposing the patient to the situation or object that causes them anxiety. This could be done by visualizing the object or scenario or confronting it directly in real life. For example, a patient suffering from PTSD who fears a specific location might be encouraged to visit the place where they were assaulted. A person with social anxiety disorder, who is scared of speaking in public, may be encouraged to deliver a speech before an audience.
Certain studies have demonstrated that combination strategies of CBT and pharmacotherapy improve outcomes. However, these results aren’t conclusive, and further research is required. In general, combining medications with CBT is more effective than each alone. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have been shown to be particularly effective in people with anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or generalized disorder.
Therapy for exposure
One of the most effective ways to treat anxiety is exposure therapy, which can help you face the things that make you anxious in a secure environment with an experienced therapy. It may seem difficult, but the process can help you realize that your fears are not justified and that you can be able to accept the triggers. It will also increase your confidence when it comes to navigating the obstacles of life.
There are many different types of treatments for exposure, including imaginal therapy, virtual reality and systematic desensitization. If you’re scared to speak in public, your therapist might encourage you to practice with a partner or imagine yourself delivering the speech. Then, you can gradually confront the issue with your therapist’s assistance. Your therapist will be monitoring your anxiety and fear during each session. They will adjust the intensity of exposure as needed.
During an appointment, your therapist will teach you how to calm down and deal with your emotions before explaining the triggers that trigger your fear. This can include techniques like mindfulness, breathing rhythms, and guided imagery. They will also teach strategies to avoid engaging in the behaviors that cause anxiety, such avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is typically conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some people need more than two sessions to overcome the anxiety.
The first step is to pinpoint the situation or object that triggers anxiety, for example, flying on a plane or in a crowd of strangers. Your therapist will assist you select an exposure therapy method that suits your personality and needs. This might involve using an order to determine the order in which exposures are given or a series of relaxation exercises prior to starting.
In vivo therapy requires you to confront the thing or event you are afraid of. It could be as simple as crossing the bridge or having someone else touch your arm. This technique can be employed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder and specific phobias.
In vivo exposure therapy can be hard to fit in your schedule between appointments, which is why it is essential to find a therapist who is skilled in this kind of cognitive therapy. You can locate a qualified specialist by checking your local psychological association or the mental health network. You can also read reviews or ask your family and friends for suggestions.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies are a range of treatments for health that aren’t typically thought of as part of Western medicine. They can aid in reducing anxiety by teaching you relaxation techniques and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines as well as yoga, meditation massage, music therapy, and yoga. They can also help reduce depression symptoms by reducing levels of stress hormones within your body.
A recent study has found that mindfulness-based meditation programs are associated with moderate improvement in anxiety symptoms. This approach uses different types of meditation to increase mindfulness, which is the ability to focus on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and feelings. This type of meditation can be practiced by almost anyone, and doesn’t require special equipment or any special training. However, people with physical limitations may not be able to take part in meditation that requires movements.
Other treatments that can help reduce anxiety include breathing exercises as well as progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis and self-hypnosis. These techniques can help you manage your anxiety by focusing on relaxing muscle, calming breathing, and visual imagery. These techniques can be utilized at home or in the context of a treatment facility. These methods are often combined with other forms of therapy such a cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.
Another way to ease anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet. Regular exercise can reduce your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels, which is the hormone that triggers anxiety. A healthy diet can make you feel more energetic and, in turn, reduce anxiety symptoms.
Cognitive behavior therapy is an effective treatment for anxiety. It helps you recognize and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety. Your therapist will show you how to assess your fears and determine their probability of occurring. I Am Psychiatry 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 is reasonable to worry about what could occur.
Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese technique, is utilized to treat stress. It is based on an assessment of the deficiencies and excesses in your energy, called qi, located in specific meridians. A deficiency of the kidney or spleen meridian can trigger anxiety. Acupuncture studies have suggested that it can help alleviate anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy or other CAM methods.