Treating Anxiety
Psychotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are both common treatments for anxiety . CBT helps people identify the destructive thoughts that can cause anxiety and a variety of other feelings.
Medications help control the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as shaking and rapid heartbeat. Patients should work closely with their doctor to determine the appropriate dosage and medication for their needs.
Medicines
Anxiety is a natural response to stress. It can hinder us from sleeping, but there are treatments to help. The use of medication can help reduce anxiety-related symptoms and make it easier to live your life while addressing the root causes. Combining therapy with medication can have a greater impact on your mood and the quality of life.
Antidepressants can treat the root of anxiety by increasing levels of brain chemicals which create a sense calm. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most frequently used antidepressants. They stop nerve cells from reabsorbing serotonin in the brain, and increase the availability of serotonin. This makes you feel more relaxed. SSRIs include such drugs as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil and Zoloft. Antidepressants like serotonin-norepinephrine-re inhibitors (SNRIs) tricyclic antidepressants, as well as others are also used to combat anxiety.
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium work quickly to relieve anxiety symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors that cause an energizing effect. They are effective in treating anxiety, however, they can be addictive if they are used for more than four weeks. They also don't work well over time.
Other antianxiety medications such as quetiapine, buspirone, and clonidine lower the level of stress hormone cortisol in your body by blocking receptors in your brain. The most common side effects are drowsiness as well as dry mouth. There are also people who suffer from diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and sexual dysfunction while taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
Other antianxiety medicines like phenytoin and mellatonin are sedatives that reduce the activity of specific neurons in the brain, which help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines can also be used to treat anxiety, reducing the itchiness caused by allergies and causing you to feel more relaxed.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as tetracycline or moclobemide are also used to reduce anxiety. These are usually used when other treatments fail. Other prescription medications that have been found to decrease anxiety in clinical trials are not approved for this purpose, however they can be prescribed off-label by some doctors.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy or talk therapy with mental health professionals can help ease anxiety disorders. This could be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who is specialized in mental illness) psychologist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker. The therapist may also offer support and encouragement, in addition to addressing the underlying factors that cause anxiety. The presence of the therapist can be important for anxiety sufferers; it stimulates the parasympathetic nerve and provides a sense of safety to the patient.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This method helps you develop specific skills to directly manage your anxiety and gradually return you to activities that you've avoided due to anxiety. This includes exposure therapy, which you gradually encounter the situation or object that causes anxiety, so you can be able to manage it and overcome your fears.
Psychotherapy helps you understand why you are anxious and how your imagination can overestimate dangers that don't exist. The therapist also teaches you on the anatomy of the body's natural "flight-or-fight" response and why it is inappropriately triggered by things that are typically harmless.
Therapy is usually conducted in a series of sessions lasting about an hour each with patients typically receiving assignments to complete between sessions. Finding the right therapist may be a challenge. You may need to try several before you discover a therapist you feel comfortable with.
Self-help techniques can be useful additions to psychotherapy, for example relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques. You can lower anxiety by ensuring you get enough rest and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding nicotine and caffeine. You can also try incorporating more laughter into your daily life as it can be a great stress reliever. In the event that you experience an acute anxiety episode that could compromise your safety or the safety of others, seek out your physician for emergency anxiolytic treatment, which is usually a benzodiazepine. This treatment is not often required, but it can be extremely beneficial. They are not a substitute for psychotherapy, however, they can be helpful in some cases.
Lifestyle changes
There are a variety of lifestyle changes that, in addition to psychotherapy and medication, can help people with anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, avoiding tobacco, alcohol and caffeine and getting enough sleep and practicing relaxation techniques can help.
Regular exercise is an effective way to reduce stress and improve your mood. It has also been proven that it can help reduce anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. It can be a challenge to find a fitness program that is right for you, but even small amounts can be beneficial.
Regular, moderately-graded exercise was also found to be effective at treating anxiety and depression. Although the mechanisms behind this are unclear but it is believed that exercise alters brain chemistry by modulating 5-HT neurotransmitters in the dorsal raphe nucleus, and decreasing the circulating levels of stress hormone cortisol.
It has been proven that acupuncture, massage and other CAM therapies can be beneficial in treating anxiety disorders. There is no evidence to support this, and poor methodology is often to blame. While some studies have shown promise, the majority of these modalities do not provide the clinical evidence needed for doctors to recommend them.
The relationship between food and anxiety is complex. In fact, some foods may actually exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Highly palatable, fatty foods can promote the production in the brain of reactive oxygen species which can cause anxiety symptoms. It has been shown that diet changes, particularly the restriction of nicotine and alcohol can help reduce anxiety. However, more research, including controlled prospective studies and withdrawal programs for substance abuse, are required.
It has been demonstrated that other dietary supplements, such as omega-3 fish oils, may reduce anxiety. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may decrease the production of inflammatory chemicals and improve the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in reducing anxiety symptoms. Other changes in diet can help with anxiety, such as increasing the quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables, adding more whole grains and avoiding all processed food items.
Herbal and dietary supplements
While herbal remedies and diet supplements have been extensively used for centuries in certain regions of the world to alleviate anxiety symptoms, the effectiveness and security of these natural products is only recently tested in rigorous clinical trials. The dietary supplement ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant from the Ayurvedic tradition of Indian medicine has been proven to be particularly effective in managing anxiety and stress. The amino acid precursors l -tryptophan and l -lysine also reduce anxiety symptoms through their effects on neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.
People who suffer from anxiety report a wide range of symptoms, ranging from the transient feeling of nervousness or anxiety that can occur prior to menstrual or surgical procedures to the omnipresent anxiety and feelings of tension that are more severe forms of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder panic disorder and social phobias. Anxiety can be debilitating with symptoms like headaches, trembling and sweating, and difficulty sleeping.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT is a type of psychotherapy which teaches patients how to recognize and react differently to thoughts and actions that cause anxiety. When used in conjunction with medications CBT can reduce anxiety and reduce associated symptoms like depression and fatigue.
A diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids may also help reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acid, which can be found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, are known to improve heart health and also boost the health of the brain. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds.
It is important to remember that dietary and herbal products are not subject to the supervision of the FDA in the same manner as pharmaceutical drugs. This means that there is the possibility that certain products may be contaminated or cause harmful side effects. Talk to your doctor if you are considering using dietary or herbal supplements to treat anxiety. They can provide you with advice on possible interactions between the herbs and other medications you are taking, as well as dosage guidelines.