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https://www.iampsychiatry.com/anxiety-treatment

Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety Everyone is worried and anxious at times but those with anxiety have a hard to control their reactions Psychotherapy and medication like beta blockers that are used to reduce blood pressure and benzodiazepines can help Selfhelp strategies can aid in easing symptoms Exercise for example helps reduce stress and relax your body Medication If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy arent working then medication could be a good option Anxiety medication suppresses fears and triggers the fight or flight response that occurs in the body Antidepressants the most common medication used to treat anxiety are antidepressants They function by enhancing levels of certain neurotransmitters that affect mood SSRIs such as citalopram citalopram escitalopram escitalopram sertraline prozac and citalopram escitalopram are typically the first drugs prescribed SNRIs like venlafaxine and duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants like Tofranil imipramine Elavil Tofranil or Pamelor can also be effective in treating anxiety Benzodiazepines can also be used to combat anxiety They are fastacting and can be helpful in the shortterm However they are addictive Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia There are many different medications that can be used to treat anxiety but only licensed health professionals can prescribe them They include psychologists and psychiatrists as also primary care physicians doctors of OBGYNs and some psychiatrist nurses Nurse practitioners family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses can also prescribe certain medication but they must be trained specifically to do this Some people use alternative therapies like exercise to reduce anxiety They can also discover relaxation methods to reduce stress such as mindfulness meditation and deep breathing Biofeedback can be another beneficial technique in which a therapist monitors your brainwave patterns on an electroencephalograph and teaches you how to control them at will Additionally natural supplements such as melatonin and 5HTP can also help ease anxiety But it is essential to consult with your doctor prior to taking any supplement to treat anxiety or for any other reason Utilizing supplements together with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes lifestyle and psychotherapy will maximize the effectiveness of your treatment Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT CBT is one of the many psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety disorders that has been thoroughly researched and supported by evidencebased research It targets the maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain anxiety over time Although several individual CBT protocols have been designed for different anxiety disorders they all share some common goals for treatment and methods The first step in CBT is to discover dysfunctional thought patterns that cause anxiety In sessions patients learn to recognize these negative beliefs and challenge The therapist may also assist patients identify and change avoidance behavior The therapist will request patients to keep diaries or thought records outside of therapy sessions and to practice the strategies theyve learned in their everyday life The goal is to eventually help patients become their own therapists by helping them understand their current patterns in thinking and behavior This will enable them to eliminate unfounded fears reduce their anxiety and other negative feelings and become more resilient CBT methods include the identification and correction of mental distortions that affect the patient such as overgeneralizing or catastrophizing as well as minimizing positive events The therapist will also help the patient develop strategies to cope for stressful situations These techniques can be applied to any type of anxiety disorders Often they are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to mental health called cognitivebehavioral therapy Exposure therapy is another element of CBT This involves exposure therapy which involves exposing the patient to the situation or object that creates anxiety This can be done by imagining or confronting the object or scenario in real life A patient suffering from PTSD who is afraid of a specific location could be urged by their physician to visit the place where they were assaulted A person suffering from social anxiety disorder who is scared of speaking in public could be encouraged to deliver an address in front of a group Some studies have shown that the combination of pharmacotherapy and CBT can improve outcomes The results are mixed and more research is required In general combining medications with CBT is more effective than any one alone Combinations of benzodiazepines and CBT have been shown to be particularly effective for those suffering from panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder Therapy for exposure One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is exposure therapy which can help you face the things that scare you in a safe environment with the help of a therapy The process may sound difficult but it can help you realize that your fears arent based on fact and you can accept the discomfort caused by your triggers It can also increase your confidence to face lifes challenges There are several different types of exposure therapy such as virtual reality imaginal and systematic desensitization For instance if youre scared of speaking in public your therapist might encourage you to imagine yourself speaking or to practice with a friend Then youll be able to gradually face the scenario in real life with your therapy therapists help Your therapist will be monitoring your anxiety and fear during each session They will adjust the level of exposure as needed During the session your therapist will teach you to relax manage your emotions and then introduces you to triggers that cause you to feel scared This may include meditation a rhythmic breathing and guided images They will also teach strategies to avoid engaging the behavior that causes anxiety for example avoidance of elevators Exposure therapy is typically conducted in a series of weekly sessions Some people need more than two sessions to overcome the fear natural anxiety treatments is to pinpoint the triggers that cause anxiety For example flying on a plane or being in the presence of strangers Your therapist will assist you choose a method of exposure therapy that is appropriate to your personality and needs This could involve using a hierarchical system to decide the sequence in which exposures are performed or a series of relaxation techniques prior the start of In vivo therapy requires you to confront the situation or thing that you are scared of It could be as simple as crossing a bridge or having someone else reach out to you This method is often used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific fears It can be difficult to fit in vivo exposure therapy between appointments Therefore it is essential to find a therapist who is specialized in this kind of cognitive therapy for behavioral disorders You can search for a qualified specialist by checking your local psychological association or mental health network You can also read reviews and ask your family and friends for recommendations Complementary therapies Complementary therapies encompass a broad 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 an active lifestyle These treatments include acupuncture herbal medicines meditation Yoga massage music therapy and yoga They can also help alleviate symptoms of depression by lowering levels of stress hormones within your body A recent study revealed that mindfulnessbased meditation programs were associated with slight improvements in anxiety symptoms This method uses a variety of 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 is suitable for almost anyone and does not require any special equipment or instruction However people with physical limitations might not be able in meditation that requires moving Other therapies that can ease anxiety include breathing exercise as well as progressive muscle relaxation PMR biofeedback selfhypnosis and hypnosis These techniques help you control your anxiety through focus on relaxing muscles breathing calming breath and visual imagery These techniques can be employed at home or in an environment for treatment These methods are often combined with other forms of therapy like cognitive behavior therapy or exposure therapy Exercise regularly and eat wellbalanced meals are two other ways to lessen anxiety Regular exercise can lower your heart rate blood pressure and cortisol levels which is a hormone that contributes to anxiety A healthy diet can make you feel more energized which can lessen your anxiety Cognitive behavior therapy is an effective treatment for anxiety It helps you identify and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety Your therapist will demonstrate how to evaluate fears and determine their probability of occurring You can employ strategies such as comparing your fears with past experiences weighing out the pros and cons of an incident and determining if its realistic to be concerned about something that could happen Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique that can be used to alleviate anxiety It is based upon an evaluation of excesses or deficiencies in your energy called Qi located in specific meridians A deficiency of the spleen or kidney meridian can trigger anxiety Some studies suggest that acupuncture can improve anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy and other CAM approaches