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Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety

People suffering from anxiety are unable to manage their reactions. Everyone is anxious and anxious at times. Psychotherapy can help, as can medications such as beta blockers (used for blood pressure) and benzodiazepines.

Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. Exercise, for example can help reduce stress and relax your body.

Medication

If psychotherapy or lifestyle changes aren't working, medication may be a good alternative. Anxiety medications can help reduce anxiety signals and the body's fight or flight response. Antidepressants are the most common drugs used to treat anxiety. They work by increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are typically the first prescription medications prescribed. SNRIs such as duloxetine, dulafaxine and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil, or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.

Benzodiazepines are also sometimes used to treat anxiety. They're quick-acting and are extremely beneficial in the short term however, they can be addictive and should only be used when other treatments don't work. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam).

Only licensed health specialists can prescribe medication to treat anxiety. These doctors include psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians and OB-GYNs. Nurse practitioners, family practice doctors and psychiatric nurses are also able to prescribe certain medications, but they must be trained specifically to do so.

Certain people utilize complementary therapies, such as exercise, to ease anxiety. There are also methods to relax and relieve stress, like deep breathing and mindfulness meditation. 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.

Finally, natural treatment for anxiety and panic attacks supplements like 5-HTP or melatonin may aid in relieving anxiety. Consult your doctor before taking supplements for anxiety or any other health condition. Using supplements together with a comprehensive treatment plan that incorporates psychotherapy and lifestyle modifications can maximize the effectiveness of your treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most studied and empirically supported psychotherapeutic approaches for treating anxiety disorders. It targets maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate anxiety over time. Although a variety of individual CBT protocols have been designed for different anxiety disorders, they all share the same treatment goals and techniques.

The first step in CBT is to discover the thoughts that are not working and cause anxiety. Through sessions, patients learn to recognize these negative beliefs and confront them. The therapist can also help patients identify and alter behavior patterns that cause them to avoid. The therapist may ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries in between sessions, and to implement the strategies for behavioural change they have learned in their daily life.

The ultimate goal is to help patients become their own therapists, helping them understand their current patterns of thinking and behavior. This will allow patients overcome fears that are unfounded and anxieties, decrease their anxiety levels and other negative emotions, and become more resilient.

CBT methods focus on identifying and modifying distortions of the patient's thoughts that lead to overgeneralization and catastrophizing. The therapist also assists the patient develop strategies to cope for anxiety attack natural treatment-provoking 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".

The exposure therapy is a different aspect of CBT. Exposure therapy involves exposing the patient's sex anxiety treatment-provoking object or circumstance. This may be done through imagining the object or situation or confronting it directly in real life. For instance, a patient with PTSD who fears a specific location might be encouraged to go to the location where they were assaulted. Alternatively, a person with social anxiety treatment anxiety disorder who is scared of speaking in public might be urged to speak in front of an audience.

Some studies have shown that combining CBT with pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes. However, these results are not conclusive and more research is needed. Combining medication with CBT is usually more effective than either of them on its own. Combinations of benzodiazepines and CBT have been proven to be particularly efficacious in people with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Therapy for exposure

Exposure therapy is one of the most effective methods to manage anxiety. It allows you to confront the things that you are afraid of in a safe setting with a therapist. The process may sound difficult but it will help you realize that your fears are unfounded and that you can tolerate the discomfort that triggers you. It can also help increase your confidence when it comes to navigating the challenges of life.

There are a variety of exposure therapies, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization. If you're afraid to speak in public, your therapist might advise you to practice with a buddy or imagine yourself delivering the speech. Then, you'll slowly face the situation in real life with the help of your counselor's assistance. In each session your therapist will examine you to see if you're experiencing anxiety or panic and adjust the level of exposure depending on the needs.

During the session, the therapist teaches you how to treat anxiety to relax and cope with your emotions and then introduces triggers that can make you feel anxious. This may include mindfulness, rhythmic breath and guided images. They also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behaviors that cause anxiety, like being cautious about elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some people require more than two sessions to overcome the anxiety.

The first step is to determine the object or situation that causes anxiety, for example, flying on a plane, or being in a crowd of strangers. Your therapist will help you select the best treatment for anxiety and depression exposure therapy method that fits your preferences and personality. This could involve using a hierarchical system to decide the sequence in which exposures are made or a series of relaxation techniques prior to beginning.

In vivo exposure therapy involves directly facing the thing or situation you're fearful of. This could be as simple as crossing a bridge or having someone else touch your arm. This approach can be used to treat certain fears and posttraumatic stress disorder.

It isn't easy to squeeze in sessions for vivo exposure therapy. Therefore it is crucial 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 the mental health network. It's an excellent idea to look up reviews and ask relatives or friends for suggestions.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies include a range of treatments for health that are not typically considered part of Western medicine. They can reduce anxiety by teaching you relaxation techniques and encouraging healthy lifestyles. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicine Meditation, Yoga massage, music therapy, and yoga. They can also reduce depression symptoms by lowering the levels of stress hormones within your body.

A recent study revealed that mindfulness-based meditation programs were associated with moderate improvement in anxiety symptoms. This method employs different kinds of meditation to help promote mindfulness, which is the ability to concentrate on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and emotions. This type of meditation is suitable for almost everyone and doesn't require any special equipment or instruction. However, people with physical limitations might not be able in meditation practices that require movements.

Other treatments that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercise, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), biofeedback, self-hypnosis and hypnosis. These techniques can help you manage your anxiety by focussing on relaxing muscles, calming breathing and visual imagery. These techniques can be employed at home or in an environment for treatment. These techniques 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 decrease the heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels which are hormones that can cause anxiety. A healthy diet can make you feel more relaxed, which in turn can decrease your feelings of anxiety.

Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It helps you identify and challenge negative thoughts which lead to anxiety. Your therapist will show you to evaluate your fears and determine the likelihood that they will actually occur. You can employ strategies such as comparing your fears with past experiences, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of an event, and determining whether it is realistic to be concerned about a possibility that might occur.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method, can be utilized to alleviate stress. It is based on an evaluation of excesses or deficiencies in your energy (called qi) located in specific meridians. A deficiency of the spleen or kidney meridian can cause anxiety. Certain studies suggest that acupuncture can improve anxiety symptoms when it is combined with psychotherapy and other CAM approaches.