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Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety

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

Self-help strategies may also help alleviate symptoms. Exercise, for example can help reduce stress and relaxes your body.

Medication

If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy aren't helping your anxiety then medication could be a good alternative. Anxiety medications reduce anxiety signals and the fight or flight response within the body. Antidepressants, the most common medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants. They raise levels of certain neurotransmitters which affect mood. Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are usually the first drugs prescribed. SNRIs like venlafaxine, duloxetine and tricyclic antidepressants like Tofranil (imipramine) Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety.

Benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety. They're quick-acting and can be very helpful in the short term however they are also addictive and should only be used when other treatments don't work. Benzodiazepines are used to treat insomnia and anxiety.

Only licensed health care professionals can prescribe medications to treat anxiety. These doctors include psychologists, psychiatrists primary care physicians, and some OB-GYNs. Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses may also prescribe certain medications, but they have to get special training in doing this.

Certain people make use of alternative therapies, like exercise, to reduce anxiety. There are also ways to treat anxiety without Medication to relax and reduce 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.

Finally, natural supplements like 5-HTP or melatonin can aid in easing anxiety. Consult your doctor before taking supplements for anxiety or any other health condition. Supplements can be taken as part of a comprehensive therapy plan that includes lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is among the many psychotherapeutic techniques for anxiety disorders that has been thoroughly studied and backed by evidence-based research. It targets the maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain anxiety over time. Although different CBT protocols were developed for various anxiety disorders, they all share common treatment goals and techniques.

CBT begins by identifying dysfunctional thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety. In sessions, patients learn to recognize these negative beliefs and then challenge. The therapist may also assist patients recognize and modify their behavior patterns that cause them to avoid. The therapist might ask patients to keep "thought journals" or diaries in between sessions, and to apply the behavioural strategies that they have learned in everyday life.

Eventually, the final goal is to help patients to become their own therapists by helping them to understand their current patterns of thinking and behaviour. This will help patients overcome fears that are unfounded, reduce their anxiety and other negative emotions, and become more resilient.

CBT techniques involve identifying and modifying distortions of the patient's thinking like overgeneralizing and catastrophizing. The therapist can also help the patient develop strategies for coping for anxiety-provoking situations. These techniques can be employed to treat any type 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. Exposure therapy involves exposing the patient's anxious object or circumstance. This could be done by imagining the object or situation, or by directly confronting it in real life. A patient with PTSD who is afraid of a specific location, could be urged by their physician to visit the location where they were assaulted. A person suffering from social anxiety disorder, who is afraid of public speaking, might be encouraged to make a speech before an audience.

Certain studies have demonstrated that combination strategies of CBT and pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes. However, the results are mixed and further research is required. In general, mixing medications with CBT is more effective than any one alone. Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have proven to be particularly effective in people with anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or generalized disorder.

Therapy for exposure

One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is exposure therapy, which lets you confront the things that make you anxious in a safe environment with an experienced professional. The process may sound difficult but it can help you understand that your fears are unfounded and that you are able to accept the discomfort caused by your triggers. It can also help increase your confidence when it comes to navigating life's challenges.

There are many different kinds of exposure therapy, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy, and systematic desensitization. If you're afraid to speak in public, your therapist might suggest that you practice with a buddy or imagine yourself delivering the speech. Then, you can gradually confront the situation with your therapist's assistance. During each session your therapist will examine you to determine if you're feeling anxious or panicked and alter the intensity of your exposure as needed.

In the course of a session your therapist will show you to relax and cope with your feelings before explaining the triggers that create fear. This may include mindfulness, rhythmic breath and guided images. They also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behaviors that cause anxiety, like avoiding elevators. Exposure therapy is usually conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some people require more than two sessions to overcome their fear.

The first step is to pinpoint the object or situation that causes anxiety, such as flying on a plane or being with strangers. Your therapist will assist you select a method of exposure therapy that is appropriate best way to treat anxiety disorder your personality and needs. This could include using a hierarchy to determine the sequence of exposures or practicing relaxation techniques before beginning.

In vivo therapy is the process of confronting the thing or situation you are scared of. It could be as simple as crossing the bridge or having someone else contact your arm. This technique can be used to treat generalized anxiety disorder certain fears and posttraumatic stress disorder.

In vivo exposure therapy can be difficult to integrate into your schedule between appointments, so it is important to find a therapist that specializes in this type of cognitive therapy. You can find an experienced specialist by searching your local psychology association or mental health network. It's also a good idea to look up reviews and ask friends or family members for suggestions.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies cover a wide variety of treatments for health that are not considered to be part of Western medicine. They can ease anxiety by teaching relaxation techniques and encourage an active lifestyle. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines, meditation, yoga music therapy, massage. They also can reduce depression symptoms by lowering the levels of stress hormones within your body.

A recent study revealed that mindfulness-based meditation programs are associated with moderate improvement in anxiety symptoms. This approach uses different techniques of meditation to improve mindfulness, or the ability of focusing on the present moment while getting rid of negative thoughts and feelings. This kind of meditation is suitable for nearly everyone and doesn't require any special equipment or instruction. People with physical limitations may not be able to participate in meditation that requires movement.

Other therapies that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation biofeedback, hypnosis, as well as self-hypnosis. These techniques assist you in controlling anxiety by the focus on relaxing muscles breathing, calming breathing and visual imagery. These techniques can be employed at home or in a treatment environment. These techniques are often paired with other forms of therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy.

Exercise regularly and eat well-balanced meals are two more ways to lessen anxiety. Regular exercise can reduce the heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels, which are hormones that contribute to anxiety. A healthy diet can help you feel more energetic which can reduce anxiety symptoms.

Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It teaches you to identify and combat negative thoughts that can cause anxiety. Your therapist will demonstrate how to treat anxiety disorder without medication to assess the potential for anxiety and assess their likelihood of occurrence. You can employ strategies such as looking at your fears in relation to previous experiences, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the situation and determining whether it's realistic to be worried about what could happen.

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese technique, can be utilized to treat stress. It is based on an evaluation of deficiencies and excesses in your energy, referred to as Qi, that is found in specific meridians. A deficiency in the spleen meridian or kidney can trigger anxiety. Acupuncture studies have suggested that it can help alleviate anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy or other CAM approaches.