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Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety

Everyone is worried and anxious at times, but people with anxiety have a hard to control their reactions. Psychotherapy and medications such as beta blockers that help control blood pressure, and benzodiazepines may help.

Self-help strategies can also help ease symptoms. For instance, exercise can help reduce stress and relax the body.

Medication

If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy aren't helping your anxiety then medication could be a good option. Anxiety medication reduces anxiety signals and the fight or flight response in the body. Antidepressants, the most popular medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants. They increase levels of certain neurotransmitters which influence mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline and prozac are usually the first medications prescribed. SNRIs such as duloxetine, dulafaxine and tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil (imipramine), Elavil, 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 can be addictive. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam).

There are many different medications that can be used to treat anxiety but only licensed health professionals can prescribe these medications. These providers can include psychiatrists, psychologists doctors of primary care and some OBGYNs. They must also undergo special training to prescribe medication.

Certain people utilize complementary therapies, such as exercise, to reduce anxiety. You can also find ways to relax and reduce 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.

Additionally, natural supplements such as 5-HTP or melatonin can aid in easing anxiety. Consult your physician before taking supplements to treat anxiety or any other health condition. Supplements can be used in conjunction with a comprehensive therapy plan that incorporates lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most thoroughly researched and empirically supported psychotherapeutic approaches for treating anxiety disorders. It focuses on the maladaptive thoughts or behaviors that lead to anxiety. While a variety of individual CBT protocols have been designed for different anxiety treatment center disorders, they all share the same treatment goals and methods.

The first step in CBT is to discover problematic thought patterns that can cause anxiety. During sessions, patients learn to recognize negative beliefs and confront them. The therapist can also help patients identify and alter avoidance behaviors. The therapist will request patients to keep diaries or "thought notes" outside of sessions and to practice the behavioural strategies they've learned in everyday life.

The aim is to eventually help patients become their own therapists, helping them to understand their current patterns in thinking and behavior. This will enable them to dismiss unfounded fears, ease their anxiety as well as other negative emotions, and build a stronger resilience.

CBT methods focus on identifying and modifying distortions of the patient's thoughts that lead to overgeneralization and catastrophizing. Therapists also aid the patient in developing strategies for dealing with stressful situations. These techniques can be applied to all types 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 anxiety-provoking object or circumstance. This could be done by creating a mental picture of the object or the situation, or by confronting it in actual life. For example, a patient suffering from PTSD who is afraid of a particular location could be encouraged to visit the spot in which they were assaulted. A person with social anxiety disorder, who is afraid of public speaking, might be encouraged to give a speech before an audience.

Certain studies have demonstrated that combining CBT and pharmaceutical therapy can improve outcomes. The results are mixed and more research is required. In general, mixing medications with CBT is more effective than each by itself. Combinations of benzodiazepines as well as CBT have been shown to be particularly effective in patients suffering from panic disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder.

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is one of the most effective methods to treat anxiety. It allows you to confront things you are afraid of in a secure environment with an expert. It may sound like a daunting process but it will help you learn that your fears are unfounded and that you are able to accept the discomfort that triggers you. It will also increase your confidence in dealing with the challenges of life.

There are a variety of treatments for exposure, including virtual reality, imaginal therapy and systematic desensitization. For instance, if afraid of public speaking your therapist might suggest you to imagine yourself giving a speech or to practice with an acquaintance. Then, you can gradually confront the situation in real life with the help of your counselor's assistance. Each session your therapist will examine you to see if you're feeling anxious or panicked and adjust the level of exposure depending on the needs.

During the session, your therapist will teach you how to relax, manage your emotions, and then introduces you triggers that make you feel anxious. This can include mindfulness, breathing rhythms, and guided images. They will also teach you ways to avoid engaging in the behavior that leads to anxiety, for example, staying clear of elevators. Exposure therapy is typically conducted in a series of weekly sessions. Some individuals require more than two sessions to overcome the anxiety.

The first step is to determine what triggers your anxiety. For instance, being on a flight or being around strangers. Your therapist will then help you choose an approach to exposure therapy that will suit your personality and needs. This could mean using an orderly system to determine the sequence of exposures or a series of relaxation techniques prior to beginning.

In vivo therapy involves facing the thing or event you are afraid of. This could be as simple as crossing the bridge or having someone else touch your arm. This method can be employed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder as well as specific phobias.

In-vivo exposure therapy can be hard to fit within your schedule between appointments, so it's important to find a therapist that is specialized in this type of cognitive therapy. You can locate a certified specialist through your local psychology group or mental network. It's recommended to read reviews and ask family members or friends for suggestions.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies are a wide array of health treatments that aren't considered to be part of Western medicine. They can help reduce anxiety treatment without meds by teaching relaxation techniques and promoting healthy lifestyle habits. These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicine as well as yoga, meditation massage, music therapy and yoga. They can also help relieve symptoms of depression by lowering levels of stress hormones in your body.

A recent study has found that mindfulness-based meditation programs were associated with moderate improvement in anxiety symptoms. This approach employs various types of meditation to increase mindfulness, or the ability to concentrate on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and feelings. This kind of meditation is suitable for everyone and doesn't require any special equipment or training. However, those with physical limitations might not be able to take part in meditative practices that involve moving.

Other therapies that can ease anxiety include breathing exercise, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) biofeedback, self-hypnosis, and hypnosis. These techniques help you control anxiety by the focus on relaxing muscles breathing, calming breath and visual imagery. They can be used at home treatment for anxiety attack or in a therapy setting. These techniques are often paired with other forms of therapy like cognitive behavior therapy or exposure therapy.

Another method to reduce anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet. Regular exercise can lower your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels, which is the hormone that triggers anxiety. A healthy diet can make you feel more energetic, which in turn can lessen your anxiety.

Cognitive behavior therapy is among the most effective anxiety treatments. It teaches you how to recognize and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety. Your therapist will teach you how to evaluate the potential for anxiety and assess their likelihood of occurring. You can use strategies like the comparison of your fears to previous experiences, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of an event, and determining whether it's reasonable to be worried about a possibility that might occur.

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese method, can be used to treat stress. It is based on the evaluation of excesses or deficiencies in your energy (called qi) that are located in specific meridians. A deficiency of the spleen or kidney meridian can trigger pediatric anxiety treatment. Acupuncture can help alleviate anxiety symptoms when it is combined with psychotherapy and other CAM methods.