Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can take a toll on the life of a person by making people feel depressed and exhausted. Stress can hinder people from socializing, creating a false feeling that they are in danger, and creating a sense of isolation.
Exercise, medication, and psychotherapy are all part of the treatment for anxiety. Treatments include antidepressants, such as SSRIs, citalopram and escitalopram (citalopram and escitalopram) as well as benzodiazepines like lorazepam and diazepam.
Medications
Anxiety disorders result of anxiety that lasts too long or causes disruption to daily activities. Treatment of anxiety disorders usually involves psychotherapy and medication. Although medication can help alleviate symptoms, they cannot treat anxiety disorders. They should be used along in conjunction with psychotherapy and lifestyle changes.
The most commonly prescribed medications for anxiety include antidepressants as well as benzodiazepines. Antidepressants can correct a imbalance of chemicals in the brain, which causes anxiety. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam) are sedatives that work fast to stop the body's reaction to anxiety. They are also addictive and are therefore not recommended for use over the long term.
SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) assist in reducing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body. They also block receptors that absorb serotonin in the brain, allowing more of the mood enhancing chemical to circulate and ease anxiety. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, have similar effects to SSRIs and can also be effective in treating anxiety. Pros: SSRIs are readily available, effective for most people, and have a favorable safety profile. Cons Some patients have side effects, such as dizziness, drowsiness and dry mouth.
Other psychiatric medications like propranolol are also effective in treating anxiety symptoms. These drugs are usually prescribed to treat high blood-pressure and heart conditions. However, doctors might prescribe them "off label" for anxiety. They work to reduce the effects of stress hormones, like adrenaline and noradrenaline that increase blood pressure and heart rate. They can also cause side effects such as orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up) as well as bradycardia (slower than normal heart rate) and sedation.
You can ease anxiety by changing your diet and working out regularly. Also, relaxing activities such as meditation and yoga. In addition there are many mind-body therapies that can help with anxiety, such as the acupuncture method and tai chi. Speak to your doctor about the options that could be best for you.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that is effective in treating anxiety disorders. It is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings and physical sensations are all interconnected and that negative patterns can lead you into a vicious cycle. CBT teaches how to identify negative thoughts and patterns and then implement techniques to help you control them. It also teaches you to manage your reactions to anxiety-provoking situations and to develop strategies for coping.
In the first session, the therapist typically conducts an assessment. This may include completing questionnaires or conducting an interview or providing written material. This will allow them to identify the specific disorder you suffer from and pinpoint distressing symptoms. It will also determine whether your current treatment options are effective. They will also use the test to determine whether they can build an therapeutic relationship with you.
CBT is typically short-term and will last for 20 or less sessions. Your therapist will visit you at least once a week during these sessions. Your therapist will guide you through various self-help strategies that will help you redirect negative thoughts and to practice positive outcome visualization. They will also teach you coping strategies such as how to relax your mind and relax your body.
Your therapist could also provide you with a variety of tools, such as therapy worksheets, to aid in tracking your symptoms and triggers. They can help you conquer your anxiety in small steps that are manageable so that it doesn't appear as daunting. If you are scared of social situations, your therapist could invite you to play with them and then move onto talking to your family or friends.
Another benefit of CBT are behavioural experiments. It can help you challenge your irrational catastrophe predictions by providing evidence to counter them. If you're afraid that something terrible will occur to you if you leave your house You can perform an assessment of your behavioural habits by making an assumption. For instance, "If I go for dinner, I'll contract food poisoning." Then, you'll be able to verify whether or not your prediction was accurate.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy can be used as an alternative to medications to treat anxiety. Hypnosis can help people relax, alter their perception of their symptoms, and alter their behavior. It can also be used to conquer phobias. It helps to ease stress and anxiety, but can also help with pain. The effects of hypnosis may last for a long time and the benefits can be seen from just one session.
In a hypnosis session (or when listening to recordings), the therapist will guide you into a trance which is similar to being in a daydream. In this relaxed state, you can listen to the suggestions of the therapist and then respond. They may ask you to imagine a secure and comfortable place and after that they will instruct you to pay attention to the sensory details as they slowly become more real. This is called a 'deepening state of trance.' Here is where you will begin to notice a change in the symptoms.
Many people notice a difference immediately. After hypnotherapy it is possible to feel the shift as soon as they leave the room or open their eyes. This is normal and sometimes it can feel like magic. For some people however, it might take a few sessions before they can notice any positive changes. This is normal, and it's important to give therapy time to work.
If you are considering hypnotherapy, you should always talk to your doctor first. They will be able to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have about hypnotherapy for anxiety. You'll need to book an appointment with a specialist if you want to use hypnosis. The sessions can be costly but they are usually more effective than other forms of treatment for anxiety.
In IamPsychiatry of hypnosis is used to treat PTSD. This is a condition that occurs following a traumatic experience like a car crash or natural disaster or war. It can trigger depression, anxiety and other issues. The symptoms of PTSD include intrusive memories, nightmares and increased anxiety or hypervigilance. Hypnotherapy can be a very effective treatment for PTSD, and it's usually combined with other talking therapy to produce the most effective results.
Exercise
Exercise may be the best treatment for anxiety. A single vigorous exercise session can alleviate anxiety-related symptoms for hours, and a consistent schedule of physical exercise could drastically reduce anxiety symptoms over time.
While it is well-documented that regular exercise offers health benefits, only a few studies have specifically examined its effects on anxiety. A new study suggests that high intensity exercise is especially effective in treating anxiety.
Researchers involved in the study led University of Gothenburg psychologist Henriksson assigned 223 individuals suffering from anxiety to an intensive 12-week program of group exercise, which included moderate or high-intensity training. They also gave them instructions on how to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. The results were evident for those who were who were in the high-intensity group showed significant improvement in their anxiety levels than those in the lower intensity group.
These results have implications for the use of exercise plans in general practice. Patients suffering from anxiety tend to be more sedentary than people without the condition. This could be a contributing factor to their mental health issues. Physical activity is associated with a 25 percent lower chance of developing depression or anxiety disorders than people who are sedentary.
Exercise can have a positive effect on mental well-being. It boosts the release of positive hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and others. Furthermore, it can help improve self-esteem and sleep quality. However, the benefits of physical exercise is greater than that. A number of studies have found that it can be as effective as antidepressants for treating anxiety.
A recent meta-analysis done by Jayakody and colleagues identified eight trials that compared groups that exercised against those who did not exercise. All of the studies found a reduction in anxiety. However, the researchers limited their studies to those that involved participants with an anxiety disorder that was formally diagnosed. It is clear that further research is needed to determine if exercise is an effective treatment option for those with clinically elevated anxiety levels.