Treating Anxiety
Treating anxiety typically involves psychological counseling, which can include psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people identify the negative thought patterns that cause anxiety and tense feelings.
Medications help control the physical symptoms of anxiety, like shaking and rapid heartbeat. It is essential to consult with your physician in order to find the most effective dosage and medication.
Medicines
Anxiety is a natural response to stress. It can prevent us from sleeping, however there are treatments to help. Medicine can help ease anxiety symptoms and make life easier by addressing the underlying causes. Combining medications and therapy can have an even greater impact on your mood and improve your overall quality of life.
Antidepressants relieve anxiety by increasing levels of chemicals that help you calm down in your brain. The most commonly used type of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which prevent nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin and boost the amount available, making it easier to feel more calm. SSRIs are medicines like Celexa Lexapro Paxil and Zoloft. Antidepressants like serotonin-norepinephrine-re inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, as well as others are also available to treat anxiety.
Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium help quickly relieve anxiety symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors which produce a calming affect. They are effective at managing anxiety, but they can become addictive if used for longer than four weeks. They do not work as well over time, and therefore are usually not prescribed for long-term use.
Other antianxiety medications such as buspirone, quetiapine and clonidine lower the level of stress hormone cortisol in your body by blocking receptors in the brain. The most frequent side effect is the feeling of drowsiness. Some people can also suffer from diarrhea, nausea constipation, nausea and sexual dysfunction while taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
Other antianxiety medicines like phenytoin and melatonin are sedatives that reduce the activity of certain neurons in the brain, which help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines can also be used to combat anxiety. They can reduce the itching that is caused by allergies, and make you feel more comfortable.
Monoamine oxidase inhibiters, such as tetracycline and moclobemide are also used to decrease anxiety. These are usually used when other treatments fail. Some doctors can prescribe prescription medications off-label, which have been proven to reduce anxiety in clinical trials, but are not licensed.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy or talk therapy with mental health professionals can help relieve anxiety disorders. This may be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor with a specialization in mental illness), psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker. The therapist may also offer assistance and encouragement in addition to addressing the root causes of anxiety. The presence of the therapist's physical presence is crucial for those suffering from anxiety. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous systems and gives them a feeling of security.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally the best option to treat anxiety. This approach teaches you specific skills to directly manage your anxieties and gradually return you back to activities that you've avoided due to anxiety. This includes exposure therapy in which you gradually confront the situation or object that triggers anxiety to overcome your anxiety.
Psychotherapy helps you understand why you feel anxious, and how your imagination may exaggerate dangers that do not exist. The counselor will also guide you through the anatomy of the body's "fight-or-flight" response, and why it can be triggered by things which are generally harmless.
The therapy is typically conducted in a series of sessions lasting an hour each. Patients are usually given tasks to complete between sessions. Finding the right therapist for you can be a challenge. You may have to try several before you discover a therapist you are comfortable with.
Self-help methods can be beneficial additions to psychotherapy, for example meditation, relaxation exercises and breathing techniques. You can reduce anxiety by getting enough rest and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding nicotine and caffeine. You can also try incorporating more laughter into your daily life, as humor is a powerful stress-reducing agent. Finally, if you have an extreme anxiety attack that threatens your safety or that of others, see your doctor for emergency anxiolytic treatment, preferably with a benzodiazepine. This type of treatment is not often needed, but it is extremely effective. The use of medications does not replace psychotherapy but can be helpful in certain instances.
Lifestyle changes
Alongside psychotherapy and medications in addition, there are a variety of lifestyle modifications that can assist people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, avoiding tobacco, alcohol and caffeine, getting enough sleep, and practicing relaxation techniques can all help.
Regular exercise is an effective way to reduce stress and improve your mood. Iam Psychiatry has also been shown that it can reduce anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. Developing an exercise regimen that is safe for each person is a challenge, but even a small amount of physical activity can be beneficial.
Regular, moderately-graded exercise has also been proven to be effective in treating depression. It has also been associated with an increased the rate of remission for anxiety disorders. While the mechanisms remain unclear, it's believed that exercise alters brain chemical by altering the neurotransmitters 5-HT in the dorsal Raphe Nucleus and decreasing levels of cortisol.
The practice of acupuncture, massage therapy and other CAM treatments has been shown to have some benefit in treating anxiety disorders. There is no evidence to support this and a poor methods are often at fault. While some studies are promising however, the majority of these treatments do not provide the clinical evidence needed for doctors to recommend them.
The relationship between food and anxiety is a complex one. In fact, some foods can actually increase anxiety symptoms. For instance high-fat and palatable foods can trigger the production of reactive oxygen species in the brain, which can create or exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Dietary improvement, particularly restriction of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety, although further research is needed, including assisted substance withdrawal programs and controlled prospective studies.
It has been shown that other dietary supplements, such as omega-3 fish oils can reduce anxiety. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids supplements may reduce the production of inflammatory molecules and increase the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in reducing anxiety symptoms. Other dietary changes that can be beneficial to anxiety sufferers include increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, including whole grains and avoiding processed foods.
Herbal and nutritional supplements
While herbal remedies and dietary supplements have been used for centuries in some parts of the world for relieving anxiety-related symptoms, the effectiveness and security of these natural products have only recently been subjected to rigorous clinical trials. Ashwagandha, a dietary supplement (Withania somnifera) is an herb that comes that comes from the Ayurvedic tradition of Indian medicine, has been found to be particularly effective in managing anxiety and stress. The amino acid precursors l-tryptophan and l -lysine also reduce anxiety symptoms through their effects on neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.
People who suffer from anxiety report a wide range of symptoms, ranging from a intermittent feeling of anxiety or worry that is experienced prior to surgery or menstruation to the constant feelings of unease and tension that are characteristic of more serious types of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder panic disorder and social phobias. Anxiety can be debilitating with symptoms that include sweating, headaches, trembling, and difficulty sleeping.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, is a form of psychotherapy that teaches patients how to recognize and respond differently to thoughts and behaviors that can trigger anxiety. In combination with medications this method can help treat anxiety and relieve symptoms like fatigue and depression.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish like mackerel, salmon and herring can also help reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acids, which can be found in fish like mackerel, salmon, and herring, have been recognized to improve heart health as well as improve the brain. Flaxseeds can also be a great source of omega-3 fats.
It is important to keep in mind that herbal and dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs are, therefore there is a chance that some products may be contaminated with other substances or have negative side effects that could be harmful. If you are considering taking supplements or herbs to manage anxiety, consult your doctor before starting any regimen so that they can advise you about possible interactions with other medications you could be taking and provide recommendations for dosages.