Treating Anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy (CBT) are both common ways of treating anxiety. CBT helps people identify the negative thoughts that cause anxiety and troublesome feelings.
The use of medication can help manage physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat or shaking. It is essential to communicate with your doctor in order to find the most effective medication and dosage.
Medicines
Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. It can keep us from sleeping, but there are solutions that can help. The use of medication can reduce anxiety symptoms and make life easier while addressing the underlying causes. A combination of medication and therapy could have an even greater impact on your mood and improve your quality of life.
Antidepressants treat anxiety by increasing the levels of chemicals that calm you down in your brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly used antidepressants. They block nerve cells from reabsorbing serotonin from the brain and increase its availability. This makes you feel more relaxed. These include drugs like Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil and Zoloft. Other antidepressants that can be used to treat anxiety are serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.
Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium work quickly to relieve anxiety symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors which produce an energizing effect. They are effective at combating anxiety, but they can be addictive if taken for longer than 4 weeks. They also don't work as well over time, so they are generally not prescribed for long-term use.
Other antianxiety medications such as quetiapine, buspirone and clonidine decrease the amount of stress hormone cortisol that is present in your body by blocking receptors in the brain. The most frequent side result is sleepiness. Some people can also experience nausea, diarrhea constipation, nausea and sexual dysfunction when taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
A few other antianxiety medications like phenytoin and mellatonin are sedatives which reduce the activity of certain neurons in the brain, which help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines also help combat anxiety. They reduce the itching that is caused by allergies and make you feel more relaxed.
Monoamine oxidase inhibiters such as tetracycline or moclobemide, are also employed to lower anxiety. They are typically prescribed after other treatments have failed. Other prescription medications that have been shown to decrease anxiety in clinical trials aren't specifically approved for this purpose, however they may be prescribed off-label by some doctors.
Psychotherapy
Anxiety disorders can sometimes be treated with psychotherapy, or talk therapy with a mental health professional. This may be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who is specialized in mental illness), psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker. The therapist can also provide encouragement and support, in addition to addressing the root causes of anxiety. The therapist's physical presence is essential for patients suffering from anxiety. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and provides them with a sense of security.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This approach teaches you specific techniques to help you manage your worries and gradually return you back to things you've stayed away from because of anxiety. This includes exposure therapy, in which you gradually encounter the thing or event that triggers anxiety, in order to learn to tolerate it and overcome your fears.
Psychotherapy can help you understand why you are anxious and how your mind can exaggerate dangers that do not exist. The therapist will also teach you the physiology behind the body's "fight-or-flight" response and how it can be triggered by situations that are usually harmless.
Therapy is typically done in sessions that last about an hour each, with patients often receiving assignments to complete between sessions. It can take a while to find the ideal therapist for you, and you may need to test several before finding someone you feel at ease with.
Self-help techniques, such as breathing exercises, relaxation and meditation can be a useful supplement to psychotherapy. You can decrease anxiety-related symptoms by getting enough sleep and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding nicotine and caffeine. Humor is an excellent stress relieving factor. You can try to include more laughter into your everyday life. If you're suffering from an acute anxiety attack that threatens your safety or that of others' safety, talk to your doctor for an emergency anxiolytic, and preferably one that is benzodiazepine. This treatment isn't often needed, but can be very helpful. The use of medication is not an alternative to psychotherapy, but they can help in certain situations.
Lifestyle changes
Alongside psychotherapy and medication, there are a number of lifestyle changes that can greatly aid people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise and a healthy diet, avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, ensuring enough sleep, and utilizing relaxation techniques can be beneficial.
Regular exercise is a great method to lower stress levels and improve your mood. It has been proven that it can improve anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. Finding an exercise routine that is safe for each person can be challenging However, even small amounts of physical activity can be beneficial.
Regular, moderate graded exercise has also been shown to be effective in treating depression. It has also been associated with an increased remission rate of anxiety disorders. Although the mechanism behind it is undetermined however, it is believed that exercise influences the brain's chemical chemistry by altering 5-HT neurotransmitters in the dorsal raphe nucleus, and decreasing the levels of the cortisol stress hormone.
It has been established that acupuncture, massage and other CAM treatments can be effective in treating anxiety disorders. However, evidence is limited and often hampered by poor research methodology. While there are a few studies that show promising results, the majority of these modalities do not have the level of clinical proof required by doctors to recommend them as an option.
Furthermore, the connection between food and anxiety isn't simple. In fact, certain foods can trigger anxiety symptoms. For instance high-fat and palatable foods can trigger the production of reactive oxygen species in the brain that cause or worsen anxiety symptoms. Dietary improvement, specifically the restriction of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, has been proven to be effective in reducing anxiety, but more research is required, such as programs to help with withdrawal from substances and controlled prospective studies.
It has been proven that other supplements to the diet, such as omega-3 fish oils, may reduce anxiety. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids supplements can reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals and enhance the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in reducing anxiety-related symptoms. Other dietary changes that can be beneficial for anxiety include increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, incorporating whole grains and avoiding processed food.
Herbal and nutritional supplements
Clinical trials have only recently been conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of natural supplements that have been used in certain regions of the world for centuries to ease anxiety symptoms. The dietary supplement ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant from the Ayurvedic tradition of Indian medicine has been proven to be particularly effective in managing anxiety and stress. anxiety treatment natural precursors such as l-tryptophan and l-lysine may also reduce anxiety symptoms through influencing neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.
Many people who suffer from anxiety experience a variety of symptoms, ranging from the transient feeling of nervousness or anxiety that can occur prior to menstrual or surgical procedures to the omnipresent anxiety and feelings of tension that are more severe types of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder panic disorder and social phobias. The symptoms of anxiety can be debilitating, and may include trembling, headaches, sweating, muscle tightness and trouble sleeping.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, is a form of psychotherapy that teaches people how to recognize and respond differently to thoughts and actions that can trigger anxiety. This approach, when used in conjunction with medication, can help combat anxiety and reduce the symptoms associated with it, such as depression and fatigue.
A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acid found in fish such as mackerel, salmon, and herring, are identified to improve the health of the heart, but may also improve the brain. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds.
It is important to keep in mind that dietary and herbal supplements aren't regulated by the FDA in the same way as pharmaceutical drugs are, and therefore there is a chance that certain products could be contaminated with other substances or have side effects that could be harmful. If you're considering using dietary supplements or herbs to control anxiety, speak with your physician prior to beginning any regimen. They can advise you about possible interactions with other medications you could be taking, and offer recommendations for dosages.