How To Identify The Treating Anxiety That's Right For You
Treating Anxiety
Psychotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are both common treatments for anxiety. CBT helps people identify the negative thought patterns that lead to anxious and troubling feelings.
The medication can be used to manage physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat or shaking. Patients must consult with their physician to find the right dosage and medication for them.
Medications
Anxiety is the natural reaction to stress. It can hinder us from sleeping, but there are treatments to aid. Treatment can ease anxiety-related symptoms and help you live your life without worrying about the root of the problem. A combination of medication and therapy may make a bigger impact on your mood and increase your quality of life.
Antidepressants address the root of anxiety by increasing levels of chemicals in your brain that create a sense of calm. The most popular type of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which prevent nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin and increase the amount available, making it easier to feel more relaxed. SSRIs are drugs like Celexa Lexapro Paxil and Zoloft. Antidepressants such as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) tricyclic antidepressants, as well as others can also be used to combat anxiety.
Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium work quickly to relieve anxiety symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors, which cause a calming affect. They are effective at treating anxiety but can become addictive if they are used for more than 4 weeks. They also do not work as well over time, so they are usually not prescribed for long-term use.
Other antianxiety drugs like quetiapine, buspirone, and clonidine decrease the amount of the stress hormone cortisol within your body by blocking receptors within the brain. The most frequent side effect is sleepiness. People can also suffer from diarrhea, nausea constipation, nausea, and sexual dysfunction when taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
There are other antianxiety drugs like phenytoin and mellatonin are sedatives which reduce the activity of certain neurons in the brain, which helps reduce anxiety. Antihistamines also help combat anxiety. They help reduce the itching caused by allergies, and make you feel more relaxed.
Monoamine oxidase inhibiters, such as tetracycline and moclobemide, are also used to reduce anxiety. They are usually sought after other treatments have failed. Other prescription medications that have been found to decrease anxiety in clinical trials are not specifically approved for this purpose, however they may be prescribed off label by certain doctors.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy or talk therapy with mental health professionals can help relieve anxiety disorders. 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 assistance and encouragement in addition to addressing the underlying factors that cause anxiety. The physical presence of the therapist can be important for people suffering from anxiety because it activates the parasympathetic nerve and gives a sense security to the patient.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally the best option to treat anxiety. This approach teaches you how to manage anxiety and gradually return to activities you avoided because of anxiety. This involves exposure therapy, where you gradually encounter the object or circumstance that causes anxiety and overcome your anxiety.
Psychotherapy helps you understand the reasons you feel anxious, and how your imagination may create fearful scenarios that don't exist. The therapist will also teach you the physiological basis behind the body's "fight-or-flight" response and the reasons it could be triggered by situations that are usually harmless.
Therapy is typically done in sessions that last around an hour with patients typically receiving assignments to complete between sessions. Finding the right therapist may be difficult. You may have to try a few before you discover a therapist you feel comfortable with.
Self-help methods can be beneficial as an adjunct to psychotherapy, such as relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques. You can decrease anxiety-related symptoms by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and avoiding smoking and caffeine. Humor is a great stress relief. You can try to incorporate more laughter into your everyday life. In the event that you experience an acute anxiety episode that threatens your safety or the safety of others, see your physician for emergency anxiolytic treatment, which is usually a benzodiazepine. This treatment isn't often required, but it could be very beneficial. The use of medications does not replace psychotherapy, but can be beneficial in certain situations.
Lifestyle changes
In addition to psychotherapy and medication, there are a number of lifestyle modifications that can greatly aid people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise and a healthy diet, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, ensuring adequate sleep, and using relaxation techniques can help.
A regular exercise program can be a great stress reliever and has been proven to improve mood and self-reported anxiety symptoms. It can be difficult to find an exercise routine that is appropriate for you, but even small amounts can be beneficial.
Regular, moderately graded exercise was also shown to be effective at treating depression and anxiety disorders. Although the mechanism is not clear, it is believed that exercise alters brain chemistry through controlling 5-HT neurotransmitters in the dorsal Raphe Nucleus and decreasing levels of cortisol.
It has been demonstrated that acupuncture, massage, and other CAM treatments can be effective in treating anxiety disorders. However, evidence is limited and often hindered by poor methodology. While some studies are promising however, the majority of these modalities lack the clinical proof required for doctors to recommend them.
Moreover, the relationship between food and anxiety isn't simple. In fact, some foods can actually cause anxiety symptoms. Foods that are highly palatable and fatty can promote the production in the brain of reactive oxygen species that can worsen or cause anxiety-related symptoms. Dietary improvements, including the reduction of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, has been shown to help reduce anxiety, however more research is required, including programs to help with withdrawal from substances and controlled future studies.
Other supplements to your diet, such as omega-3 fish oil have been proven to be of value in helping to reduce anxiety. anxiety treatment in dogs is unclear, but researchers believe that the omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines and enhance the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs in reducing anxiety-related symptoms. Other dietary changes can help with anxiety, including increasing the amount and variety of vegetables and fruits as well as incorporating more whole grains and avoiding all processed food items.
Herbal and nutritional supplements
Clinical trials have only recently been conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of natural substances that have been used in some parts of world for centuries to relieve anxiety symptoms. The dietary supplement ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), an herb 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 which are involved in the stress response.
Many people who suffer from anxiety experience a variety of symptoms, ranging from a temporary feeling of nervousness or worry that occurs prior to surgery or menstruation to the omnipresent feelings of unease and tension that are more severe kinds of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobias and panic disorder. Symptoms of anxiety can also be debilitating and include headaches, trembling, sweating, muscle tightness and difficulties sleeping.
Psychotherapy or talk therapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a kind of psychotherapy that teaches patients to recognize and respond to the thoughts and behaviors contributing to anxiety in a different way. In combination with medications this method can aid in treating anxiety and reduce associated symptoms such as depression and fatigue.
A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may aid in reducing anxiety symptoms. These fatty acids, found in fish such as mackerel, salmon and herring, are well-known for their benefits to heart health, but they may also improve brain functioning. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds.
It is important to remember that herbal and dietary supplements are not monitored by the FDA in the same way as pharmaceutical drugs are, so there is a possibility that certain products could be contaminated with other substances or cause side effects that could be dangerous. Consult your doctor if you're contemplating using herbal or dietary supplements to treat anxiety. They can offer information on the possible interactions between herbs and other medications that you are taking and dosage guidelines.