Treating Anxiety
The treatment of anxiety usually involves psychological counseling, which can include psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people recognize the harmful thought patterns that lead to anxious and troublesome feelings.
The medication can be used to manage physical symptoms of anxiety such as a fast heartbeat or shaking. It is important to communicate with your health care provider in order to find the most effective medication and dosage.
Medicines
Anxiety is the natural reaction to stress. It can prevent us from sleeping, but there are treatments that can help. The use of medication can help reduce the symptoms of anxiety and make it easier to live your life, while addressing any underlying causes. A combination of medication and therapy could have an even greater impact on your mood and improve your quality of life.
Antidepressants relieve anxiety by increasing levels of chemicals that help you calm down in your brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common antidepressants. They block nerve cells from reabsorbing serotonin in the brain and increase the availability of serotonin. This makes you feel calmer. SSRIs are drugs like Celexa Lexapro Paxil and Zoloft. Antidepressants, such as serotonin-norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and others are also used to combat 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 in treating anxiety but can become addictive if used for longer than 4 weeks and don't work as well over time, which is why they are usually not prescribed for long-term use.
Other antianxiety medicines like quetiapine, buspirone and clonidine lower the level of stress hormone cortisol in your body by blocking receptors in your brain. The most common adverse result is the feeling of drowsiness. People can also experience nausea, diarrhea constipation, nausea, and sexual dysfunction while taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
Other antianxiety medicines like phenytoin and melatonin work as sedatives and reduce the activity of specific brain neurons, which can reduce anxiety. Antihistamines can also be used to treat anxiety. They reduce the itching caused by allergies and make you feel more relaxed.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors like tetracycline and moclobemide are also used to decrease anxiety. These are typically pursued after other treatments have failed. Other prescription medicines that have been shown to reduce anxiety in clinical trials are not licensed for this purpose but can be prescribed off-label by certain doctors.
Psychotherapy
Anxiety disorders can be relieved by psychotherapy, or talk therapy with a mental health professional. This could be a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker. In addition to helping with the root of the anxiety, the therapist will offer support and encouragement. The physical presence of the therapist is crucial for those suffering from anxiety; it stimulates the parasympathetic nerve and gives a sense safety to the patient.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This approach teaches you how to manage anxiety and gradually return to the activities you avoided due to anxiety. anxiety treatment herbal involves exposure therapy where you gradually confront the object or circumstance that causes anxiety, and then overcome your anxieties.
Psychotherapy can help you understand why you feel anxious, and how your imagination may create fearful scenarios that don't exist. The therapist will also teach you on the physiology behind the body's natural "flight-or-fight" response and why it is inappropriately triggered by things that are generally harmless.
The therapy is usually conducted in a series of sessions lasting an hour each. Patients are often provided with assignments to complete in between sessions. Finding the right therapist for you can be a challenge. You may have to test several before you find someone who you are comfortable with.
Self-help methods, such as breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation can be a useful addition to psychotherapy. You can reduce anxiety by getting enough sleep and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding nicotine and caffeine. Humor is a fantastic stress relieving factor. You can try to incorporate more laughter into your daily life. Finally, if you have an acute anxiety episode that threatens your safety or that of others, seek out your doctor for emergency anxiolytic treatment, usually with a benzodiazepine. This type of treatment isn't always required, but it can be very beneficial. Medications are not a substitute for psychotherapy, however they can help in some cases.
Lifestyle changes
Alongside psychotherapy and medication, there are a number of lifestyle changes that could significantly help people with anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol and getting enough sleep and practicing relaxation techniques can all help.
Regular exercise is an effective method to reduce stress and improve your mood. It has been proven that it can improve anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. Developing an exercise regimen that is safe for every person can be challenging, but even a small amount of physical activity can be beneficial.
Regular, moderately-graded exercise has also been found to be effective in treating depression and is associated with a higher remission rate of anxiety disorders. While the underlying mechanisms remain unknown however, it is believed that exercise affects 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 proven that acupuncture, massage, and other CAM therapies can be beneficial in treating anxiety disorders. However, evidence is scarce and often hindered by poor research methodology. While some studies show promise however, the majority of these modalities do not provide the clinical evidence needed for doctors to recommend them.
In addition, the relationship between food and anxiety is a complex. In reality, certain foods can trigger anxiety symptoms. For example high-fat and palatable foods increase the production of reactive oxygen species in the brain, which can result in or worsening anxiety symptoms. Dietary improvement, particularly restriction of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing anxiety, although further research is required, such as programs for withdrawal from alcohol and other substances, as well as controlled future studies.
It has been proven that other supplements to the diet like omega-3 fish oils can reduce anxiety. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids supplements can reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals and improve the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in reducing anxiety symptoms. Other dietary changes that can be beneficial for anxiety include increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, including whole grains and avoiding processed food.
Herbal and nutritional supplements
While herbal remedies and dietary supplements have been utilized for centuries in various regions of the world for relieving anxiety symptoms, the efficacy and safety of these natural products has only recently been subjected to rigorous clinical tests. Ashwagandha, an herb that is part of Indian medicine's Ayurvedic tradition, is particularly effective at controlling stress and anxiety. Amino acid precursors such as l-tryptophan and L-lysine can also help reduce anxiety symptoms by altering neurotransmitters involved in the stress response.
Many people who suffer from anxiety experience a broad range symptoms. These symptoms can range from a transient feeling of nervousness or anxiety prior to surgery or menstruation, to the more persistent feelings of tension and unease that are often associated with more serious anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as panic disorder (panic disorder) and social fears. Anxiety can be debilitating with symptoms such as headaches, trembling and sweating and sleeplessness.
Talk therapy or psychotherapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a kind of psychotherapy that teaches patients to recognize and respond to thoughts and behaviors that trigger anxiety in a different manner. This approach, when used in conjunction with medication, can help treat anxiety as well as reduce associated symptoms like depression and fatigue.
A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acid found in fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring, are known to improve heart health and also boost the health of 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 are not monitored by the FDA in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs are, therefore there is a possibility that certain products could be infected with other substances or have adverse effects that could be harmful. If you're considering using herbs or dietary supplements to manage anxiety, talk to your doctor before starting any regimen. They can provide advice on possible interactions with other medications you could be taking, and offer recommendations for dosages.