Treating Anxiety
Psychotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are the most common methods of treating anxiety. CBT helps people identify the destructive thoughts that cause anxiety and distressing feelings.
Medication can help control anxiety-related physical symptoms such as a fast heartbeat or shaking. It is important to consult with your doctor in order to find the most effective medication and dosage.
Medicines
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, and it can prevent us from sleeping well, but there are solutions that can aid. Medication can help reduce anxiety symptoms and ease your life while addressing the underlying causes. Combining therapy and medication can have a bigger impact on mood and the quality of life.
Antidepressants treat the root cause of anxiety by boosting levels of brain chemicals which create a sense calm. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common antidepressants. They stop nerve cells from reabsorbing serotonin from the brain and increase the availability of serotonin. This helps you feel calmer. SSRIs include medications such as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil and Zoloft. Antidepressants like serotonin-norepinephrine-re inhibitors (SNRIs) tricyclic antidepressants, and others are also used to combat anxiety.
Benzodiazepines, like Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam) are used quickly to ease anxiety symptoms by stimulating brain receptors and causing a calming effect. They are effective in treating anxiety but can become addictive if taken for longer than four weeks. They are not as effective over time, which is why they are not recommended for long-term use.
Other antianxiety drugs such as buspirone, quetiapine, and clonidine lower the level of stress hormones in your body. They accomplish this by blocking receptors inside the brain. The most common adverse effect is drowsiness. People can also suffer from diarrhea, nausea constipation, nausea, and sexual dysfunction while taking antidepressants or SSRIs.
Other antianxiety medications like phenytoin or melatonin function as sedatives by decreasing the activity of specific brain cells, which decreases anxiety. Antihistamines can also be used to treat anxiety. They help reduce the itching that is caused by allergies, and make you feel more comfortable.
Other types of medications that can be used to lower anxiety include monoamine oxide inhibitors, such as moclobemide and tetracycline. These are usually used when other treatments fail. Some doctors can prescribe off-label prescription medications that have been proven to decrease anxiety during clinical studies, but aren't licensed.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy or talk therapy with mental health professionals can help ease anxiety disorders. This could be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who specializes in mental illness) or psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker. In addition to addressing the underlying cause of anxiety, the therapist will provide support and encouragement. The presence of the therapist is also important for anxiety sufferers; it activates the parasympathetic nerve and provides a sense of safety to the patient.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This method teaches you how to manage anxiety and gradually return to the activities you avoided because of anxiety. This involves exposure therapy, in which you slowly encounter the situation or object that causes anxiety, so that you learn to accept it and overcome your fears.
Psychotherapy can help you gain a better understanding of why you're so worried and how your mind can make you believe that dangers are not real. The counselor will also guide you through the anatomy behind the body's "fight-or-flight" response and the reasons it could be triggered by things that are generally harmless.
The therapy is usually done in a series of sessions lasting an hour each. Patients are often given tasks to complete between sessions. It may take some time to find the right therapist for you, and you may have to try a few before finding someone you feel comfortable with.
Self-help methods, such as relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation can be an effective addition to psychotherapy. You can lessen anxiety by getting enough rest and exercising regularly. You can also avoid nicotine and caffeine. natural treatment for anxiety can also try incorporating more laughter into your daily life since laughter is a powerful stress-reducing agent. If you're suffering from an acute anxiety attack that is threatening your safety or others' safety, talk to your physician for an emergency anxiolytic, and preferably an benzodiazepine. This treatment isn't often required, but it could be extremely beneficial. The use of medicines is not a substitute to psychotherapy, but can be beneficial in certain cases.
Lifestyle changes
There are a variety of lifestyle changes that, in addition to psychotherapy and medication, can aid people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, avoiding tobacco or alcohol as well as getting enough rest and utilizing relaxation techniques can help.
Regular exercise is an effective method to lower stress levels and improve your mood. It has also been shown that it can help reduce anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. It can be a challenge to find a fitness program that is appropriate for you, but even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial.
Regular, moderately-graded exercise has also been shown to be effective at treating anxiety and depression. Although the mechanism behind it is unclear however, it is believed that exercise affects brain chemistry by modulating 5-HT neurotransmitters within the dorsal raphe nucleus and decreasing the levels of the cortisol, a stress hormone.
The practice of acupuncture massage therapy, and other CAM treatments has been found to have some benefit in treating anxiety disorders. However, the evidence is not conclusive and is often hampered by poor research methodology. While a few studies show some promising results, the majority of these therapies do not provide the clinical evidence required for doctors to recommend them as an alternative.
The relationship between anxiety and food is not straightforward. In reality, certain foods can actually cause anxiety symptoms. For instance high-fat and palatable foods promote 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 shown to help reduce anxiety, however more research is required, such as programs to help with withdrawal from substances and controlled future studies.
It has been demonstrated that other supplements to the diet such as omega-3 fish oils can reduce anxiety. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals and improve the effectiveness of antidepressants in reducing anxiety symptoms. Other dietary changes can ease anxiety, including increasing the quantity and variety of vegetables and fruits, adding more whole grains, and avoiding all processed foods.
Herbal and dietary supplements
While herbal remedies and dietary supplements have been utilized for centuries in various parts of the world to relieve anxiety symptoms, the efficacy and security of these natural products is only recently subjected to rigorous clinical trials. Ashwagandha, a plant that comes from Indian medicine's Ayurvedic tradition, is particularly effective in controlling stress and anxiety. Amino acid precursors l-tryptophan and l-lysine may also reduce anxiety symptoms by influencing neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.
Many people suffering from anxiety suffer from a wide range symptoms. These symptoms can range from a transient feeling of nervousness or worry before menstrual or surgical procedures and more persistent feeling of anxiety and unease which are often associated with more serious anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as well as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (panic disorder) and social anxiety disorders. Anxiety can be debilitating with symptoms such as sweating, headaches, and trembling, and difficulty sleeping.
Talk therapy or psychotherapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT is a type of psychotherapy that teaches people how to recognize and respond differently to the thoughts and behaviors that can trigger anxiety. When combined with medication this method can help treat anxiety and reduce associated symptoms like fatigue and depression.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like herring, mackerel, and salmon are also known to reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acids found in fish such as mackerel, salmon, and herring, have been identified to improve the health of the heart as well as improve the brain. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds as well as walnuts, chia and flax seeds.
It is important to remember that herbal and dietary supplements aren't regulated by the FDA in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs are, so there is a chance certain products could be infected with other substances or cause negative side effects that could be harmful. Talk to your doctor if you are contemplating using herbal or dietary supplements to treat anxiety. They can give you suggestions on possible interactions between herbs and other medications that you may be taking and dosage recommendations.