20 Fun Infographics About Anxiety Disorder Help Anxiety Disorder Help

You can seek help if your experiencing persistent anxiety symptoms. Treatment for anxiety disorders usually includes medication and therapy.


Your doctor may prescribe medications to ease anxiety, such as benzodiazepines or modern antidepressants. SSRIs, such as Lexapro and Prozac and SNRIs like duloxetine or Venlafaxine are a few examples. Your counselor will also teach you strategies to help with anxiety symptoms, such as challenging negative thoughts and exposure therapy.

Medications

Medication is one way to treat anxiety disorders and reduce the need for psychotherapy. They're not for everyone and there are many other alternatives. Healthy eating, exercise, and relaxation techniques can help manage stress without the need for medication. However, if you're taking medication to manage your anxiety, it's important to stick to the dosages and keep your appointments for therapy.

Doctors often prescribe antidepressants to those suffering from anxiety disorders. These drugs correct an imbalance of brain chemicals and can take anywhere from four to six weeks to kick in. SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the type of antidepressants most commonly used to treat anxiety. The medications such as Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine) and Lexapro (escitalopram) are effective by altering neurotransmitters in mood. Other medications, for instance SNRIs like Effexor(venlafaxine) or Cymbalta(duloxetine) are also able to be prescribed for anxiety and depression.

If SSRIs aren't enough, doctors may prescribe benzodiazepines to ease anxiety symptoms quickly. These are tranquilizers that target gamma-aminobutyric acids, or GABA, a chemical in the brain that produces the ability to calm. The most popular benzodiazepines are Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam). They can have dangerous adverse effects, such as addiction, which is why they are typically prescribed only for short-term use.

Other medications, like propranolol (approved for treating social anxiety disorders ), work by inhibiting the actions of a chemical referred to as monoamine oxidase A. They don't affect the brain in the same manner as benzodiazepines do, but they are more effective and don't have the same side effects. Benzodiazepines and SNRIs are generally reserved for patients with severe anxiety, whereas SSRIs can be used in a variety of anxiety disorders.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or talk therapy can be part of the treatment plan for anxiety disorder. There are a variety of psychotherapy, and a trained mental health professional can help determine the best one for you. Psychotherapy is a way of talking to the therapist about your issues and working together to build strategies and skills to manage anxiety.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that can help you overcome anxious thoughts and behaviors. CBT helps you recognize and stop unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and acting. It also helps you recognize the specific situations, objects or people that cause anxiety and how to cope with these triggers. CBT is a treatment that is recommended for many types of anxiety disorders.

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and processing) is another form of psychotherapy that can be utilized in the treatment of anxiety disorders. During this therapy, you'll sit on a couch, reclining chair, while the therapist guides you through different phases of therapy. This could include looking at an object with your eye as well as listening to music and recalling a negative memory from your past. EMDR can help you reduce anxiety symptoms and help overcome negative associations.

Interpersonal psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that is focused on improving relationships and social functioning. IPT is not a treatment for anxiety, but it may help you deal with problems that can contribute to anxiety.

Exercise

Exercise is a natural way to reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise is essential for your physical health and it can help improve your sleep. Both of these could be affected by anxiety disorders. It is an inexpensive treatment you can carry out yourself.

The majority of studies have proven that anything from high intensity interval training to tai-chi is efficient. Finding something you enjoy is crucial because it increases the likelihood of you participating and building resilience. Exercise can also provide an escape from the routine of life and help reduce anxiety. This is particularly helpful for those suffering from Distraction Theory, a psychological theory that suggests that anxious patients tend to withdraw socially and engage in a lot of self-talk and worry.

Exercise can't eliminate anxiety but it can be combined alongside other treatments to reduce the severity of symptoms. For example, a patient can pair exposure therapy with exercise to reduce their fear of flying or driving. Another effective method is the use of attention training, which helps a person learn to control their brain wave activity. During a series of sessions with a certified therapist, the patient watches their own brain waves on an electroencephalograph monitor and teaches themselves to achieve a more relaxed state at will.

The evidence on the efficacy of exercise as a standalone treatment for anxiety is not conclusive but it's a promising option in the treatment of this incredibly common mental illness. Exercise is likely to play a part in the treatment of anxiety disorders, particularly because many GPs have "exercise on prescription" programs that provide patients with a subsidised training program at an area gym.

Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques help reduce anxiety and stress through the body's relaxation reaction that is described as the reduction in blood pressure and heart rate. Meditation, guided imagery, deep breathing and biofeedback assisted relaxation are the main examples of these methods. These methods are the most effective for many people when they practice them regularly.

A health care professional or mental health professional can teach you these techniques, and give you the tools needed to practice these techniques on your own. Your health care team may encourage you to join group therapy or self-help groups. These are excellent places to connect with others who have similar issues. Keeping in contact with family and friends regularly exercising and staying clear of alcohol and other drugs can help in decreasing stress.

Psychotherapy for anxiety disorders consists of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. CBT helps you to identify and confront irrational fears and negative thoughts that can cause anxiety. Then, you learn to replace them with more realistic and calming thoughts. Exposure therapy involves slowly facing situations that trigger anxiety until you can handle the situation without fear. Typically, you begin with the least frightening situations and work up to more challenging ones.

Other psychological treatments for anxiety include hypnosis, mindfulness and support groups. These treatments are particularly helpful for those who suffer from co-occurring conditions, such as addiction and depression. Other good habits to consider are getting enough rest and eating well. Regular exercise is essential because it helps burn up stress chemicals produced during stressful times. It is also crucial to build strong relationships with other people because loneliness and isolation may cause anxiety symptoms to worsen.

Healthy eating habits

Anxiety can cause a variety of physical symptoms, such as abdominal discomfort, muscle tension, and anxiety-like feelings. It's normal to be worried or anxious at times but anxiety that is excessive can cause a feeling of helplessness and fear that could affect your everyday life. If you're prone to anxiety, learning coping techniques and following the advice of your doctor can help you manage your symptoms.

In addition to medication and therapy, eating a healthy diet can aid in reducing the anxiety symptoms. A diet high in vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates can reduce stress and provide your body with the nutrients it requires to perform optimally.

It is essential to stay clear of foods that contain a lot of sugar and fats, as they can worsen anxiety symptoms. You should also drink plenty of water and other non-caffeinated drinks to stay well-hydrated. Avocados, bananas, and dark chocolate are just some of the foods that can help reduce anxiety. Foods that are naturally rich in magnesium, such as leafy green vegetables (spinach and swiss chard), pumpkin seeds, legumes, nuts, and whole grains are beneficial options. Omega-3 fatty acid, found in fish like sardines, trout and salmon and walnuts, may help alleviate anxiety symptoms.

There is a strong connection between anxiety disorders and eating disorders and eating disorders, so it is crucial to seek treatment for both when you suffer from them. Treatment for both conditions is usually best achieved by combining psychiatric medication with mental health therapy. Talk therapy can help you understand how to deal with your negative emotions and replace them with more positive ones, while psychiatric medications can help to ease anxiety symptoms and prevent them from becoming out of control.