Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can destroy the life of a person by making them feel tired and depressed. Stress can hinder people from engaging, causing a false feeling that they are in danger and creating a sense of isolation.
Exercise, medication, and psychotherapy are all part of the treatment for anxiety. Medications can include antidepressants, such as SSRIs (citalopram, escitalopram), and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or lorazepam.
The effects of medication
Anxiety disorders are a result of anxiety that is too long or interferes in daily activities. Treatment of anxiety disorders usually involves medication and psychotherapy. While medications can alleviate the symptoms, they don't solve anxiety disorders. Therefore, they must be utilized in conjunction with psychotherapy and other lifestyle modifications.
Antidepressants and other benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed to combat anxiety. Antidepressants can correct a imbalance of the chemicals in the brain that cause anxiety. Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium are sedatives that work quickly to stop the body's reaction to anxiety. They can also be addictive and therefore are not recommended for use over the long term.
SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) aid in reducing the levels of cortisol which is the stress hormone, within the body. They also block the brain's receptors that absorb serotonin, allowing for more of the mood-enhancing chemical to move around. This helps reduce anxiety. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, have similar effects to SSRIs and can also be effective in treating anxiety. Pros: SSRIs are readily available and effective for the majority of people and have a good safety profile. Cons: Some patients might have side effects, such as dry mouth dizziness, dry mouth and drowsiness.
Other psychiatric drugs like propranolol can also help with anxiety-related symptoms. These drugs are usually prescribed to treat high blood pressure and heart issues. However, doctors might prescribe them "off label" to treat anxiety. They work to reduce the effects of stress hormones in your body, such as noradrenaline and adrenaline, which increase your heart rate and blood pressure. They can also cause side effects such as orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up), bradycardia (slower than the normal heart rate) and sedation.
Making changes to your diet and getting enough exercise can ease anxiety. Relaxing activities like meditation and yoga can help ease anxiety. There are also treatments for the mind such as acupuncture and Tai Chi that can help with anxiety. Talk to your doctor about the treatments that could be most suitable for you.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a scientifically-based psychotherapy that is effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders. It is based on the notion that thoughts, feelings and physical sensations are interconnected, and that negative patterns can trap you in an endless cycle. CBT helps you identify the negative patterns of your mind, and implement techniques that will help you control them. It also teaches you to control your reactions to anxiety-producing scenarios and to develop coping strategies.
In the initial sessions in the first session, a therapist will usually perform an assessment. This may involve completing questionnaires, conducting interviews, or providing written materials. This will help them determine the cause of your disorder and pinpoint the distressing symptoms. It will also determine if your current treatments are working. The test will also determine if you can have an therapeutic relationship.
CBT is usually short-term, and will last 20 or fewer sessions. You will see your therapist every week, either once or twice during these sessions. Your therapist will guide you through various self-help methods that include how to reframe negative thinking and practice positive outcome images. They will also assist you to develop coping skills like how to relax your body and calm your mind.
Your therapist might also offer tools, such as therapy worksheets that aid in tracking the symptoms and triggers. They can help you work through your anxiety in small steps, so that the process seems less daunting. If you're afraid of social situations, your therapist might have you role-play with them before moving on to talking to your family or friends.
Another aspect of CBT is behavioural experiments. It helps you to challenge your irrational catastrophe predictions by providing evidence against them. For example, if fear that something terrible will happen if you leave the house, you can conduct an experiment with your behavior by making a prediction before going out, like "If I go out for dinner, I will get food poisoning." You can then track whether your prediction was accurate or not.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy can be a viable alternative to medications for anxiety. Hypnosis can help people relax, change their perception of their symptoms, and alter their behavior. It can also be used to overcome fears. It helps to ease stress and anxiety however, it can also assist with pain. The effects of hypnosis may last for a long time and the benefits can be observed after just one session.
During a session of hypnosis (or while listening to a recorded audio) the therapist guides you into a state of mind that feels like a daydream. In this state of relaxation, you can respond and listen to suggestions given by the therapist. They might ask you to imagine an environment that is safe and relaxing and then instruct you to pay attention to the sensory details that gradually become real. This is called a 'deepening state of trance.' This is the point where the therapy will begin to work and you will start to see a difference in your symptoms.
Many people notice a difference immediately. After hypnotherapy sessions, they can feel the shift immediately after they leave the room or open their eyes. This is quite normal and may feel like magic. For some, however, it may require several sessions before they notice any positive changes. This is normal and it's essential to allow time for the therapy to work.
Always consult with your doctor prior to starting the hypnotherapy method. They can answer any questions you have about hypnotherapy and also discuss your options. Hypnosis is not offered on the NHS therefore you'll need to arrange an appointment with a qualified therapist. The sessions are costly however they are more cost-effective than other forms treatment for anxiety.
In certain instances the use of hypnosis is used to treat PTSD. This disorder is often triggered by traumatizing events like a car crash or natural disaster, or war. It can cause depression, anxiety, and other problems. The symptoms of PTSD include recurring memories, nightmares and increased anxiety or hypervigilance. Hypnotherapy can be an effective way to control PTSD and is often combined with other talking therapies for best results.
Exercise
Exercise may be the best treatment for anxiety. A vigorous workout session can alleviate anxiety-related symptoms for hours, and a consistent routine of physical activity may significantly reduce them over time.
While it is widely acknowledged that regular exercise can provide health benefits, very few studies have examined the effects it has on anxiety. A new study suggests that intense exercises are particularly effective for those suffering from anxiety.
Researchers who participated in the study led University of Gothenburg psychologist Henriksson assigned 223 adults suffering from anxiety to an intensive 12-week program of group exercise that comprised low- or high-intensity workouts. They also gave them instructions on how to incorporate exercises into their daily routines. The results were clear. The participants in the high-intensity groups showed a significant improvement in their anxiety levels compared to those in low-intensity.
These results have implications for the use of exercise programs in general practice. Patients suffering from anxiety tend to be more sedentary compared to those without the condition and a lack of physical activity can cause psychiatric issues for them. Research shows that those who are physically active are less likely to develop anxiety disorders or depression than those who are inactive.
Exercise has a positive effect on mental well-being. It stimulates the release positive hormones like serotonin, dopamine and others. Furthermore, it can help boost self-esteem and improve the quality of sleep. But the benefits of physical exercise are much greater than that research has proven that it's more effective than antidepressants in treating anxiety.
A recent meta-analysis conducted by Jayakody et al. identified eight studies that compared exercise groups against those who did not exercise. These studies all reported an improvement in anxiety levels. The researchers restricted their analyses to studies that involved participants who had a medical diagnosis of anxiety disorder. This means that more research is needed to determine whether exercise is an option for people with clinically raised anxiety levels.