Notes

A Look At The Good And Bad About Treating Anxiety
Treating Anxiety

Cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy (CBT) are both common ways 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. Patients must consult with their doctor to determine the appropriate dosage and medication for their needs.

Medicines

Anxiety is a natural response to stress. It can also prevent us from sleeping well However, there are treatment options that can help. Medicine can help ease anxiety symptoms and make life easier by dealing with the root causes. A combination of medications and therapy can make a bigger impact on your mood and increase your overall quality of life.


Antidepressants treat anxiety by increasing the levels of chemicals that help you calm down in your brain. The most common type of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that stop nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin and boost its availability, allowing you to feel more calm. SSRIs include medications such as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft. Other antidepressants which could be used to treat anxiety include serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.

Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium help quickly relieve anxiety symptoms. They do this by affecting brain receptors, which cause an energizing effect. They are effective in treating anxiety however, they can become addictive if used for longer than four weeks. They also do not work well over time.

treatment for panic and anxiety attacks like buspirone, quetiapine, and clonidine reduce the amount of stress hormone in your body. They accomplish this by blocking receptors inside the brain. The most frequently reported side effects are drowsiness and dry mouth. Antidepressants and SSRIs can also lead to nausea, diarrhea, constipation and sexual dysfunction in a few people.

A few other antianxiety medications like phenytoin and melatonin are sedatives that reduce the activity of specific neurons in the brain, which can help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines also help treat anxiety. They reduce the itching caused by allergies, and make you feel more relaxed.

Monoamine oxidase inhibiters like tetracycline and moclobemide are also used to reduce anxiety. These are usually used when other treatments fail. Other prescription medications that have been shown to reduce anxiety in clinical trials are not approved for this purpose, but can be prescribed off label by certain doctors.

Psychotherapy

Anxiety disorders can sometimes be relieved by psychotherapy, or through talk therapy with an expert in mental health. This may be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who specializes in mental illness), psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker. In addition to helping with the underlying cause of anxiety, the therapist will provide support and encouragement. The presence of the therapist is important for anxiety sufferers; it stimulates the parasympathetic nerve and conveys a sense of security to the patient.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This method helps you develop specific techniques to manage your worries and gradually allow you to return to activities that you've avoided because of anxiety. This involves exposure therapy, in which you gradually encounter the situation or object that triggers anxiety, so that you learn to accept it and overcome your fears.

Psychotherapy can help you gain a better understanding of the reasons you're so worried, including how your imagination can make you believe that dangers are not real. The psychotherapist will also explain to you the physiology that triggers the body's "fight-or-flight" response and the reasons it could be triggered by things that are usually harmless.

Therapy is usually conducted in sessions that last about an hour each with patients typically receiving assignments to complete between sessions. Finding the right therapist may be difficult. It is possible to try several before you discover a therapist you are comfortable with.

Self-help techniques, such as breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, and meditation, can be a helpful supplement to psychotherapy. You can lessen anxiety-related symptoms by getting enough rest, exercising regularly and avoiding smoking and caffeine. You can also incorporate more laughter into your life, as humor is an effective stress reliever. If you're experiencing an acute anxiety attack that could be threatening your safety or others' safety, consult your physician for an urgent anxiety medication, which is usually an benzodiazepine. This treatment is rarely needed, but it can be extremely effective. The use of medications does not replace psychotherapy, but can be beneficial in certain situations.

Lifestyle changes

Alongside psychotherapy and medications, there are a number of lifestyle modifications that can assist people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, avoidance of tobacco, alcohol and caffeine and getting enough sleep and implementing relaxation techniques can all be beneficial.

A regular exercise program can be a great stress reliever and has been shown to improve mood and self-reported anxiety symptoms. Developing an exercise regimen that is safe for every person is a challenge, but even small amounts of physical activity can be beneficial.

Regular, moderate graded exercise has also been proven to be effective in treating depression. It has also been associated with an increased the rate of remission for anxiety disorders. While the mechanisms remain unclear, it's believed that exercise alters brain chemistry through altering the neurotransmitters 5-HT in the dorsal Raphe Nucleus and decreasing levels of cortisol.

It has been proven that acupuncture, massage and other CAM treatments can be effective in treating anxiety disorders. However, evidence is scarce and often hindered by poor research methodology. While a few studies show some promising results, the majority of these treatments do not provide the clinical evidence required for doctors to recommend them as a treatment option.

Furthermore, the connection between food and anxiety isn't simple. In reality, certain foods can cause anxiety symptoms to worsen. For instance high-fat and palatable foods can trigger the production of reactive oxygen species in the brain, which can create or exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Dietary improvements, including the reduction of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, has been proven to help reduce anxiety, but more research is required, including assisted substance withdrawal programs and controlled prospective studies.

Other dietary supplements like omega-3 fish oil have been shown to be useful in decreasing anxiety. The reason for this is not clear, but researchers believe that the omega-3 fatty acids could reduce production of inflammatory cytokines, and increase the effectiveness of antidepressants in lowering anxiety symptoms. Other changes in diet can help with anxiety, such as increasing the amount and variety of vegetables and fruits and incorporating more whole grains, and avoiding all processed food items.

Herbal and dietary supplements

While herbal remedies and diet supplements have been used for centuries in some regions of the world to alleviate anxiety symptoms, the efficacy and safety of these natural products is only recently tested in rigorous clinical trials. Ashwagandha, a dietary supplement (Withania somnifera) is an herb that comes from the Ayurvedic tradition of Indian medicine, has been found to be particularly effective in reducing anxiety and stress. Amino acid precursors such as l-tryptophan and L-lysine can also help reduce anxiety symptoms by influencing neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.

Many people who experience anxiety experience a variety of symptoms, ranging from a temporary feeling of nervousness or anxiety that can occur prior to surgery or menstruation to the omnipresent feelings of unease and tension that characterize more serious forms of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and social phobias. Symptoms of anxiety can also be debilitating and include headaches, trembling, sweating, muscle tightness and difficulty sleeping.

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, is a form of psychotherapy which teaches patients how to recognize and react differently to thoughts and behaviors that cause anxiety. This approach, in combination with medication, can assist combat anxiety and alleviate symptoms related to it such as fatigue and depression.

A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acid that are found in fish such as mackerel, salmon, and herring, are identified to improve the health of the heart and also boost the health of the brain. Flaxseeds are also a great source of omega-3 fats.

It is crucial to remember that dietary and herbal products are not subject to the supervision of the FDA the same way as pharmaceutical drugs. This means that there is the possibility that certain products could be contaminated or have negative side effects. If you're considering taking supplements or herbs to manage anxiety, speak with your physician prior to beginning any treatment plan so that they can advise you on possible interactions with other medications you might be taking and offer suggestions for dosages.

Read More: https://www.iampsychiatry.com/anxiety-treatment