Treating Anxiety

Cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy (CBT) are common ways of treating anxiety. CBT helps people recognize the harmful thought patterns which lead to anxiety and troubling feelings.

Medication can help control physical symptoms of anxiety like a rapid heartbeat or shaking. Patients must consult with their physician to find the right dosage and medication for their needs.

Medicines

Anxiety is a natural response to stress. It can also prevent us from sleeping well, but there are treatments that can help. The use of medication can help reduce anxiety-related symptoms and allow you to live your life without worrying about the root of the problem. Combining therapy and medication can have a bigger impact on your mood and the quality of life.

Antidepressants treat anxiety by increasing the levels of chemicals that calm you down in your brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most frequently used antidepressants. They block nerve cells from reabsorbing serotonin in the brain, and increase its availability. This makes you feel more relaxed. These are medications such as Celexa Lexapro Paxil and Zoloft. Other antidepressants that could be used to treat anxiety are serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.

Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium work quickly to relieve Anxiety Treatment Without Medicine (Hvid-Crosby.Blogbright.Net) symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors, which cause an energizing effect. They are effective in treating anxiety, however, they can become addictive if taken for more than four weeks. They also do not do well when taken over a period of time.

Other antianxiety medicines like quetiapine, buspirone and clonidine decrease the amount of the stress hormone cortisol within your body by blocking receptors in your brain. The most frequent side result is the feeling of drowsiness. People can also suffer from diarrhea, nausea constipation, nausea and sexual dysfunction when taking antidepressants or SSRIs.

Other antianxiety medications like phenytoin or melatonin function as sedatives and reduce the activity of specific brain neurons, which reduces anxiety. Antihistamines also help combat anxiety. They help reduce the itching caused by allergies, and help you feel more relaxed.

Monoamine oxide inhibitors such as tetracycline or moclobemide, can also be used to reduce anxiety. They are usually sought after other treatments have failed. Other prescription medications that have been proven to reduce anxiety in clinical trials are not licensed for this purpose however they may be prescribed off label by a few doctors.

Psychotherapy

Talk therapy or psychotherapy with mental health professionals can help ease anxiety disorders. This could be a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a licensed clinical social worker. Therapists can also offer encouragement and support, in addition to addressing the underlying causes of anxiety. The presence of the therapist can be crucial for those suffering from anxiety; it stimulates the parasympathetic nerve and provides a sense of safety to the patient.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is typically the best medication to treat anxiety and depression option for treating anxiety. This approach teaches you specific techniques to manage your worries and gradually return you back to things you've stayed away from due to anxiety. This includes exposure therapy, which you slowly encounter the object or situation that triggers your anxiety so you can learn to accept it and overcome your fears.

Psychotherapy helps you understand why you feel anxious, and how your mind can overestimate dangers that don't exist. The therapist also teaches you on the physiology behind the body's natural "flight-or-fight" response and why it's not appropriate to trigger it by things that are usually harmless.

Therapy is typically conducted in sessions that last about an hour each, with patients often receiving assignments to complete between sessions. It may take some time to find the ideal therapy for you, and you might need to test several before you find one you are at ease with.

Self-help techniques, like relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation can be a useful addition to psychotherapy. You can decrease anxiety by getting enough rest and exercising regularly. You can also avoid smoking and caffeine. Humor is a great stress reliever. Try to include more laughter into your daily life. Finally, if you have an acute anxiety episode that is threatening your safety or that of others, see your doctor for an emergency treatment, usually with a benzodiazepine. The treatment isn't often required, but it can be extremely efficient. The use of medication is not an alternative to psychotherapy however, they can be helpful in some cases.

Lifestyle changes

Alongside psychotherapy and medication in addition, there are a variety of lifestyle modifications that can greatly aid people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise and a healthy diet, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, getting adequate sleep, and using relaxation techniques can help.

Regular exercise is an effective method to lower stress levels and improve your mood. It has been proven that it can help reduce anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. It can be challenging to find an exercise program that is appropriate for you, however even small amounts of exercise can be beneficial.

Regular, moderate graded exercise has also been proven to be effective in treating depression and has been associated with a higher remission rate of anxiety disorders. Although the mechanisms are still not clear, it is believed that exercise alters brain chemical by modulating 5-HT Neurotransmitters in dorsal Raphe Nucleus, and decreasing levels of cortisol.

The practice of acupuncture, massage therapy and other CAM treatments has been shown to be beneficial in treating anxiety disorders. The evidence isn't conclusive and the poor methods are often at fault. While some studies show promise but 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 complex. Certain foods can trigger anxiety symptoms. Highly palatable, fatty foods can promote the production in the brain of reactive oxygen species that can worsen or cause anxiety symptoms. Dietary improvement, specifically the reduction of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, has been shown to be helpful in reducing anxiety, although further research is needed, including programs for withdrawal from alcohol and other substances, as well as controlled prospective studies.

Other supplements to your diet, such as omega-3 fish oil have been proven to be beneficial in helping to reduce anxiety. The reason for this isn't clear, but researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids could reduce production of inflammatory cytokines. They also increase the effectiveness of antidepressants in reducing anxiety-related symptoms. Other dietary changes that can help with anxiety include increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables, incorporating whole grains, and avoiding processed foods.

Herbal and nutritional supplements

While herbal remedies and diet supplements have been extensively used for centuries in certain parts of the world for relieving anxiety symptoms, the efficacy and safety of these natural remedies have only recently been tested in rigorous clinical trials. Ashwagandha, an herb that comes from Indian medicine's Ayurvedic tradition, is particularly effective at controlling anxiety and stress. Amino acid precursors such as l-tryptophan and L-lysine can also help reduce anxiety symptoms through influencing neurotransmitters involved in the stress response.

Many people who suffer from anxiety experience a wide variety of symptoms. These symptoms may range from a brief feeling such as nervousness or anxiety before surgery or menstruation or menstrual flow, to more persistent feeling of anxiety and unease that are often associated with more serious anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as panic disorder (panic disorder) and social anxiety disorders. Symptoms of anxiety can also be debilitating and include headaches, trembling and sweating, muscle tightness, and difficulties sleeping.

Talk therapy or psychotherapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy which teaches patients to identify and react to thoughts and behavior contributing to anxiety in a different manner. When used in conjunction with medications this method can aid in treating anxiety and alleviate symptoms such as depression and fatigue.

A diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids may also help reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acids that are found in fish like mackerel, salmon, and herring, have been identified to improve the health of the heart, but may also improve the brain. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds.

It is important to remember that herbal and dietary products are not subject to the supervision of the FDA in the same manner as pharmaceutical drugs. This means that there is the possibility that certain products could be contaminated or have harmful side effects. If you are considering using dietary supplements or herbs to control anxiety, speak with your physician before starting any regimen so that they can advise you about possible interactions with other medications you might be taking and offer suggestions for dosages.