20 Irrefutable Myths About Treatment Of Anxiety: Busted

Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety can sabotage a person's quality of life because it makes them feel overwhelmed exhausted, depressed, and stressed. Worry can keep people from socializing with others, thereby enhancing their misguided sense of danger and thus creating feelings of isolation.

Treatment for anxiety includes psychotherapy, medication, and exercise. Medications can include antidepressants, like SSRIs (citalopram, escitalopram) and benzodiazepines such as diazepam or lorazepam.

Medications

People are generally anxious at times however, when the feeling lasts for a long time or interferes with day-to-day life it's an indication of an anxiety disorder. Psychotherapy and medication are usually employed to treat anxiety disorders. Although medications can relieve symptoms, they are not able to treat anxiety disorders. Therefore, they need to be used in combination with psychotherapy and lifestyle modifications.

Antidepressants and other benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat anxiety. Antidepressants help to correct an imbalance of chemical substances in the brain that cause anxiety. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam) are sedatives that are fast-acting to stop the body's response to anxiety. They can also be addictive and should not be used for long periods of time.

SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) help reduce the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the body. They also block receptors in the brain that absorb serotonin and allow more of the mood-enhancing chemical. 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 are effective for the majority of people and have a high safety profile. Cons: Some patients might suffer from side effects such as dry mouth dizziness, dry mouth and drowsiness.

Propranolol and other psychiatric drugs can also help with anxiety symptoms. These drugs are commonly used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems However, doctors may prescribe them "off-label" to treat anxiety. They are used to lessen the effects of stress hormones in your body, such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, that increase heart rate and blood pressure. They can also trigger side effects such as orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up) as well as bradycardia (slower than the normal heart rate) and sedation.

You can reduce anxiety by changing your diet and working out regularly. So can relaxing activities such as meditation and yoga. There are also mind-body treatments like tai chi and acupuncture which can help ease anxiety. Talk to your doctor about the options that are right for you.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that works in treating anxiety disorders. It works on the principle that feelings, thoughts and physical sensations are all interconnected and that negative patterns can lead you into an endless cycle. CBT helps you recognize negative thoughts and patterns and then implement strategies to manage them. It also teaches how to regulate your reactions to anxiety-producing scenarios and develop coping mechanisms.

In the first sessions, a therapist will typically conduct an assessment. This may include completing questionnaires, conducting an interview, or providing written material. It will help them understand the specific condition you suffer from, identify the symptoms that are troubling you and determine if the current treatments are working. The assessment can also help determine if you're able to establish a an therapeutic relationship.

CBT is usually short-term, and can last for 20 or fewer sessions. During these sessions, you will meet with your therapist at a minimum every week or two weeks. Your therapist will guide you through various self-help techniques, such as how to reframe unhelpful thoughts and practice positive outcome visualization. They will also help you develop coping strategies including how to relax your body and calm your mind.

Your therapist could also offer tools, like therapy worksheets, which will help you track the symptoms and triggers. They can help you manage anxiety in small steps that are manageable to make it less like a daunting task. If you are scared of social situations, your therapist might allow you to role-play them and then move onto talking to your family or friends.

CBT also incorporates behavioural tests. It allows you to question your irrational predictions of catastrophe by providing evidence to counter them. If you're afraid that something terrible will happen to you if you leave your house, you can do an behavioural test by making predictions. For instance, "If I go for dinner, I'll contract food poisoning." Then you can record whether or not the prediction was right.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can be utilized as a substitute for medications to treat anxiety. Hypnosis helps people relax, alter their perception of their symptoms and alter their behavior. It can also be utilized to overcome fears. It helps to ease stress and anxiety however, it can also assist with pain. The effects of hypnosis may be lasting and the benefits can be observed in just one session.

During a hypnosis session (or when listening to an audio recording) the therapist will guide you into a trance state which is similar to being in a daydream. In this relaxed state you are able to hear the suggestions of your therapist and then respond. They might ask you to imagine a safe and relaxing place and then they will instruct you to pay attention to sensory details that gradually become more real. This is called a 'deepening state of trance.' This is the point where the therapy begins to work and you'll begin to notice a difference in your symptoms.

Many people notice a shift immediately. After hypnotherapy sessions you can feel the shift in their body as soon as they leave the room or close their eyes. This is quite normal and sometimes it can be awe-inspiring. For some people however, it could take a few sessions before they notice any positive changes. This is normal, and it's important to allow therapy time to get things going.

You should always consult your doctor prior to starting treatment with hypnotherapy. They can discuss your options and answer any questions you might have about the use of hypnotherapy to treat anxiety. Hypnosis is not available on the NHS so you will need to arrange a private session with a qualified therapist. The sessions can be costly but are generally more cost effective than other forms of treatment for anxiety.

Hypnosis can be used to treat PTSD. This is a condition that is caused by trauma such as a car accident or natural disaster or war and it causes anxiety, depression and other issues. The symptoms of PTSD include intrusive memories, nightmares and increased anxiety or hypervigilance. Hypnotherapy is a great method of controlling PTSD and is often combined with other talking therapies to get the best results.

Exercise

Anxiety is a major hurdle for many people who are looking to live active lives however the good news is that exercise can provide some of the best non-pharmacological treatment options for the condition. A single vigorous exercise session can relieve anxiety symptoms for hours and a regular schedule of exercise can significantly reduce them over time.

While it is widely acknowledged that regular exercise can provide positive health effects, few studies have examined the effects of exercise on anxiety. A new study suggests high intensity exercise is especially effective in treating anxiety.

Researchers who participated in the study were led by University of Gothenburg psychologist Henriksson assigned 223 adults who suffer from anxiety to a 12-week program of group exercise, which included moderate or high-intensity training. They also gave them instructions on how they can incorporate exercises into their life. The results were clear: those who were in the high-intensity group showed significantly greater improvement in their anxiety levels than those in the lower intensity group.

These findings have implications on the use of exercise programs in general practice.  anxiety therapy options  with anxiety tend to be more sedentary than people who are not suffering from the condition. This may contribute to their mental health issues. Physical activity is linked to a 25 percent lower chance of developing depression or anxiety disorders than those who are not sedentary.

Exercise can have a positive effect on mental health. It boosts the release of positive hormones like dopamine, serotonin and other. It can also improve sleep and boost self-esteem. However, the benefits of physical activity is even more than that: a number of studies have proven that it is just as effective as antidepressants when it comes to treating anxiety.

A recent meta-analysis conducted by Jayakody et al. identified eight trials that compared groups that exercised with those who didn't exercise. All of the studies reported a reduction in anxiety. The researchers limited their analysis to trials involving participants with a formal diagnosis of anxiety disorder. It is evident that more research is needed to determine if exercise is an effective solution for those with clinically elevated anxiety levels.