Anxiety Disorder Treatment
The Benefits Of Psychological Therapies
Many patients suffering from anxiety disorders have benefited from the various talking treatments of psychoanalysis. Patients undergo traditional therapy that focuses on their anxiety symptoms. Treatment lasts for an extended period of time. During this time, a patient talks with a therapist in order to discuss the exact nature of the problem as well as possible solutions. This therapy can vary. Behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy are all options that patients should discuss with their therapist and physician.
Behavior Therapy (BT)
Behavior therapy is particularly useful for patients suffering from various phobias. If their phobia is interfering with their personal, private, or professional life, behavior therapy can help a sufferer overcome their phobia. Behavior therapy is not concerned with the root causes of a patient’s phobia. It merely seeks to alleviate their anxiety symptoms.
Cognitive Therapy (CT)
In cognitive therapy, patients learn about the connection that exists between their mental processes and their moods. After learning that negative thought patterns can exacerbate anxiety, patients learn ways to reprogram the way that they think. Once a patient is able to adjust his or her thought patterns, the anxiety symptoms are generally lessened.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A type of behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients develop problem solving techniques that can help them manage their anxiety symptoms. Like cognitive therapy, cognitive behavior therapy teaches patients that their thought processes control their moods. Then, through learned behavior techniques, a patient begins to both think and act in ways that will prove to be beneficial. Cognitive behavioral therapy, like the other therapies discussed, are talking treatments.
Techniques For Relaxation
Some anxiety sufferers try relaxation techniques. These can be used in place of or in conjunction with other traditional therapies. Anxiety sufferers have found relief through self-help books or courses. Yoga or mediation has also proven beneficial. The more those anxiety sufferers learn about their physical body, the more control they will have over feelings of panic and anxiety.
Exposure therapy
In exposure therapy, a patient is not allowed to avoid the action or object that causes anxiety. Instead, they are asked to confront it head on. This therapy is similar to systematic desensitization, but moves at a much quicker pace. The patient is exposed directly to the object of fear. This exposure is repeated until the patient is able to deal with feelings of panic.
Pharmaceutical Options
If a patient’s anxiety is severe enough to interfere with daily life and other forms of treatment are not working, medication is often used to alleviate symptoms. Various medicines are often tried before the right treatment for the individual patient is determined. Benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the two most commonly prescribed medications.
Some individuals have had success taking antihistamines. Antidepressants, although not commonly prescribed unless the patient has other conditions, can help a patient suffering from extreme anxiety achieve normalcy. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are usually tried first, because most antidepressants, while effective, have more side effects.
