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Treating Anxiety

Psychotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are the most common treatments for anxiety. CBT helps people identify the negative thoughts patterns that cause anxiety and distressing feelings.

Medicines can ease physical symptoms of anxiety, such as shaking and heartbeats that are rapid. It is important to consult with your health care provider to determine the best medication and dosage.

Medicines

Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress, and it can prevent us from sleeping properly, but there are treatments that can help. Medication can help reduce anxiety symptoms and make life easier while taking care of the root cause. A combination of medications and therapy can have an even greater impact on your mood and improve your overall quality of life.

Antidepressants reduce anxiety by increasing the amount of chemicals that calm you down in your brain. The most common kind of antidepressants is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which prevent neurons in the brain from absorbing serotonin and increase the amount available, making it easier to feel calmer. SSRIs include such drugs as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft. Other antidepressants that may also be used for anxiety include serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.

Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium help quickly relieve anxiety symptoms. They accomplish this by acting on brain receptors that cause a calming affect. They are effective in treating anxiety however, they can become addictive if used for longer than four weeks. They also don't do well when taken over a period of time.

Other antianxiety medications such as quetiapine, buspirone and clonidine reduce the amount of stress hormone cortisol in your body by blocking receptors in the brain. The most common adverse effect is sleepiness. Antidepressants and SSRIs can also lead to constipation, nausea, diarrhea and sexual dysfunction in some people.

A few other antianxiety medications like phenytoin and mellatonin are sedatives which reduce the activity of specific neurons in the brain, which help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines are also used to treat anxiety, by reducing the itchiness caused by allergies and causing you to feel more relaxed.

Monoamine oxidase inhibiters such as tetracycline or moclobemide, can also be used to reduce anxiety. These are usually prescribed after other treatments have failed. Other prescription medications that have been shown to decrease anxiety in clinical trials aren't licensed for this purpose but can be prescribed off-label by some doctors.

Psychotherapy

Anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, or talk therapy with an expert in mental health. This could be a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who specializes in mental illness) psychologist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker. The therapist may also offer encouragement and support, in addition to addressing the underlying factors that cause anxiety. The presence of the therapist is important for people suffering from anxiety because it activates the parasympathetic nerve and provides a sense of safety to the patient.





Cognitive behavioral therapy is usually the best choice for treating anxiety. This approach teaches you specific skills to directly manage your anxiety and gradually return you back to activities that you've avoided because of anxiety. This includes exposure therapy, in which you slowly encounter the object or situation that triggers your anxiety so you can learn to tolerate it and overcome your fears.

Psychotherapy helps you understand the reasons you feel anxious, and how your imagination can create fearful scenarios that don't exist. The therapist will also teach you on the anatomy of the body's natural "flight-or-fight" response and why it is inappropriately triggered by things that are generally harmless.

The therapy is usually done in a series sessions lasting one hour each. Patients are often given tasks to complete between sessions. Finding the right therapist may be a challenge. You may have to test several before you discover a therapist you are comfortable with.

Self-help techniques can be helpful as an adjunct to psychotherapy, such as relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques. You can lessen anxiety by getting enough rest and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding smoking and caffeine. Humor is a fantastic stress relief. Try to include more laughter into your daily life. If you're experiencing an acute anxiety attack that is threatening your safety or others' safety, ask your physician for an urgent anxiolytic, preferably one that is benzodiazepine. This treatment is not often required, but it can be extremely beneficial. The use of medications does not replace psychotherapy, but it can be beneficial in certain cases.

Lifestyle changes

There are many lifestyle changes that, along with psychotherapy and medication, could aid those suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, getting enough sleep, and employing relaxation techniques can be helpful.

Regular exercise can be a great stress reliever and has been shown to improve mood and self-reported anxiety symptoms. Making a workout routine that is safe for each person is a challenge however even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial.

Regular, moderately-graded exercise was also shown to be effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders. Although the mechanism behind it is unclear however, it is believed that exercise influences the brain's chemical chemistry by altering 5-HT neurotransmitters in the dorsal raphe nucleus and decreasing the circulating levels of stress hormone cortisol.

It has been established that acupuncture, massage and other CAM therapies can be beneficial in treating anxiety disorders. There is no evidence to support this and the poor methodology is often to blame. While there are a few studies that show promising results, the majority of these therapies don't have the level of clinical proof required by doctors to recommend them as an alternative.

In addition, the relationship between food and anxiety isn't simple. Certain foods can cause anxiety symptoms to worsen. Highly palatable, fatty foods can stimulate the production in the brain of reactive oxygen species that can aggravate or trigger anxiety symptoms. social anxiety disorder treatment has been proven that diet changes, particularly cutting down on nicotine and alcohol, can reduce anxiety. However, further research including controlled prospective studies and assisted substance withdrawal programs, is needed.

It has been proven that other dietary supplements like omega-3 fish oils, can reduce anxiety. The reason for this isn't clear, but researchers believe that the omega-3 fatty acids may reduce production of inflammatory cytokines and enhance the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs in reducing anxiety-related symptoms. Other changes in diet can reduce anxiety, for example, increasing the amount and variety of vegetables and fruits and incorporating more whole grains and avoiding processed foods.

Herbal and nutritional supplements

While herbal remedies and dietary supplements have been extensively used for centuries in certain parts of the world to relieve anxiety symptoms, the effectiveness and security of these natural products have only recently been subjected to rigorous clinical trials. Ashwagandha, a dietary supplement (Withania somnifera) is a plant that comes from the Ayurvedic tradition of Indian medicine has been proven to be particularly effective in reducing anxiety and stress. Amino acid precursors l-tryptophan and L-lysine are also believed to reduce anxiety symptoms through influencing neurotransmitters involved in the stress response.

Many people who suffer from anxiety experience a range of symptoms, ranging from a transient feeling of nervousness or worry that occurs prior to menstrual or surgical procedures to the omnipresent feelings of unease and tension that are characteristic of more serious kinds of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder social phobias and panic disorder. Anxiety can be debilitating with symptoms like sweating, headaches, trembling, and difficulty sleeping.

Talk therapy or psychotherapy is an effective treatment of anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT is a form of psychotherapy that teaches patients how to recognize and react differently to the thoughts and behaviors that cause anxiety. This approach, when used in conjunction with medication, can help combat anxiety and reduce the symptoms associated with it, such as fatigue and depression.

A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may aid in reducing anxiety symptoms. These fatty acids, which are found in fish such as mackerel, salmon and herring, are well-known for their benefits to heart health, however, they can also enhance brain functioning. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds.

It is important to note that dietary and herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs are, so there is a possibility that certain products could be contaminated with other substances or cause negative side effects that could be harmful. Consult your doctor if you're considering using dietary or herbal supplements for anxiety. They can give you advice on possible interactions between the herbs and other medications that you are taking, as well as dosage recommendations.