Anxiety treatment: What To Expect From Anxiety Therapy
Posted on | September 18, 2009 | No Comments
If you have had anxiety and panic attacks, you may wonder what are your options as far as anxiety treatment is concerned.
The good news is that the therapy for treating anxiety disorder is fairly standardized. Anxiety help consists of a combination of anxiety therapy (cognitive behavior therapy) and anxiety medicine.
Here is a brief look at what you can expect when being diagnosed and treated for generalized anxiety disorder.
Diagnosing Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If symptoms of anxiety are present, your physician will ask questions about your medical history and perform a physical examination. The doctor may use a series of tests to rule out physical illness, such as heart disease, as the cause of the symptoms.
The diagnosis of an anxiety disorder is primarily based on the intensity and length of the episodes. Tell your doctor about any particular problems that you have functioning while the symptoms are present.
Once the doctor has rules out physical causes of the symptoms of anxiety, he will diagnose whether or not the symptoms and degree of dysfunction indicate a specific anxiety disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder is present if symptoms are present for more days than not during a period of at least six months. In addition, the symptoms also must interfere with daily activities such as work or school.
Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Once your doctor diagnoses you with an anxiety disorder, anxiety therapy is a fairly standardized combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medication to control the symptoms of anxiety and depression. As depression often coexists or follows the anxiety itself, depression treatment is usually a part of anxiety treatment.
Anxiety Medications
The anxiety medicine which is often used to treat anxiety is a class of anxiety drugs called benzodiazepines. The primary effect of this anxiety medication is to leave you calm and relaxed by decreasing the muscle tension and restlessness. Common benzodiazepines include Xanax, Librium, Valium and Ativan.
BuSpar, also may be used to treat chronic anxiety by affecting the activity of certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Unlike the benzodiazepines, BuSpar does not cause sleepiness and is not habit forming.
Lastly, antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor, and Pristiq are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In this type of therapy, people suffering from anxiety disorders and depression often learn to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to panic attacks and symptoms of anxiety.
This type of therapy helps limit distorted thinking by looking at worries more realistically.
Some patients respond well to relaxation techniques, deep breathing, biofeedback, and meditation. All of these tend to control the muscle tension and negative self talk that often accompanies an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety Treatment Is Available And Effective
Unfortunately, in our fast paced society, symptoms of anxiety are fairly common. As such, treatment options have been refined to the point that, in most cases, anxiety therapy is fairly standardized and effective.
There is no need to settle for coping with anxiety. Anxiety relief is available. Do not wait until you have had another anxiety attack to get the anxiety help you need to reclaim your life.
Related posts:
- Anxiety Medications: The Best Drugs For Anxiety Help
- Panic Attacks? Anxiety Help Is Available
- Anxiety Attack Symptoms: Recognize Panic Attacks
Tags: anxiety attack > anxiety therapy > anxiety treatment > depression treatment > treating anxiety
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