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.

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That fuel is fear.

If you have ever experienced being uncomfortable and feeling that something just isn’t right when it comes to your breathing or the way your body seems to be failing you, it is entirely possible you could have been experiencing an anxiety attack symptom.

But, as a former anxiety attack sufferer, I can assure you that anxiety attacks can be controlled, if not eliminated.  Let’s take a look at anxiety attacks.

Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms that usually come with anxiety attacks.

Why Am I Having An Anxiety Attack?

The causes of anxiety attacks vary depending on the individual.

Depression. My anxiety attacks began in conjunction with a state of depression after I lost my mother and mother-in-law within six months of each other.  The intense depression, coupled with a rotator cuff injury that mimicked the symptoms of chest pain, caused me to have panic attacks.

Stress. Stress is also a huge factor in causing anxiety attacks.  Indeed, often stress, coupled with another condition, such as depression, can trigger the attacks.

Medication. Medicine, especially blood pressure medicine is a known trigger of an anxiety attack, and being less than active is known to be a contributor as well.

There is no particular known reason why some people experience these attacks and others do not.  There is also no reason why some sufferers seem to have only one or two attacks while others are plagued with them for a lifetime.

All that is known is that they are the body’s way of dealing with pressure.

What Are The Primary Anxiety Symptoms?

Anxiety attack symptoms vary from person to person.

Fear. The main symptom of an anxiety attack is fear.  It is the fuel that drives the panic attacks.  Once the attack is initiated, the symptoms of the attack cause more fear, which causes the symptoms to intensify.  The cycle repeats itself until the person spirals out of control.

Rapid Heart Beat. This is one of the most common anxiety attack symptom.  It can be found in most anxiety attacks, from the most mild to the most intense.  Because of the association with a heart attack, sufferers often clutch at their chest in fear, when in reality they are experiencing anxiety.

Shortness of Breath.  Because of its association with a heart attack, shortness of breath is another anxiety attack symptom that is experienced along side a rapid heart beat.

Lightheaded or Faint. This happens primarily in crowded area or in places where the sufferer is already hot.  Many sufferers have a phobia about being in a crowded area and fainting.  Often, this fear becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Fear of Losing Control. This fear manifests itself in response to the other symptoms that precede the attack such as a racing heart, and shortness of breath. It is a natural feeling for us to feel as if we are losing control of our own bodies.

Because many symptoms experienced during an anxiety attack are similar to those of other conditions, it is impossible to determine if you are having an anxiety attack or some other condition.  It is important to see a doctor, so that he can run tests to determine the cause of the symptoms.

Anxiety Attacks Are Unique To The Individual

Everybody is different and may experience varying symptoms based on what their fears may be.

Once they get help treating anxiety, many people live normal lives once they learn to control their attacks. In the end, by visiting a physician to talk about the anxiety attack symptoms that bother you, an anxiety therapy plan can be put in place to help you in effectively overcoming anxiety.  This makes it possible to ensure anxiety attacks do not have precedence over your life.

Related posts:

1. Panic Attacks? Anxiety Help Is Available
2. Anxiety treatment: What To Expect From Anxiety Therapy
3. Anxiety Medications: The Best Drugs For Anxiety Help