Effective Anxiety Disorder Treatments

It is well known that anxiety disorders can interfere with a sufferer’s ability to get and hold a job, study, and take part in numerous other activities. Fortunately, it is possible to get treated for anxiety disorders so that they are a thing of the past.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are categorized as belonging to one of six groups. The six groups that have been established by the medical community are:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

2. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

4. Panic Disorder (including agoraphobia)

5. Phobias

6. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Any one of these disorders can affect a person to the point where they are crippled and unable to participate in life. They can cause a person to miss opportunities related to employment and can drive wedges between the sufferer and his or her relationships. Some of the treatments that are available include attention training, exposure therapy, and other coping methods to aid in the management of the symptoms. It is possible to teach yourself the techniques through books or videos, or you can speak with a person trained to teach them to you.

Coping Techniques

There are many techniques that can help you cope with anxiety. These include:

1. Educating yourself about anxiety

2. Learning how to relax

3. Breathing exercises

4. Cognitive therapy

5. Behavior therapy

6. Talking about the disorder with a trained professional

7. Altering the way you eat

8. Working out

9. Assertiveness training

10. Confidence building

11. Learning how to problem solve

12. Prescription drugs

Educating Yourself About Anxiety

The more you know about anxiety, the more power you have to control it. Learning why your body responds to certain situation is the first step toward retraining it to respond in a new way. Education equals control.

Learning How to Relax

Anyone who has anxiety for any significant amount of time does not know how to relax very well. Learning how to relax can ease anxiety. Some relaxation methods are:

1. Progressive muscle relaxation

2. Prescription drugs

3. Breathing from the diaphragm

4. Isometric relaxation moves

Breathing Exercises

One of the main causes of the physical symptoms related to anxiety is hyperventilation. This condition increases the amount of oxygen in the body and lowers how much carbon dioxide is in the bloodstream. Carbon dioxide is important because it helps monitor the body’s response to panic. People who suffer from anxiety need to know that the best way to breathe is from the diaphragm, instead of the chest. This will keep hyperventilation from occurring. To ensure that you are using your diaphragm, be sure to allow your stomach to expand when you breathe in.

To ensure that your breaths are as effective as they can be, put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. When you are breathing properly, you will feel your stomach move instead of your chest. You should also slow your breathing down when you start to feel anxious. Another move is to hold your breath for several seconds to allow the amount of carbon dioxide build up in your blood.

Cognitive Therapy

This kind of therapy concentrates on altering an anxiety sufferer’s thought patterns and beliefs that could be causing the anxiety.

The essential component of cognitive therapy is that beliefs breed thoughts and thoughts lead to behaviors. So, if you think you have to be accepted by everyone to have self-esteem and someone does not say hi to you, it could trigger a negative thought that will cause anxiety.

Cognitive therapy consists of positive self-talk, attention training, reality testing, cognitive restructuring, and cognitive challenging.

Behavior Therapy

Exposure is the main aspect of behavior therapy. This entails purposely coming into contact with your fears so you can get used to them. This therapy retrains anxiety sufferers to see that what they thought was scary is not.

Some of the components of exposure therapy might be:

1. Listing your fears from your worst fear to your least fear

2. Pick one of your least fears to confront first

3. Consider your fear. Think about a time when you were experiencing that fear. Think about what about that situation scares you.

4. Make a plan to overcome the fear.

5. Stay with the plan even if you want to leave. Practice anxiety relief exercises during the process.

6. Realize that you are still fine after the situation is over.

7. Continue to expose yourself in this way to establish confidence.

8. Choose another fear to confront when the time is right.

Altering the Way You Eat

There are certain minerals and foods that can help your body build natural defenses to anxiety. For instance, magnesium is necessary for muscles relaxation and if the levels of magnesium are too low, it can lead to insomnia, depression, and anxiety. A lack of vitamin B and calcium can also make anxiety worse. You should eat plenty of leafy green veggies, whole grains, and low fat dairy foods. You should avoid stimulant drugs, nicotine, and caffeine because they tell your adrenal glands to produce and release adrenaline. Adrenaline is a major stress chemical. You should also eat very little artificial additives and salt.

Working Out

When you work out, your body uses up the stress chemicals that produce the physical symptoms of anxiety so you will better be able to relax. You should work out a minimum of three times each week and do different activities often so you do not get bored.

Assertiveness Training

You must learn how to make your needs, feelings, opinions, wants, and beliefs known to other people in a way that validates you, but does not hurt anyone else, at least on purpose. People who suffer from anxiety often do not have the confidence to be assertive because they do not think they are worth the effort. But, not speaking up only reduces self-assurance and affirms anxiety.

Confidence Building

If you have anxiety, you probably also have a low amount of self-assurance. This only makes the condition worse. It allows you to avoid asking for what you need and you will continue to think you do not deserve it. In addition, low self-esteem contributes to your feelings of guilt or same, your depression, your isolation, and any problems you might have at work, school, or other social interactions.

Learning How to Problem Solve

Frequently, people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from excessive worry. They are constantly concerned about an issue, but they don’t do anything about it. Learning how to take action can lessen the worry, and thus, reduce the amount of anxiety as well.

Prescription Drugs

You should view all prescription drugs as a short-term solution instead of something you will need for the rest of your life to manage anxiety. Studies have proven that counseling and therapy is more effective than using medications to lower anxiety. You might be given a prescription to use until your other treatments start working.

Where to Turn

You can speak to a physician, a psychologist, a counselor, various help lines, and your local community health clinic to get help for your anxiety.

Keep in Mind

Anxiety disorders can get in the way of your life. You can, however, overcome it if you get the proper help.