Generalized Anxiety Treatment If you suffer from GAD you experience uncontrollable anxiety and anxiety about every day things and situations Your worries can turn into extreme and absurd, even though you know that there is no reason to feel this way Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy can ease the symptoms of GAD The most efficient treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy CBT Other types of psychotherapy have been shown to be beneficial in treating anxiety Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychological technique that helps you to change your negative feelings and thoughts It also teaches you how to become your own therapist and how to confront the faulty thinking and behavior It is a short-term treatment that can be used on its own or in conjunction with other forms of psychotherapy It is based on the notion that emotions, thoughts and physical sensations all are connected Your therapist will help you identify and modify negative thoughts that could cause anxiety and other symptoms CBT is a proactive treatment that blends an approach based on goals with individual training, homework and practice Your therapist may request you to fill in questionnaires and forms in order to describe your condition or pinpoint distressing symptoms You will also be given printed materials from your therapist in order to help you understand the issue you are experiencing and how to treat it The first step in CBT is identifying the thoughts that trigger your negative emotions and learning to interrupt them Your therapist may suggest a mindfulness meditation exercise to help you focus on your current situation and reduce your worrying This technique is especially helpful for those who are prone to worry about loss and tend to anticipate the most devastating CBT also focuses on avoiding maladaptive behavior and using evidence-based methods to fight it For instance, if suffer from GAD Your therapist might suggest keeping a daily data log to identify distorted core beliefs They could then be replaced with more adaptive assumptions Additionally your therapist might employ exposure therapy to help you to face your fears Through this process, you'll be exposed to items or situations that make you anxious, beginning with ones that are not as threatening Then you'll gradually increase your exposure to more challenging situations until your anxiety doesn't rise as high Medication It's normal for us all to experience anxiety every now and then When anxiety becomes extreme and causes problems with daily activities, it's the right time to seek professional help If you or someone you love suffers from generalized anxiety disorder GAD Treatment options include medication and psychotherapy In general, these two treatments should be paired for the best results Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy, involves working with a mental health professional to recognize and alter negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that are contributing to anxiety Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT, the most studied form of psychotherapy, is the most effective for GAD It helps you change your negative thinking patterns, and develop new skills for managing your anxiety It is a short-term treatment, but it can be long-lasting in its effects The medications for GAD decrease the levels of certain brain chemicals which cause anxiety and worry Your doctor will decide which medication is best for you SSRIs and SNRIs are two kinds of antidepressants used to treat GAD SSRIs are commonly prescribed to treat this condition Examples include escitalopram duloxetine, and venlafaxine Antidepressants can cause side effects like dizziness and fatigue, so you might have to test a few different medications before you can find the one that is right for you Your doctor may prescribe benzodiazepines for your anxiety These drugs are quick-acting, but can be addictive if used for a long period of time These drugs are usually prescribed only when other drugs don't work or cannot be well tolerated The adverse effects of benzodiazepines include dizziness, drowsiness and nausea Psychotherapy Although anxiety and worry are a normal part of life, they can become overwhelming if they persist and cause significant problems in your daily life or relationships If you or someone you know is suffering from GAD, talk to your GP or mental health care providers about getting help They can offer treatments that can help improve your symptoms and live the life you want to live Therapy or medication can be used in treatment The most effective treatment for GAD is psychotherapy, also known as psychotherapy or talk therapy It involves working with a counselor to develop coping strategies and discover ways to manage your anxiety The goal is to bring your life back and do things you used to before anxiety began to take over https//wwwiampsychiatrycom/anxiety-treatment can take several months to see a significant improvement in your symptoms Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to treat GAD They can be found in the selective serotonin inhibitor SSRI or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor SNRI classes Examples of these include escitalopram Lexapro, duloxetine Cymbalta, Venlafaxine Effexor XR and paroxetine Paxil, Pexeva These are the first-line treatment options for GAD Doctors can prescribe buspirone or hydroxyzine to help with anxiety These medications aren't studied extensively, so doctors will only prescribe them if SSRIs don't work or are not tolerated Some people make use of herbal sedatives like lavender and valerian to ease anxiety These products aren't well researched, therefore they're not recommended unless other drugs have failed Some people find that combining psychotherapy with medication improves the results In these situations, it isn't required to stop taking the medications once your symptoms are under control Mindfulness meditation There are people who feel anxious for reasons that are legitimate but the majority of people do not However, for those suffering from generalized anxiety disorder GAD the anxiety levels are always present It can be difficult to complete daily tasks at school or at work, and to interact with family and friends GAD is a chronic disorder however, psychotherapy and medication can be helpful One option for treatment is mindfulness meditation Participants in a mindfulness course learn to be aware and observe their thoughts and emotions, and bodily sensations, without judging them It is a method that can reduce anxiety and stress Cognitive behavioral therapy is a different method that focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and retraining them It helps you relax and helps you change behaviors that contribute to anxiety CBT is a method of treating generalized anxiety that's often coupled with psychotherapy In a psychotherapy session, counselors can discuss your family history and personal experiences They can utilize this information to find the most effective generalized anxiety treatment for you Certain people suffering from anxiety disorders manage their symptoms by themselves, by using self-help methods or relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation or Autogenic Training But, these techniques are not well studied in research studies Certain types of meditation may aid in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder For instance, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR involves training patients to notice their negative, irrational thoughts and to redirect them It also teaches patients to pay attention to physical sensations that soothe the nervous systems MBSR has been proven to be effective in treating GAD by some research The benefits of MBSR treatment appear to diminish over time Another type of meditation that may relieve anxiety is hypnosis In a series of sessions, a practitioner watches your brain-wave patterns on an electroencephalograph and guides you to achieve a more relaxed state at will Exercise Everyone is anxious and nervous from time to time particularly when faced with stressful situations such as a medical exam or a job interview If these feelings continue to linger and interfere with your daily life, it may be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder There are a number of treatment options to aid you in managing your symptoms People with GAD have a tendency to be constantly worrying about a range of things, such as future events and family or work issues These anxieties are difficult to manage and cause anxiety, which can affect sleep and other aspects of everyday life GAD often begins in childhood or adolescence, and it can last for a number of years GAD is a very common mental disorder that affects up to 5 of the population The first signs of the disorder can be at any age, however it is most likely to develop after a period of high stress It can run in families Regular exercise has been found to decrease depression and anxiety In fact, some research shows that aerobic exercise is as effective as antidepressant medication in treating both Physical activity can help regulate blood pressure, increase endorphins and reduce stress in the body It is a good habit to exercise regularly and set realistic goals to reach them Try to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days and try to get 150 minutes of exercise per week in total Meditation and mindfulness can reduce anxiety levels, and improve your sleep patterns