Medications and Complementary Therapies to Treat Anxiety Everyone worries and feels fearful at times, but people with anxiety have a hard managing their reactions Psychotherapy can help, as does medications like beta blockers used for blood pressure and benzodiazepines Self-help strategies can help ease symptoms For example, exercise helps reduce stress and relax the body Medication If lifestyle changes or psychotherapy don't help with your anxiety, medication may be a viable alternative Anxiety medication helps to reduce fear signals and the body's fight or flight response Antidepressants are the most commonly used medication used to treat anxiety, are antidepressants They increase levels of certain neurotransmitters that influence mood SSRIs such as citalopram citalopram, escitalopram escitalopram and sertraline prozac and citalopram escitalopram are usually the first prescription medications prescribed The SNRIs include venlafaxine, duloxetine, as well as tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil imipramine, Elavil or Pamelor are also effective in treating anxiety The benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety They're quick-acting and can be helpful in the short-term However, they can be addictive The most common benzodiazepines are Valium diazepam, Xanax alprazolam, Klonopin clonazepam and Ativan lorazepam There are a variety of medications that can be used to treat anxiety however only licensed health professionals can prescribe these medications These providers can include psychiatrists, psychologists primary care physicians, and OB-GYNs Nurse practitioners, family practice physicians and psychiatric nurses may also prescribe certain medications, but they have to receive special training to do this Exercise and complementary therapies are utilized by some people to reduce anxiety There are also ways to relax and relieve stress like mindfulness meditation and deep breathing Biofeedback can be another beneficial technique, in which a therapist monitors your brain-wave patterns on an electroencephalograph and teaches you how to control them at will Lastly, natural supplements such as 5-HTP and melatonin may help to ease anxiety However, it is important to consult your physician prior to taking any supplements for anxiety or other reason Supplements can be taken in conjunction with a comprehensive therapy plan that incorporates lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and supplements Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT CBT is one of many psychotherapeutic methods for anxiety disorders that has been thoroughly studied and backed by evidence-based research It focuses on the maladaptive thoughts or behavior patterns that cause anxiety to persist While a variety of individual CBT protocols have been developed for various anxiety disorders, they all share the same treatment goals and techniques The first step in CBT is to identify the thoughts that are not working and cause anxiety During sessions, patients learn to recognize negative beliefs and confront them The therapist also helps patients recognize and modify behavior patterns that hinder them from doing so The therapist may ask patients to keep diaries or "thought records" outside of therapy sessions and to practice the strategies they've learned in their daily life The ultimate final goal is to help patients to become their own therapists by helping them understand their patterns of thinking and behaviour This will help them to overcome unfounded fears and anxieties, decrease their anxiety levels and other negative emotions and become more resilient CBT techniques include the identification and correction of mental distortions that affect the patient which include overgeneralizing catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or minimizing positive events The therapist can also help the patient develop strategies for coping to deal with anxiety-inducing situations These techniques can be applied to any type of anxiety disorders Often, they are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to mental health called "cognitive-behavioral therapy" The exposure therapy is a different aspect of CBT This involves exposure to the situation or object that causes them anxiety This can be done by imagining or confronting the situation or object in real life For instance, a patient with PTSD who is afraid of a particular area could be urged to go to the location in which they were assaulted A person suffering from social anxiety disorder, who is afraid of speaking in public, may be encouraged to make an address in front of an audience Certain studies have demonstrated that combining CBT and pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes However, the results aren't conclusive, and more research is needed Combining medications with CBT is generally more effective than either of them on its own Combinations of CBT and benzodiazepines have been shown to be particularly effective for those suffering from panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder Exposure therapy One of the most effective ways to treat anxiety is exposure therapy, which lets you confront things that make you anxious in a secure environment with a therapy The process may sound difficult but it will help you understand that your fears are unfounded and that you can tolerate the discomfort of your triggers It can also improve your confidence when it comes to navigating life's challenges There are several different types of exposure therapy, including virtual reality, imaginal, and systematic desensitization For example, if you're scared of speaking in public Your therapist may encourage you to imagine yourself speaking or to practice with an acquaintance Then, you can gradually face the scenario in real life with your therapist's support Your therapist will monitor your anxiety and panic levels during each session They will adjust the intensity of exposure if needed During the session, your therapist will teach you how to relax, manage your emotions, and then introduces you triggers that make you feel scared This can include techniques like mindfulness, breathing rhythms and guided imagery They also provide strategies to avoid engaging the behavior that causes anxiety, such avoidance of elevators Exposure therapy is typically conducted in a series of weekly sessions some individuals require more than one or two sessions to overcome their fears The first step is to identify the triggers that cause anxiety For instance, being on a plane or with strangers Your therapist can help you choose an exposure therapy method that fits your personality and needs This could include using an order of exposure to determine the order in which exposures are given or a series of relaxation exercises prior to starting In vivo therapy is the process of confronting the thing or event you are scared of This could be as simple as crossing a bridge or having someone else touch your arm This method is often employed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder and specific fears In vivo exposure therapy can be hard to fit into your schedule between appointments, which is why it is essential to find a therapist who is specialized in this type of cognitive therapy for behavioral You can find a certified specialist through your local psychology association or mental network You can also read reviews and ask family and friends for suggestions Complementary therapies Complementary therapies are a wide array of health treatments that aren't considered to be part of Western medicine They can reduce anxiety by teaching you relaxation techniques and promoting healthy lifestyle choices These treatments include acupuncture, herbal medicines yoga, meditation, music therapy, and massage They can also help relieve symptoms of depression by lowering levels of stress hormones in your body A recent study has found that mindfulness-based meditation programs were associated with moderate improvement in anxiety-related symptoms This method uses a variety of techniques of meditation to improve mindfulness or the ability of focusing on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and feelings This kind of meditation is suitable for everyone and doesn't require any special equipment or training People who have physical limitations may not be able participate in meditative practice that involves movement Other treatments that can help ease anxiety include breathing exercises as well as progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis, and self-hypnosis These techniques can help you manage your anxiety by focus on relaxing muscles breathing, calming breath and visual imagery They can be used at home or in a therapy setting They are usually employed in conjunction with other types of therapy, like exposure therapy and cognitive behavior therapy Another way to relieve anxiety is to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet Regular exercise can decrease your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels which are hormones that contribute to anxiety A healthy diet can help you feel more energized and, in turn, decrease your feelings of anxiety Cognitive behavior therapy is among the most effective anxiety treatments https//wwwiampsychiatrycom/anxiety-treatment helps you recognize and overcome negative thoughts that can cause anxiety Your therapist will instruct you to evaluate your fears and determine the probability that they'll actually happen You can employ strategies like looking at your fears in relation to previous experiences, considering the pros and cons of an event, and determining whether or not it's realistic to be worried about what could happen Acupuncture is an old Chinese method that can be used to treat anxiety It is based on an evaluation of the deficiencies and excesses in your energy, referred to as Qi, that is found in specific meridians A deficiency of the spleen or kidney meridian can trigger anxiety Certain studies suggest that acupuncture can reduce anxiety symptoms when combined with psychotherapy and other CAM techniques