Stress is something that we all must deal with and some of us deal with it better than others. Unfortunately, there are some who feel the panic that is indicative of anxiety disorder with such ferocity that it causes a serious and detrimental issue in their lives. There are many avenues of anxiety relief and thankfully most panic sufferers respond well enough to treatments that their lives are manageable and they are able to function in a mostly normal manner.
Before one can seek treatment, he must first be diagnosed. Once there is an accurate diagnosis, the treatment plan can be devised to help combat his anxiety and stress. There are three types of anxiety relief: continual therapy, short term fixes that help to deal with his symptoms and lifelong changes that maintain our bodies in homeostasis.
The Long Haul
There are few anxiety medications in the market: Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. These are antidepressants that are classified under selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and their purpose is to inhibit neurotransmitters in the brain that absorb serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical that affects one’s mood. SSRIs help to relieve one of his anxieties. The effects of the drug kick in within one month of consumption.
When mixed with other medications, SSRIs do not cause any adverse side effects. They are also not addictive drugs in nature. However, a patient should be taken off this prescription slowly instead of cutting it off completely without allowing the brain to recondition itself. Patients can take SSRIs for up to a year or until depression is no longer a condition. However, some people will have to be put on the medication for their entire life.
Another effective technique that helps patients to deal with their anxiety issues and intense feelings is psychotherapy. This is achieved through rational thinking and behaviour modifications. These modifications need to be implemented for a lifetime and usually comprise of routines and exercises to help one deal with stressful situations.
Short term, or rescue relief, is confined to medications in the benzodiazepine class that are generally termed “tranquilizers” and are reserved as a stop gap measure when the sufferer feels that the current situation has the possibility of triggering an attack.
These medicines are commonly known as Xanax, Valium and Ativan and these are the few popular anxiety relief medication. The effects that they induce are instantaneous and within an hour of consumption, the patient will feel a calming effect. It should be noted that the medications are only administered when one encounters a highly stressful situation and should not be used to deal with the normal tensions of daily routines.
Relaxation Techniques
A common method used by victims of anxiety attacks to relieve anxiety is to divert his thoughts from the stressful situations onto something else. Try to think of a positive image or non-threatening situation that will help calm you down. Imagine you are somewhere else such as the beach or a quiet place. Zone out all the mental interferences in your head for five minutes. This relaxation technique has proven to be effective for most people dealing with stress.
Teas that are made with St John’s Wort or Chamomile leaves have been used as herbal remedies to help bring about a calm state of mind. Many other herbs are found to have the same effects as well. The best treatment plan is one that takes into account the various alternatives that help one get on his road to recovery.
Click here to learn how you can overcome your anxiety and panic attacks for good, starting today. You will soon discover that anxiety relief is just around the corner and waiting for you to embrace it.
