How To Find Effective Anxiety Disorder Treatments

Article by Sammy Kay

Anxiety disorders are suffered by more than forty million Americans. Examples of these disorders are panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorders. Many of these disorders are debilitating to the sufferers, interfering with both their personal and professional lives. Thankfully, there are many anxiety treatments out there.

If you think that you suffer from an anxiety disorder, the first person you should see is your family doctor. Tests are necessary to make sure that there isn’t another medical condition responsible for the symptoms. Once it’s determined that the symptoms are the result of an anxiety disorder, the next step is to seek out a mental health professional.

Anxiety treatment can include medications. While medications are not enough to cure anxiety disorders, they can help the sufferer deal with the symptoms. Antidepressants alter the chemistry of the brain. Most begin to work on some indicators of anxiety disorder immediately; however, it can take up to six weeks for the full effects to be felt.

SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are also antidepressants. They help brain cells communicate with each other by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is involved in the regulation of learning, sleep, and moods. They have been shown to be very effective in anxiety treatment. Beta-blockers, usually used to treat heart conditions, can also be prescribed for anxiety treatment. They can help prevent the physical conditions which accompany most anxiety disorders.

Medications are used to help control the signs of anxiety disorders while the patient receives psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps anxiety disorder sufferers change the way they think and how they react to anxiety-inducing situations. For example, a person with OCD who is anxious about germs and ritualistically washes his or her hands many times a day is taught to wait for longer periods of time in between such activities.

Those with other phobias or disorders learn how to face their fears through this anxiety treatment. The CBT therapist accompanies the anxiety disorder patient through role-playing to actual encounters. CBT therapists also teach relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.

CBT only works when the anxiety disorder sufferer is ready to undertake the challenge of facing his or her fears. It must be specific to their individual anxiety disorder. This anxiety treatment usually lasts about three months. It may incorporate group therapy.

Anxiety treatment is often more effective when it includes support groups. These groups may include resources from the internet or your local member of the clergy. These should not be a replacement for a certified therapist.

Exercise can be a great addition to anxiety treatments. It boosts the brain’s natural creation of serotonin. Meditation has also been found to enhance anxiety treatments, as it helps calm the physical symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Finally, family is a very important factor in anxiety treatment. Families should never trivialize the disorder of the sufferer. They can offer support but need to be careful not to enable the anxiety disorder patient.