How to Treat Anxiety?

Anxiety treatment is available in a variety of forms. One common treatment option is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people to cope with anxiety when it occurs.

There are also certain medications, like Benzodiazepines and Beta-blockers that work to balance brain chemistry and prevent anxiety symptoms.

If you’re looking to go a more natural route, there are several little and big ways to combat anxiety. Following are some strategies that you can use to help with symptoms of anxiety. These methods can’t replace professional help, but yes can help you with a sense of calm when you need it:

Eating healthy meals: The foods we eat have a huge impact on our physical as well as emotional wellbeing, as it works as fuel for our bodies. Get a consultation from some nutrition experts to learn about how you can use food to improve your mental health.

Avoiding alcohol, drugs, and caffeine: Each of these can have negative effects on your health, so it might be worth giving them up. Although caffeine may not seem bad, it can make someone with anxiety feel nervous.

Breathing and mindfulness exercises: There are varieties of techniques you can use to calm yourself down, and you can also go for numerous mindfulness courses that will teach you some of the best methods.

Distracting yourself with friends, families, and hobbies: Sometimes being around people who love you or spending time on hobbies distract you from feelings of negativity.

Using self-care strategies: Some famous strategies include running a bath, lighting candles, listening to calming music, and meditating.

Exercising:  We all are aware of the benefits of regular exercising and in case of anxiety it helps you by releasing endorphins and reducing tension.

Going to bed early: Sleep is a highly essential factor in maintaining mental health, and you can improve your sleep by implying some sleep deprivation habits, solutions, and strategies.

Taking an online anxiety course: If you want to understand anxiety on a deeper level, there are some great anxiety courses for you to try.

Apart from this, there are several anxiety treatment options, and many people receive them every day. The main two types of anxiety treatment include therapy and medication.

Therapy for anxiety

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a type of talking therapy often used to treat depression and anxiety and is one of the most successful treatments. It aims to change your thoughts and behaviors by identifying and disrupting negative thinking patterns.

 Applied Relaxation Therapy: This is a good way to treat physical symptoms of anxiety and can be especially effective for panic disorder. It involves recognizing potentially panic-creating situations and learning to use muscle relaxation techniques to make your body calm down.

Medications for anxiety

Medications can’t cure an anxiety disorder, but they can help you in managing the symptoms and function better. Medications for anxiety disorders often include:

Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers): These medications are normally prescribed for short-term use only. Some popular examples of benzodiazepines include Xanax and Valium. These drugs offer you quick relief from anxiety symptoms but are very addictive. They help shut down the nervous system, which can alleviate anxiety, but they do tend to have some negative side effects like feeling foggy and sleepy.

Antidepressants: Antidepressants are a suitable choice for long-term use as the risk of dependency and abuse is comparatively lower than benzodiazepines. But, these medicines are not a quick solution, as they can take 6-8 weeks to show effects. They also have negative side effects, which can be very devastating for some people. Popular examples of this medicine category include Prozac and Paxil.

Beta-blockers: These medicines are mild tranquilizers that don’t kick in as quickly as benzodiazepines, and also don’t impair memory and coordination in the same way. They take about two weeks to show effects and don’t have the same sedating effect as Xanax. Buspirone, also known by the brand name BuSpar, is one of the popular beta-blocker drugs that relieve anxiety by increasing serotonin and decreasing dopamine in the brain.

Conclusion

An anxiety disorder can make it difficult for you to go easily through your daily routine in life. But you don’t need to make it a habit. Several effective anxiety disorder treatments are available. Talk to your healthcare expert to find out the best treatment plan. Often, the treatment combines anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, together with CBT, to help you feel your best.