Treatment Options For Patients With Anxiety
There are two primary treatments for individuals with anxiety:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy , which involves learning how to lower anxiety and face distressing situations.
- Medication management with antidepressants, which works well on its own but even better when coupled with CBT.
During therapy, continue to show your support by:
- Asking your loved one what you can do to help them.
- Asking if you can attend a therapy session to learn some skills to better support them.
- Making time for your own life and interests to sustain your energy.
- Encouraging your loved one to try another therapist if the first one isnt a good fit.
How To Calm Anxiety: 8 Natural Ways
Occasional anxiety is a normal human experience. Mild anxiety can occur before interviewing for a new job. A higher level of anxiety can occur from barely avoiding a car crash. And an even higher level may come with the loss of a loved one. There are also those people who experience anxiety persistently. However, learning how to calm anxiety is essential for your quality of life. Its also important to know what causes anxiety to determine the best way to alleviate it.
Exposure Therapy And Anxiety Disorders
Exposure therapy is just one of several treatments for different anxiety disorders, and the therapy itself is used differently depending on the type and severity of the disorder.
But exposure therapy has been proven to be very effective at controlling anxiety. It’s based on well research psychological principles, and studies have shown that completed effectively, it is one of the best possible ways to stop anxious reactions to various thoughts and stimuli.
You May Like: Does Anxiety Make You Nauseous
What Is An Anxiety Disorder
An anxiety disorder is a type of mental health condition. If you have an anxiety disorder, you may respond to certain things and situations with fear and dread. You may also experience physical signs of anxiety, such as a pounding heart and sweating.
Its normal to have some anxiety. You may feel anxious or nervous if you have to tackle a problem at work, go to an interview, take a test or make an important decision. And anxiety can even be beneficial. For example, anxiety helps us notice dangerous situations and focuses our attention, so we stay safe.
But an anxiety disorder goes beyond the regular nervousness and slight fear you may feel from time to time. An anxiety disorder happens when:
- Anxiety interferes with your ability to function.
- You often overreact when something triggers your emotions.
- You cant control your responses to situations.
Anxiety disorders can make it difficult to get through the day. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for anxiety disorders.
How To Perform Exposure Therapy At Home
One of the reasons that exposure therapy is best left in the hands of experts is because psychologists are trained to talk you down if the anxiety gets too high, and are also there to make sure you can’t quit. That accountability is important – if the anxiety gets too strong and you stop the exposure before you’ve calmed down, you can actually make it more likely to experience anxiety in the future and make exposure therapy more difficult.
But it is possible to perform it at home. If you’re going to, consider the following:
With panic disorder, many of the symptoms are caused by hyperventilation. So some people find hyperventilating on purpose is as powerful way to keep that anxiety away.
If there’s any reason to be concerned that you may have a severe reaction to these exposures, do it in the presence of a doctor. Those with a heart condition, for example, may want to make sure a trained medical professional is running the show just in case anything goes wrong.
But in general, it is possible to perform exposure therapy yourself. If you truly believe you can handle exposure therapy, it is one of the most powerful ways to reduce anxiety.
Was this article helpful?
- No
Also Check: Does Tylenol Help With Anxiety
Forgive Yourself And Wait To Worry
Are you particularly critical of yourself and the blunders you make? Well, imagine if you had a friend who constantly pointed out everything that was wrong with you and your life. Youd probably want to get rid of them right away.
But people with anxiety often do this to themselves so frequently that they dont even realise it anymore. Theyre just not kind to themselves.
So perhaps its time to change and start forgiving ourselves for the mistakes we make. If you feel like youve embarrassed yourself in a situation, dont criticise yourself simply realise that you have this impulse to blame yourself, then drop the negative thought and redirect your attention back to the task at hand or whatever you were doing.
Another effective strategy is to wait to worry. If something went wrong and you feel compelled to worry , dont do this immediately. Instead, postpone your worry set aside 10 minutes each day during which you can worry about anything.
If you do this, youll find that you wont perceive the situation which triggered the initial anxiety to be as bothersome or worrisome when you come back to it later. And our thoughts actually decay very quickly if we dont feed them with energy.
How To Release Anxiety And Feel Peaceful Calm And Freebyandrei Corovei I Vow To Let Go Of All Worries And Anxiety In Order To Be Light And Free ~thich Nhat Hanh For A Long Time I Have Struggled With Episodes Of Anxiety At Times Ive Gotten A Feeling Of Crushing Fear That Occurs Even In Situations That Most People Consider To Be Safe The First Episodes I Remember Were From My Early Childhood When I Was So Frightened That I Used To Cry All The Way From Home To Kindergarten Because I Didnt Want To Go Although I Apparently Had No Reason As I Grew Up I Learned To Hide This Anxiety By Doing The Things I Was Good At During High School I Discovered That I Loved Computers And I Felt Confident And Safe As I Knew That I Could Achieve Something In This Field When It Was Time To Go To College I Decided To Study Computer Science I Wanted To Build Applications As Many As Possible But I Soon Discovered That School Was Not Like That Long Classes Of Mathematics And Physics Were Ahead Of Me Classes That Had Nothing To Do With My Dream During My Second Year My Anxiety Started To Strike Back I Was Feeling Exhausted And I Had A Feeling That Everything I Did Was Worthless After Some Months Of Living With The Fear I Decided To Do Something About It: I Took A Shot At One Of The Local Software Companies Although There Were A Lot Of Obstacles I Was Willing To Fight Them All As I Had The Feeling That I Was On The Right Track Again The Next Hop Was During My Fourth And Final Year When I Started To Feel That I Was Stuck In One Place The Tasks Id Been Given At Work Were Very Similar And I Started Feeling Bored But Behind This Feeling Of Boredom My Anxiety Grew Again Along With This Anxiety Came A Feeling Of Frustration Because I Thought I Wasnt Able To Change My Job When I Finally Decided To Go I Found Out That The Step Was Too Big For Me My Body Suffered Under The Huge Amount Of Stress That I Had Put On Myself Over The Years Although My Colleagues At My New Workplace Were Friendly I Couldnt Break The Feeling Of Fear I Quit After Three Weeks Deciding To Take A Long Break To Think About My Future What I Didnt Know At The Time Was That My Anxiety Would Come With Me Wherever I Went I Needed A Brand New Way Of Dealing With It So I Decided To Break It Once And For All By Developing A Healthier Mindset Here Are Some Of The Realizations And Choices That Helped Me Release My Anxiety Along With How I Put Them Into Practice Anxiety Can Have Many Different Causes But Perhaps Something From My Experience Will Be Helpful To You:
1. Remember that good enough is the new perfect.
Ive always tried to be the best in everything Ive done, and this has led to a huge amount of anger and stress. I decided that it was okay to let go from time to time. I didnt have to get nervous for every exam I didnt have to win all the time. It was okay just to play the game.
Doing this, I also managed to develop better friendships and relationships. I discovered that my I want to win everything attitude was placing everyone on an enemy position.
When you focus less on being the best, you release the pressure youve put on yourself.
2. Stop multitasking.
Although this may not seem to have anything to do with anxiety, its related. I used to do a lot of things at the same time: work, check my phone, answer emails, make small talk with somebody, and so on.
These interruptions made me lose track of where I was standing, and those times when you feel lost are a great place for anxiety to settle in.
Focus on one thing at a time and be mindful in that one activity and youll naturally feel less anxious.
3. Stop avoiding things that you dont like.
I was always afraid of going to crowded places, such as supermarkets and malls. Id tell myself, This time its okay not to go. Next time youll feel more confident.
Now, instead of avoiding things, I always say to myself when I am scared: This is the best time to face my fear! Bring it on!
4. Find a passion that calms you.
5. Focus on the things that you can control.
Read Also: Can Stress And Anxiety Cause Diabetes
The Physical Part Of Fear
To deal with the physical part of fear, get out of the story line. Simply allow your attention to be with the physical sensations.
You will find that underlying every fear are one or more physical sensations in the body. These physical sensations may include:
- a queasy stomach,
- shaking,
- or thirst.
Just by paying attention to those physical sensations without a story or a label allows the sensations to dissipate and eventually disappear. When that happens, the fear goes as well.
Sometimes the sensations dissipate quickly, sometimes slowly. Or it can go in waves. Eventually the sensations do go when we dont resist them or label them and simply allow them to be experienced.
Spend Time With Friends And Family
Social support from friends and family can help you get through stressful times.
Being part of a friend network gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you in tough times.
One study found that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called tend and befriend, and is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response .
Keep in mind that both men and women benefit from friendship.
Another study found that men and women with the fewest social connections were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety .
summary
Having strong social ties may help you get through stressful times and lower your risk of anxiety.
Its hard to feel anxious when youre laughing. Its good for your health, and there are a few ways it may help relieve stress:
- Relieving your stress response.
- Relieving tension by relaxing your muscles.
In the long term, laughter can also help improve your immune system and mood.
A study among people with cancer found that people in the laughter intervention group experienced more stress relief than those who were simply distracted (
Try watching a funny TV show or hanging out with friends who make you laugh.
summary
Find the humor in everyday life, spend time with funny friends or watch a comedy show to help relieve stress.
Not all stressors are within your control, but some are.
One way to do this may be to say no more often.
You May Like: Is Anxiety Considered A Disability
Practical Ways To Relievefear And Anxiety
I want to encourage you today. Despite everything going on in our world, it is possible to feel better. Negative emotions like fear and anxiety may be caused by actual events, stories from others or even our own imagination. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.
Today in a world of uncertainty, many of us are experiencing fear and anxiety like never before and everyone is at risk. Perhaps your life coaching or counseling clients are telling you of their own fear and anxiety. I want you to know there is help.
This article will explain actions you can take to reduce fear and anxiety. We will start with where these emotions begin and how they can escalate dangerously if not controlled by taking practical, positive actions.
I recently wrote an article for another of our academies on this topic and found the material so helpful, I decided to write on this topic for you as well.
Witnessing the fear and anxiety of others can affect you as well. A relatively recent discovery in neuroscience has revealed that we as humans have mirror neurons in our brains.
Has this happened to you: Youre at a gathering and a person yawns. Just as if on cue, you yawn also.
It works the same way when someone smiles at you. In a moment you instinctively are smiling back. Have you ever cried over a movie during a sad scene?
Your mirror neurons are responsible for your reactions. Mirror neurons help us accommodate social signals and become more social, empathetic and compassionate.
Don’t Figure Things Out By Yourself
Whatever problems you’re facing now, they will only amplify if you isolate yourself and think you can handle it all on your own. If that’s you, your first move is to reach out and seek community and support. Then go to battle to defeat your depression or anxiety with trusted loved ones at your side. When you can believe that you are not alone in this and have everything you need to go into battle–resources, support groups, counselors and coaches, fellow peers, family members, friends–your chances of recovery are much quicker.
Read Also: How Long Does It Take For Anxiety To Go Away
Tip : Learn To Calm Down Quickly
When youre afraid or anxious, you experience a variety of uncomfortable physical symptoms, such as a racing heart and a suffocating feeling. These physical sensations can be frightening themselvesand a large part of what makes your phobia so distressing. However, by learning how to calm yourself down quickly, you can become more confident in your ability to tolerate uncomfortable sensations and face your fears.
Perform a simple deep breathing exercise. When youre anxious, you tend to take quick, shallow breaths , which actually adds to the physical feelings of anxiety. By breathing deeply from the abdomen, you can reverse these physical sensations and feel less tense, less short of breath, and less anxious. Practice when youre feeling calm until youre familiar and comfortable with the exercise.