10 Treating Anxiety-Related Projects To Stretch Your Creativity
Treating Anxiety
The treatment of anxiety usually involves psychotherapy, which may include psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people discover the negative thoughts patterns that lead to anxiety and troubling feelings.
The use of medication can help reduce physical symptoms of anxiety, including shaking and heartbeats that are rapid. Patients should work closely with their health care provider to find the right dosage and medication for their needs.
Medicines
Anxiety is the natural reaction to stress. It can keep us from sleeping, but there are treatments to help. Medication can help reduce anxiety symptoms and make life easier by addressing the underlying causes. Combining medication and therapy can have a bigger impact on mood and the quality of life.
Antidepressants reduce anxiety by increasing levels of chemicals that calm you down in your brain. The most popular kind of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which prevent nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin, and increase the amount available, making it easier to feel calmer. These include drugs like Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft. Other antidepressants which may also be used for anxiety are serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants.
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium work quickly to relieve anxiety symptoms. They do this by acting on brain receptors, which cause a calming affect. They are effective in treating anxiety, but they can become addictive if taken for more than four weeks. They also don't work well over time.
Other antianxiety medications such as buspirone, quetiapine and clonidine lower the level of stress hormone cortisol that is present in your body by blocking receptors within the brain. The most common side effect is drowsiness. Antidepressants and SSRIs can cause nausea, diarrhea, constipation and sexual dysfunction in a few individuals.
There are other antianxiety drugs like phenytoin and mellatonin are sedatives that reduce the activity of certain neurons in the brain, which can help reduce anxiety. Antihistamines are also used to treat anxiety, by reducing the itching that is caused by allergies and causing you to feel more relaxed.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, such as tetracycline and moclobemide, can also be used to reduce anxiety. These are usually used after other treatments have failed. Some doctors can prescribe off-label prescription medications that have shown to reduce anxiety in clinical trials, but are not licensed.
Psychotherapy
Talk therapy or psychotherapy with mental health professionals can ease anxiety disorders. This can be a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a licensed clinical social worker. The therapist may also offer assistance and encouragement in addition to addressing the underlying causes of anxiety. The presence of the therapist is also important for anxiety sufferers; it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and gives a sense security to the patient.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety. This approach teaches you specific techniques to manage your anxieties and gradually allow you to return to activities that you've avoided due to anxiety. This includes exposure therapy, in which you gradually encounter the object or situation that causes anxiety, in order to learn to accept it and overcome your fears.
Psychotherapy helps you understand the reasons you are anxious and how your mind can create fearful scenarios that don't exist. The therapist will also teach you on the anatomy of the body's natural "flight-or-fight" response and the reasons it is inappropriately triggered by things that are typically harmless.
The therapy is usually done in a series of sessions lasting one hour each. Patients are often given assignments to complete between sessions. It can take time to find the ideal therapy for you, and you might need to try several before you find one you are comfortable with.
Self-help techniques, like breathing exercises, relaxation exercises and meditation can be a useful adjunct to psychotherapy. You can lessen anxiety by ensuring you get enough rest, exercising regularly, and abstaining from caffeine and nicotine. Humor is a great stress reliever. Try to include more laughter into your life. If you are experiencing an extreme anxiety attack that is threatening your safety or the safety of others, seek out your doctor for an emergency treatment, usually with a benzodiazepine. This type of treatment is not often needed however it is extremely efficient. The use of medications is not a substitute for psychotherapy but can be helpful in certain cases.
Lifestyle changes
In addition to psychotherapy and medication There are a myriad of lifestyle changes that could assist people suffering from anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, avoiding tobacco or alcohol, getting enough sleep, and implementing relaxation techniques can all be helpful.
Regular exercise is a powerful method to lower stress levels and improve your mood. It has been proven that it can reduce anxiety symptoms and self-reported mood. It can be a challenge to find an exercise routine that is suitable for you, however even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial.
Regular, moderate graded exercise has also been shown to be effective in treating depression and has been associated with an increased the rate of remission for anxiety disorders. Although the mechanism behind it is unclear however, it is believed that exercise alters brain chemistry by modulating 5-HT neurotransmitters within the dorsal raphe nucleus, and decreasing the levels of the cortisol, a stress hormone.
The practice of acupuncture, massage therapy and other CAM treatments has been found to have some benefit in treating anxiety disorders. However, evidence is limited and often hampered by poor methodology. While there are a few studies that show potential, the majority of these therapies don't have the clinical evidence required for doctors to recommend them as a treatment alternative.
Moreover, the relationship between food and anxiety is a complex. In reality, certain foods can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. The highly palatable, fatty food can stimulate the production in the brain of reactive oxygen species that can aggravate or trigger anxiety symptoms. It has been shown that dietary improvement, especially the restriction of nicotine and alcohol can help reduce anxiety. However, further research that includes controlled prospective studies and assisted substance withdrawal programs, is needed.
Other dietary supplements such as omega-3 fish oil have been shown to be useful in decreasing anxiety. The reason is unclear however, research suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids could reduce production of inflammatory cytokines and enhance the effectiveness of antidepressants in lowering anxiety symptoms. Other changes in diet that could be beneficial for anxiety include increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables, including whole grains and avoiding processed food.
Herbal and dietary supplements
Clinical studies have only recently been conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of natural products that have been used in certain parts of the world for centuries to alleviate anxiety symptoms. treatment for generalized anxiety , a herb that comes from Indian medicine's Ayurvedic tradition, is especially effective in reducing stress and anxiety. The amino acid precursors l-tryptophan as well as L-lysine can also help reduce anxiety symptoms through influencing neurotransmitters that are involved in the stress response.
Many people who suffer from anxiety suffer from a wide variety of symptoms. The symptoms could range from a temporary sensation of anxiety or worry before menstrual or surgical procedures or menstrual flow, to more constant feelings of anxiety and unease that are associated with more severe anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as panic disorder (panic disorder) and social anxiety disorders. The symptoms of anxiety can be debilitating, and may include headaches, trembling and sweating, muscle tightness, and difficulties sleeping.
Talk therapy or psychotherapy is a proven treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a kind of psychotherapy which teaches patients to identify and respond to the thoughts and behaviors that trigger anxiety in a different manner. This approach, in combination with medication, can assist combat anxiety and reduce the symptoms associated with it, such as fatigue and depression.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring can also help reduce anxiety symptoms. These fatty acid, which can be found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, are known to improve heart health as well as improve the brain. Flaxseeds are also a great source of omega-3 fats.
It is important to keep in mind that herbal and dietary products are not regulated by the FDA the same way as pharmaceutical drugs. This means that there is a possibility that certain products could be contaminated or produce adverse side effects. If you're considering taking supplements or herbs to reduce anxiety, speak with your physician prior to beginning any regimen so that they can advise you on possible interactions with other medications you could be taking, and offer recommendations for dosages.