Types Of Anxiety Therapy

When anxiety gets severe enough to substantially limit one or more major life activities, it could be time to seek anxiety therapy. There are several types of anxiety therapy available. This is a survey of some of them.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a term that refers to various types of anxiety psychotherapy based on the principle that thoughts, rather than external factors, are the cause of anxiety. It achieves results faster than other types of therapy, as it runs for a finite period of time, unlike, for example, psychotherapy which can last indefinitely.

CBT seeks to alter problem behaviors and beliefs that can cause anxiety and other mood disorders. For example, arachnophobia might be caused by the mistaken belief that spiders are dangerous, so CBT might work to convince an arachnophobic patient that they are in no danger from a spider, though presumably without discouraging the patient from taking reasonable precautions against a genuinely dangerous spider, such as a black widow.

When applied to anxiety therapy, CBT seeks to relieve persistent panic attacks by addressing fears related to the factors that trigger the attacks, and to relax the patient. Examples of techniques used might be breathing exercises, rational statements about the triggers for panic attacks, and meditation.

The Role of Medications in Anxiety Therapy

In cases where panic attacks are severe, medications may be prescribed. These fall into several categories:-

Since anxiety disorders and clinical depression are usually linked, antidepressants have been found to be helpful in certain cases. When treating the depression associated with the anxiety disorder, the anxiety itself can be lessened.

Beta blockers are traditionally used to treat heart disorders and high blood pressure (hypertension). They can sometimes be useful in treating the physical symptoms of panic attacks, such as rapid heartbeat, sweating and trembling.

There are specialist anti-anxiety medicines too, developed specifically for the purposes of anxiety therapy. BuSpar is a recently developed medication used to treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It typically takes around two weeks to achieve its full effect, so it is used in chronic cases where it is needed daily. Benzodiazepines are used on an ad hoc basis where the patient suffers from occasional anxiety attacks. They provide rapid relief and have few side effects, but are only useful for short periods of time.

With all medications, consult your doctor to determine the right medication and dosage for your needs. Never stop taking your medications without first getting approval from your doctor to do so, even if you are feeling better, as symptoms may reoccur.