Anxiety Therapy Combines many Streams Of Thought

Everyone of us experiences anxiety at some point in time or other. This is normal and should not be confused with anxiety disorder, where the anxiety is extreme and heightened. All the typical signs of an anxiety appear in a person suffering from anxiety disorder – namely, palpitations, increased heart beat rate, dizziness, lightheadedness, faster breathing or more shallow breathing, numbness of toes and fingers, and so on. All or most of these symptoms appear when there is no real cause for anxiety. However, there is no point in rationalizing or reasoning out a person’s anxieties. Family members should not ask them to stop worrying, because the patient cannot. That is the disorder. Many people all over the world suffer from this disorder and there are sufficient treatments available to cure one of this disorder. There is no need to give up hope.

While normal anxiety helps motivate a person to function better, pathological anxiety de-motivates a person and reduces their chances of being productive.

In anxiety therapy there is a combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. So it is called cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT for short. This therapy requires the patient’s consent and co-operation. This involves a combination of meditation techniques applied from a psychologist’s point of view. Besides this, an anxiety treatment center will also use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). This involves getting the patient to accept certain facts and a commitment from the patient to react differently to them next time they come across them.

Apart from these therapies, most psychiatrists prescribe anti-depressants as well for some time. These medicines are then withdrawn gradually to prevent any occurrence of withdrawal symptoms.

As stress is the primary cause of the occurrence of anxiety disorders, it is essential to reduce stress levels in the patient. This is possible through a combination of various methods. Apart from the therapies mentioned above, most often family members are also counseled on how to deal with the patient and the situation. Additionally, the patient is asked to take regular exercise to reduce stress levels. The patient is taught deep breathing exercises that calm the patient. The patient can also take up activities such as yoga or Tai Chi. These too help reduce stress levels in the patient.

Another great tool that helps reduce stress levels is time management. The patient is taught time management techniques to help manage their time better. They are also taught how to say no politely but firmly to request for more of their time.

Patients are also encourages to take up and pursue their hobbies. Music especially is considered a great de-stressor. Spending time with loved ones – either family members or friends – can reduce stress levels as can keeping a pet. However, pet keeping should be encouraged only if the patient loves animals. Otherwise a pet can be stressful as well.

All these various methods of distressing can help a patient overcome anxiety disorder. The patient should be taken into full confidence about the course of the treatment and their consent should be obtained. This will ensure their compliance to the treatment regimen and help in speeding up the cure.

Sometimes the anxiety disorder can recur after an interval of time even after the patient has been completely cured. In such cases the patient has to undergo the treatment again.

Whatever one does one should not tell the patient to quit worrying – they would do so if they could. Also do not try to rationalize away the fears of the patient – this will only add to their stress and might contribute to another anxiety attack. Be patient and take the person suffering from the disorder to a competent psychiatrist or anxiety treatment center. This is the best thing that you can do for the patient. Also help the patient comply with the doctor’s regimen. This too will help the patient in the long term.

To sum up, apart from medication, there are therapies available to help treat anxiety disorders. The key to a complete cure is to help the patient de-stress. This is achieved through various ways such as meditation, exercise, and cognitive therapy. The patient is taught stress management and time management techniques to help them cope with life situations better and return to a productive life.