Top Anxiety Treatment Methods

Anxiety is a condition that affects many people every single day – including people you wouldn’t expect, like confident seeming celebrities or bossy managers. There are many methods you can try to treat your condition, but you must remember you are not alone and there are always people you can reach out to.

Medication:

One thing that can be used as treatment is medication – anxiety occurs in the brain, so a medication that targets certain parts of the brain can help to stop or ease your anxiety.

Benzodiazepines are the drugs that are most frequently prescribed to treat your condition. They are prescribed only for a short time as they can be addictive, but they help to relieve the anxiety. Common benzodiazepines include diazepam, alprazolam and valium.

Surprisingly to many, antidepressants are also commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety. This doesn’t mean your doctor thinks you have depression – antidepressants often target the same part of the brain that anxiety stems from, so they can help to ease the condition.

Self-Help:

Some doctors may recommend some self-help schemes before putting you straight on some medication. The resources that are provided are always specially developed by professionals in the health care field. They are made for you to be able to use yourself and can really help you manage your anxiety on your own – which is much healthier than using medication.

You can access self-help workbooks or computer software. The workbooks are often available at bookshops and organisation websites. You may be able to borrow self-help workbooks from your local library for free, but if none of these are suitable for you, your GP may be able to prescribe you some resources.

Therapy:

Your doctor may recommend that you consider therapy sessions. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a very effective treatment, which some say lasts longer than some medication; however the treatment depends purely on the individual. Cognitive behavioural therapy helps you to understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings and your problems. You may meet with a trained therapist for a one-hour session every week for a few months.

There is also another therapy-like method to help you manage your anxiety. This is called mindfulness and applied relaxation. This helps you to focus on your awareness, which can reduce the anxiety associated with certain situations. It also helps you to focus on relaxing your muscles when you have an anxiety attack. Usually, this technique is taught by a therapist who is trained in this field.

Natural Remedies:

Although most natural remedies haven’t been approved as effective by medical professionals, they won’t do you any harm and you may find they work.

Some methods include drinking chamomile or green tea. It is best to get organic teas and just relax while you’re drinking them. If effective, these teas will work best as an in-the-moment treatment, not as a long-term solution.

Another remedy that could work is exercise. Exercise is a commonly known releaser of endorphins, which make you feel good and may help to reduce feelings of both depression and anxiety, both short term and long term.