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Treatments for anxiety disorder

Anxiety is a very common sensation; usually associated with panic, stress and uneasiness.  People handle anxiety differently.  Some people can fairly much overcome this feeling, while others experience difficulties adapting to it.  These people experience what is known as anxiety disorder or incapability to cope up with emotional tension or pressure from a stressful situation.

Contrary to most beliefs, anxiety disorders are actually a group of related conditions rather than a single disorder.  A succession of significant and related events constitutes the disorder, and different people have different manifestations to the ailment.  Regardless of diverse forms, all anxiety disorders have one common symptom: intense fear or worry.  However, it comes with several accompaniments, may it be emotional or physical. 

Some of the more common emotional symptoms of anxiety disorder includes: paranoia, irritability, restlessness and apprehension; while some of the more common physical symptoms includes: intense pulsation or palpitation, hyperventilation, fatigue and nausea or stomach cramps.

There are six major types of anxiety disorder: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder.

Most anxiety attacks do respond well when properly administered by either medication or psychotherapy.  These treatments may either be prescribed alone or in combination; however, these are not considered as remedies or cures, but rather, as a relief.

Before prescribing an appropriate treatment, the individuals experiencing an anxiety disorder must consult his situation first for proper diagnosis.

Psychotherapy involves overcoming the disorder by reprogramming thoughts and reactions made by the brain for anxiety stimuli.  The two most common and most successful variety of psychotherapy are:

• Behavioral therapy – the goal is to change the physical responses to specific scenarios.  By gradually exposing the individuals to their fears, they learn to control their responses and unwanted behaviors.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy – the goal is to change the thinking patterns in response to the disorder.  It aims to understand their pattern in thinking and differentiate realistic and unrealistic thoughts.

Medicines are also used to treat the disorder.  It is mostly used in conjunction with psychotherapy.  Some of the most common medications prescribed are antidepressants and anxiolytics (antianxiety medications).  They are used to alleviate severe symptoms.

In addition to the treatments mentioned above, several reliefs are also being explored as complementary therapies, most notably: relaxation.  Several relaxation techniques prepare the body to cope up with stress.  Simple practices such as breathing retraining and exercise can act as relief, especially in mild attacks.