Treatment of Anxiety Disorder
A combination of medicine and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) works best for patients with anxiety disorder.
Medications that may be used include -
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the choice of drugs for treating anxiety disorders.
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can also be used.
- Antidepressants and some anti-seizure drugs can be used in severe cases.
- Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam, clonazepam and lorazepam may be used for short-term if antidepressants do not help enough with symptoms. Long-term use can lead to dependence.
- A medicine called buspirone may also be used.
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Cognitive-behavioral therapy -
It helps the patient understand his behavior and how to gain control over it. During the therapy a trained mental health professional helps the patient with -
- Understanding and gaining control of his distorted views of life stressors, such as other people's behavior or life events.
- Recognizing and replacing panic-causing thoughts.
- Decreasing the sense of helplessness.
- Managing stress and relaxing when symptoms occur.
- Avoid thinking that minor worries will develop into severe problems.
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Progressive relaxation therapy -
- Tensing and relaxing individual muscle groups
- Deep breathing exercises
Dietary and lifestyle changes -
- Avoid caffeine and illicit drugs.
- Exercise, rest and good nutrition can help reduce the impact of anxiety.
