Treatments for Anxiety Disorder
Sunday, February 27th, 2011If you are a sufferer of GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder you may be in need of specific and targeted treatments. If you are an anxiety sufferer who is experiencing increased levels of anxiety and even panic attacks, then you should get medical assistance.
First, it should be recognized that this disorder, generated by a spiraling of normal tension and anxiety levels into dangerous levels, including panic attacks, may be caused by depression within an already tense life. Actually, most anxiety sufferers also typically suffer from Depression. Which came first is a matter of valid but insignificant importance. The only exception here is when one of these conditions is present alone and at an extreme level, leading to the other, this may be of importance in later treatment levels.
Treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder typically fall into two categories – physical and psycho-emotional – but are normally combined in an all-inclusive attack of both the physical and emotional effects of this condition. Your doctor will normally begin – except in extreme cases – with lower than average prescriptions of tranquilizers (like Ativan, Librium, or Valium) and antidepressants (like Prozac or Zoloft). In addition to medication your physician will typically review and radically alter your lifestyle to remove any and all contributing factors including changes in sleep, exercise, diet, while introducing positive factors as well. These will typically reduce the incidence of an anxiety attack as well.
When you your immediate physical symptoms begin to show early reduction from medication and lifestyle changes, you will typically be referred to a psychiatrist for the emotional healing. Delaying the start of the emotional element of treatment is to allow the antidepressants to begin to take effect. This is also the reason that medical doctors are now the early prescribers of antidepressants rather than psychiatrists although both prescribe them. You should also expect your doctors to communicate and agree on a cohesive and integrated treatment of your condition.
The mental/emotional healing treatments are typically focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This therapy is aimed at helping the patient alter how they think and what their patterns of thought and assumed fact are regarding the sources of anxiety and/or depression in their lives. This is not a quick cure and often fails in the unwilling or unmotivated patient.
Finally, traditional healing arts of the mind and emotions are often recommended, like relaxation therapy, yoga, and meditation. Again, these are not solutions but compliment the drug and behavioral therapy into a combined regimen.