Your Therapy Options for Anxiety

Therapy and anxiety treatments are very important for anyone who has an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, these therapies are readily available through the use of trained professional mental health care practitioners. The therapy and treatment plan created by your health care provider becomes the vehicle by which the person with anxiety can manage their disorder and, in some cases, be completely free from any and all symptoms.

Several forms of therapy are used in treating anxiety disorders. Different anxiety disorders respond to different forms of therapy but the vast majority of disorders respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy. The main exception is post-traumatic stress disorder which often requires psychotherapy in additional to other therapies.

Cognitive therapy addresses the thinking and belief processes of the person with the anxiety disorder. The professionals teach the person battling anxiety new ways of looking at a problem, situation or object differently as well as new ways of thinking which have proven to be effective when dealing with anxiety disorder. By conditioning the mind to respond differently than in past encounters with the cause of the anxiety, the cognitive mind can be reconditioned to avoid the harmful, anxious thought patterns of the past.

In cognitive behavioral therapy, techniques used include teaching the person with an anxiety disorder to slow down by walking more slowly, talking more slowly, moving more slowly, thinking more slowly, and avoiding stressors by not over-packing their schedules and life. Techniques for thinking positively and avoiding negative self-talk are learned so that the anxiety brought on by worst case thinking is avoided. Rational thoughts about the object of anxiety are learned and the person is taught that the anxiety can only continue if they continue to fuel the fire in their own mind. By becoming more focused and determined, most anxiety disorders can be overcome, or at least managed effectively, through therapy. Later in cognitive therapy, issues such as perfectionism, setbacks, world view, frustration and anger are addressed.

The purely behavioral part of therapy is about what the person with an anxiety disorder does in every day situations. This can be done in conjunction with the cognitive and cognitive-behavioral therapy or done after the cognitive therapy. The cognitive therapy provides a foundation upon which the behavioral therapy can grow and flourish. Behavioral therapy is especially essential for those with social anxiety disorder but other types of anxiety disorder can benefit from this form of therapy as well.

Emotional therapy is also usually included in the treatment plan for anyone dealing with an anxiety disorder. This involves relaxation, peace and strength strategies and learning to view stressors differently to maintain serenity. Often, the onset of anxiety episodes is a direct result of a stressful event or a build up of chronic stress over time. Learning to let the stress flow out of the body and mind and allowing the body and mind to become calm and relaxed are keys to overcoming many anxiety disorders. During emotional therapy the person with an anxiety disorder may learn relaxation techniques, meditation, guided visualization and other calming techniques to help avoid stress causing anxiety to become overwhelming.

Exposure therapy is frequently used when dealing with phobias, which are a type of anxiety disorder where a person has an unreasonable fear of a specific object, activity or situation. In exposure therapy, using a slow, step-by-step process, the patient is gently exposed to the source of their fear. They are shown that there is no valid reason to fear and over time, their fear is reduced or goes away completely. A common example of exposure therapy is fear of any specific type of insect. At first line drawing images are shown to the patient until that no longer results in a panic attack. Then the images become more realistic, each time allowing the patient to become fully comfortable and fear-free before moving on to the next step, until the patient reaches a point they can actually face a real insect of that species without panicking. This has proven extremely effects when used in combination with relaxation techniques to help people with anxiety about specific objects, activities or situations to overcome their fears.

For the best therapy and anxiety treatment, a professional will determine the exact anxiety disorder bothering the patient and the severity of the disorder. After learning about the client, the mental health care professional will develop a treatment or therapy plan and share this plan with the client. Therapy goals will be established through this plan and therapy will begin. Often, therapy sessions of once or even twice per week are best, but each case may be different and the therapist will establish in the plan how often therapy is required.

People who have had therapy and anxiety has been significantly reduced or completely overcome are proof that these methods work very well. Many people with generalized anxiety disorder become symptom free. Frequently, people with social anxiety disorder may become almost symptom free and those with other disorders can effectively manage their disorder to the point that no one around them realizes they have experienced debilitating anxiety in the past.

If you or a loved one has exhibited any symptoms of anxiety on a frequent basis or that are so severe that the anxiety has impacted the ability to function normally, help is available. Counseling, therapy and anxiety treatments can alleviate the symptoms and make life much better for the person with anxiety and those that love them.