Anxiety Treatment
Posted: February 4, 2022
General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) = Excessively worrying about a variety of things on most days for at least 6+ months with no clear reason.
Below are 6 Treatment Options for GAD:
- Therapy – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the most effective therapy treatment for GA. However, many people with trauma experiences do not find CBT effective for anxiety. If there is trauma, somatic experiencing or EMDR is more effective for treating anxiety disorders. Proven to work effectively for both adults and children
- Medicine – Sometimes therapy is not enough and more severe forms of GAD need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist for medication. Medications for anxiety work by interacting with brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. A licensed doctor can recommend the best medication for you. Medications that are safe and often prescribed as a first choice for general anxiety disorder are a sertraline (such as Zoloft) or fluoxetine (such as Prozac).
- Self Help – Sometimes people do not have the means to get to a professional and self-help techniques are used, which entails educating one’s self about anxiety and learning something healthy coping mechanisms. This is only advised if anxiety is mild and intermittent. However, if one is diagnosed with GAD, self-help should most likely be done in conjunction with at least therapy.
- Spirituality – The intersection of psychology and spirituality is often considered taboo. Harvard research is proving that religion and spirituality is an instrumental factor in helping people deal with mental health issues, such as generalized anxiety disorderHarvard Psychiatry professor, David Rosmarin, researched and developed a program in 2017 that showed 80% of patients found religion useful in dealing with anxiety and 50% wanted it included with counseling. 90% found + results using spirituality, none reported negative effects.
- Exercise – Physical exertion and an active lifestyle can improve self-image and trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that stimulate positive emotions.Yoga, pilates, any exercise that gets you into to your body
- Mindfulness – Relaxation techniques: Certain measures can help reduce signs of anxiety, including deep-breathing exercises, long baths, meditation, and resting in the dark
What is best option for you?
Depending on the extent or type of anxiety you have, a professional can assist you in determining how one or a few of these treatment options can be used together to best treat you
If you believe you have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) please contact your doctor or a mental health person to determine the best treatment and next steps for you