Anxiety Treatment & Information

As a psychologist and counselor practicing in the Cary-Algonquin-Crystal Lake area of Illinois, I find that there are 21 essentials you can expect in your treatment for anxiety here. But first, what are the symptoms of anxiety?

• Excessive worry that is disproportionate to the situation
• Muscle tension, restlessness or shakiness
• Palpitations, butterflies, or nervousness
• Being on edge, concentration problems or insomnia

If you have these symptoms you should seek counseling or psychotherapy. But if you begin treatment, what will your counselor do- how does therapy work?

1. Your therapist will ask you to explore your thought processes-the way you think. In many cases the type of thoughts you have cause your anxiety. Fearful, dreadful, pessimistic thoughts are, what I call, anxiogenic. That is they lead to anxiety.

2. You will be asked to identify major life conflicts, past and present, to determine how they may be affecting your anxiety. Often history still lingers in your present.

3. Your therapist may train you in various relaxation techniques to subdue the butterflies or worries. One such technique is the therapist guiding your imagination to condition more pleasant relaxed feelings to the anxiety-provoking stimuli.

4. The therapist may train you on how to sculpt your anxiety-provoking thinking patterns so your thoughts are not so pessimistic, scary or catastrophic.

5. You may be asked to identify a list of negative consequences resulting from your your anxious thinking processes which interfere in your life.

6. The possible benefits of herbs or medications might be explored to assess whether or not one or more might be helpful in making your life more comfortable.

7. You might be asked to consider that your anxiety has its own subconscious sales pitch which tricks you into believing that it is necessary and helpful. Some of these sales pitches convince the patient that without the active worrying, his life will be ambushed by a terrible event or catastrophe that will be unmanageable.

8. Once the sales pitch has been figured out your therapist will teach you how to dispute it so that your mind believes your disputation rather than the deceptive pitch of your anxiety.

9. Your therapist may hypnotize you so that your subconscious mind learns that you do not have to worry to protect yourself. When your subconscious believes it, so will your everyday conscious mind and the anxiety will disappear

10. The therapist may prescribe that you read and study some pamphlets or articles about anxiety and ask that you select relevant concepts to discuss with him in the session.

11. Your therapist will likely help you to develop an awareness of your relapse triggers and constructive ways to manage them.

12. You may be required to verbalize how your current living situation contributes to your anxieties and may act as a hindrance to your recovery.

13. If your living situation is seen as aggravating your anxiety, other interventions, such as marriage or family counseling, may be introduced to deal with it.

14. Your therapist will assist you in developing insight into the personal or career changes that may be needed in order to prevent a relapse of serious anxiety.

15. You may be encouraged to increase your awareness of how your upbringing may have affected you psychologically. Remember that often a traumatic past may linger or even lurk in your present.

16. Your therapist will likely support and encourage you when you begin to express relevant fear, rage and rejection relating to any abuse or neglect that you may have experienced.

17. In helping you to manage a traumatic past, your therapist may help you identify the role you played in your family,the feelings associated with it and its impact on the present.

18. The therapist may help you to identify self-defeating patterns relevant to your anxiety that exist in your present family or career situation and suggest ways of modifying them.

19. The therapist may prescribe psychological testing to expose any factors that may be neglected in isolating the causes of your anxiety.

20. You will be helped to identify sources of ongoing support and reassurance to effectively curtail and manage your anxiety.

21. If you are taking any related medications, their clinical and side effects will be monitored to be sure that they are contributing efficiently to a therapeutic outcome and not hampering it in any way.

It is a sad truth that many people these days suffer from anxiety. It’s not really certain why people are suffering from this condition but they are and you may be one of them. Often people who suffer from this do not look for anxiety treatments straight away to help them because they do not know that this is their problem. Often they can go through this for a long period and then they go to the doctors and find out they are actually having anxiety attacks.

Once they have been diagnosed with this the doctor will look for anxiety treatments that will suit them personally. Sadly this is most likely in the form of anti depressants. For many people this is a perfect solution. But for many others it is not the best solution. For one thing these anti depressants are drugs and not all people like to and can cope with this form of help.

If your doctor is good at his or her job he or she will look deeply into your life and try to help you work out what may be triggering these onsets. They then should consult with you with what may help you cope appropriately. If drugs will not suit you for whatever reason then look for other alternatives. Some of these may include meditation to help you relax when you feel an attack coming on. This is a very natural relaxing way of keeping yourself calm and controlling your breathing.

Obviously you may not always be in a position to go and meditate whenever you feel the need to but learning this art will help you in the long run to keep a healthy body and mind. It’s worth a try. Many people also choose to use alternative medicines instead of the usual prescribed drugs. Learning the signs of when an attack is coming on is also very helpful as you then can put some of these things into practice before it gets out of hand.

The old breathe into a paper bag trick can of course still be useful when you are finding you cannot breathe. Anything that works at the time is always helpful. But really you need to find out why this is happening and try to relieve some of the stresses in your life. This may lower the need for ongoing medication.

Remember that there are many anxiety treatments available out there and you need to find the best one to suit you. But also remember as I said before maybe your symptoms can be lowered if not cured if you change your lifestyle by living in a less stressful environment and learning relaxation techniques that can be used in your daily routine.

Fear, worry, and apprehension can be caused by many events. But when fear, worry, and apprehension are present on a person in an intense and irrational manner, possibly all at the same time, then he or she might be suffering from an anxiety attack. The 3 aforementioned conditions are accompanied by physical symptoms. They are as follows:

Perspiration or Sweating - It is normal for a person to sweat. This is the body’s natural way to cool down after physical activity such as exercising. It’s also the body’s response to external heat. However, sweating is one physical symptom that is also apparent when a person is having an anxiety attack.

Palpitations or fast and/or hard heart beating or pounding - Constant heart beating is obviously a sign of life. But, this should stay at a normal rate. When a person gets excited or frightened, he or she can feel that his or her heart skips or stops beating. Palpitating, however, can be an effect of anxiety. This is an unpleasant sensation that can be felt from the chest all the way to the neck and throat.

Stomach pain or abdominal pain - Often, physical pain has a corresponding physical problem. However, emotional illness such as anxiety attack can be one reason of such pain. Emotions can greatly affect the system of the body and can even cause inability to the person. Physical pain such as stomach and abdominal pain can be some of symptoms of anxiety.

Shaking or Trembling - Shaking or trembling can be caused by anger, stress, rage, or anxiety. But it should be noted that experiencing this regularly can be a sign of physical imbalance and should be examined by a doctor. Cold or Hot Flashes - A sudden and lasting sensation of body temperature change particularly in the upper body can be caused by emotional illnesses to include anxiety.

Lightheadedness, Faintness or Dizziness - Lightheadedness with no apparent physical cause can be a symptom of an anxiety attack. The inability to maintain balance while sitting or standing can also be a sign of anxiety. Some anti-anxiety drugs can provide help in treating these. Nausea and Vomiting - Nausea and vomiting can be caused by external conditions or it can be the body’s response to stimulants. These can be pain, changes in the body, taste, smell, irritation, poor blood circulation and anxiety.

Chest pain - It is described as a pressure, heaviness and discomfort on the chest. Meanwhile, a sudden and sharp pain in the chest can be a sign of heart attack. Still, other reasons can cause a person to feel chest pain. One of these of course is anxiety attack. Difficulty in swallowing - A feeling of tightening from the neck to the upper part of the abdomen, tightening of the neck area or only at the chest (behind the breastbone) can be a sign of emotional problems including anxiety.

Periods of breathlessness, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing - Any of these can send discomfort to the person. This often leads to dizziness as the muscles, brain, and other body organs cannot receive their required oxygen supply to function properly. Periods of breathlessness, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing can be a sign of anxiety. As was mentioned, any of these symptoms can be caused by other physical conditions but if a person has shown at least 4 of the mentioned symptoms, it is advisable to seek proper help immediately.

General Anxiety Disorder or GAD as it is known is another type of anxiety disorder. It affects roughly 4 to 5 million people of the American population alone. If you suffer from this Disorder symptoms can include but are not limited to those also suffered by panic disorder victims. It has also been found that it affects women proportionally more that it does men.

The symptoms are many and vary from person to person. There are however a few symptoms that are the same across the board for most people and which generally characterize their lives and lifestyles. The sufferer will live in a chronic and exaggerated state of worry and tension most of the time. Extreme emotions may arise even if there is nothing happening to provoke these feelings. Symptoms can also induce the sufferer to be always anticipating disaster.

One such is chronic and incessant worrying. Although worry is a natural emotion and most of us experience it from time to time in our daily lives, for the sufferer their worry is chronic and most times pathological. Most times the chronic worrier will let their worries overtake their world and will sometimes let it go so far as to incapacitate them in their daily lives.

By this, I do not mean that there is no choice over whether or not they worry ceaselessly, on the contrary the person might be aware that they are worrying needlessly but be unable to stop it or help themselves. By the same token it can bring on insomnia, panic attacks and depression. Intense anxiety and fear are also quite common to these symptoms. Other more physical, symptoms include headaches, diarrhea and nausea, lightheadedness, trembling or twitching. A palpitating or pounding heart, shortness of breath and trouble concentrating are also effects that can occur.

Irritability and mood swings, constant tension coupled with the inability to relax are all General Anxiety Disorder symptoms, and are all contributing features to other symptoms as well. This vicious cycle can sometimes take its toll not only on the Disorder sufferer but also on the family of the sufferer. The pressures of living with a person who suffers from GAD, the inability to cope with the persistent and sometimes inconsequential worrying, the constant depression and mood swings can all take their toll. Most families do not survive too well if someone within the family suffers from this disorder.

That is why medical attention should be sought as soon as possible to alleviate your symptoms. General Anxiety Disorder can be cured and you should know this. Treatment methods are readily available to you and it is merely a matter of finding the courage to go out and find it. Rest assured that your doctor or therapist can help you in alleviating your symptoms properly and it will only take a little time and patience and will power on your part to cure yourself.

Generalized anxiety disorder affects around 3% to 4% of the population. It keeps you in a worried state and makes a persons depressed about life. It does not stop a person from living their lives normally, or is it a panic attack. It affects they way you think. It stops a person from deciding on things and thus making them depressed.

It makes the person believe that they have no interest in life. There are no real triggers for generalized anxiety disorder. Sometimes it can affect a person without them knowing. For example, you are waiting for a loved one and they are late. You start to think about the “what if’ they had an accident, what if something bad has happened to them? The feeling of worry and anxiety will start to creep into their head and the cycle repeats itself in a variety of situation.

Some people will experience this problem in their everyday lives and it could prevent them from relaxing, being calm and enjoy time alone. Generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD) can take up to 6 months or more of severe anxiety to take affect. People who experience GAD usually expect the worse case scenario. It prevents them from relaxing and can cause insomnia, fatigue, headaches, irritability and trembling.

GAD affects approximately 2.8% of all Americans (4 million people) each year and often hits people in their childhood, adolescence and even in adult hood. It affects women more than men. GAD is just one of the six different anxiety disorders and can be categorized in the following groups.

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Panic Disorder
3. Social Anxiety Disorder
4. Post Traumatic Anxiety Disorder
5. Obsessive Anxiety Disorder
6. Phobia Related Anxiety Disorder

GAD along with the other 5 disorders is treatable and should be looked at by a professional therapist as soon as possible. There are two main types of recommended therapy, cognitive and behavioural therapy. Many patience usually find it easier to copy with disorders when they receive treatment.

Cognitive therapy is focused on changing ones mental state by helping the brain relearn its thinking process. It can help with long term treatment because changing the way a person thinks can affect their out come tremendously for example helping them cope with anxiety and realising that all their problems can be solved.

Behavioural therapy is a more in your face type of treatment. It involves confrontation a persons fears. The purpose to this is to help a person talk about their problems until desensitize from the fear or anxiety by describing in detail how they feel.

Everyone feels a little anxiety at some times in their life. If they didn’t they wouldn’t be human. It’s a natural reaction to circumstances, and a reaction that can often produce a favorable response. Anxiety helps us respond to a dangerous situations appropriately. And it can help us do our jobs better in pressure situations. But there’s a limit. Some people feel anxiety for no apparent reason. It ruins their life, and causes them to stay indoors or out of social situations. It can lead to feeling like you are having a heart attack. It is in these situations that anxiety becomes a disorder. It’s important to look for the signs of anxiety to understand whether or not your feelings are normal or something worse.

First understand that you are not alone. Anxiety disorders, along with related problems like panic attacks or obsessive compulsive disorder, are actually quite common. Both men and women can experience this although for some as yet unknown reason women are more prone to it. The treatments are many and can range from medications to therapy. The key is learning how to cope with your anxiety disorder so you can get on with living. A cure rarely happens overnight. It is a gradual and learned process. Stick with your treatment and you’ll slowly learn how to avoid situations that cause discomfort, learn how to better cope with those situations, and finally get to the point where anxiety and panic attacks are no longer a problem.

So first determine if anxiety is a problem in your life. The signs are many, and they will vary in intensity for different people. People with anxiety disorder may feel tired, impatient or restless. They can have a hard time concentrating, be irritable and feel on edge. Shortness of breath, headache and diarrhea can all be signs of generalized anxiety disorder. Other signs include sweating, insomnia, stomach ache and muscle tension.

Do you feel worried all the time, even when you realize there is nothing to worry about? Then you may have an anxiety disorder. In severe cases of anxiety and panic attacks a person feels like he or she is having a heart attack. A quick trip to the doctor will reveal that is not the case. But those are severe (and somewhat common unfortunately) cases. A generalized anxiety disorder frequently starts early in life, and the symptoms develop and gradually worsen over time. In these generalized cases, someone may not even remember the last time they felt relaxed.

If after reading this list you feel like you have signs of anxiety disorder, see a doctor. Tell him what you are feeling. Remember there are plenty of treatments available. You don’t have to go through life worried and stressed. source

For many people, alternative anxiety treatments can bring relief from their symptoms when medical approaches (like using anti-anxiety medications) have failed. Not everyone responds to well to prescription drug treatment for anxiety. The side effects and potential withdrawal symptoms can sometimes outweigh any perceived benefit from the drug, especially over the long-term.

Alternative anxiety treatments have the benefit of not relying on habit-forming medications, and many have been thoroughly researched in universities around the world to determine both effectiveness and safety. Although the medical community in the United States continues to focus on medication as a cure for anxiety, there is a growing movement among doctors and researchers toward a more natural or holistic approach to this common emotional problem.

Contrary to popular misconception, anxiety is not a disease or “medical disorder.” Anxiety is in fact an emotional state, most commonly associated with an impending feeling of doom, apprehension, insecurity and worry. These feelings can produce very real physical anxiety symptoms. The most common of these are dizziness, breathing difficulties (hyperventilation), rapid heart beat, chest pains, and upset stomach or nausea.

To calm the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety, and its more acute cousin: the panic attack, there is growing evidence that alternative treatments are often as effective as pharmaceuticals, without the potential for harmful side effects. We’ll briefly review five well-documented alternative treatments for anxiety.

1. Diet Changes to Reduce Anxiety. It is well known that caffeine can contribute to anxiety; as can excessive amounts of sugar or alcohol. Many anxiety sufferers find relief from their symptoms by simply modifying their diet. Eliminating stimulants such as caffeine and replacing them with herbal teas (for example) can make a great difference over the course of a few weeks. Chamomile Tea and Skullcap tea are two herbal blends that have long been reported to have soothing affects.

2. Natural Herbs and Supplements. St. John’s Wort has received a great deal of attention in the media for its calming effects, and has been researched extensively to ensure that it is safe to use. This natural herb has also been shown to be an effective treatment for moderate depression. Melatonin is another supplement that has long been used to combat sleep disorders and insomnia. There are now several studies that suggest melatonin may also be an effective anti-anxiety treatment.

3. Guided Visualization Techniques. Evidence suggests that using visualization techniques to change the emotional state can be as effective as many prescription drugs for anxiety. These techniques can be used independently, or while listening to a guided visualization CD or tape, to assist the user in “visualizing” more peaceful harmonious feelings throughout the body. The combination of soft relaxing music and gentle guidance can be quite relaxing, and when used consistently, can help to reduce both physical and emotional anxiety symptoms.

4. Breathing Exercises. Proper breathing techniques can contribute to a more peaceful, relaxed state of well-being. As hyperventilation is a common problem among anxiety sufferers, practicing controlled breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety symptoms, and reduce the chances of hyperventilating in a high anxiety situation.

5. Relaxation Techniques and Exercises. Research suggests that practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga or tai chi can help reduce anxiety. Practicing meditation has also been shown to calm the mind, promoting feelings of well-being. Tai chi in particular can be beneficial, as it encourages mindfulness and controlled breathing.

Each of these alternative anxiety treatments can be beneficial in its own right, and many natural health practitioners suggest using one or more of these treatments simultaneously, in order to affect the greatest change in the user’s emotional state and eliminate the “mental environment” that allows anxiety to flourish. Remember, it is important to talk to your doctor before using natural anxiety treatments, taking herbs or supplements, or beginning an exercise program.

Worry is something that every one has. it is seen even in teenagers who have worry about school or even in the youths who face problems at school and work and for adults there are many reasons that they will feel worried, as the responsibility that they carry on their shoulders is immense. In short, none of us can escape worry however much we control it. The very cause of worry is stated as fear of loosing someone or something (job). Worry is a sign of a normal human that has daily stress and fears. But if this worry of yours is acting as an obstacle in your daily life than you need to get rid of it. A person that is always worried cannot give his productive best. So for you to avoid worry it is very necessary to find out the root cause and demolish it from your life.

About 4 millions Americans are said to be prone to generalized anxiety disorder every year. Also the people around the globe that are affected is very high an astounding 13%. GAD is seen more in women than men. It is caused due to genetics but the main reason seems to be daily stress that has to be handled. In this state person always worries about his financial problems, family problems, work, and health. At times the person with generalized anxiety disorder feels worried about the things that are of least of concerns. This will lead to a person’s ill health where he will find that he has headaches, sleepless nights, lack of concentration, stomach ache and so on. As all our problems are related mentally it is our mental state that needs to be taken care of above all. Our mind is the one that has been creating problems so far, so it is a must to eradicate the ill thought and replace it with something that can help a person.

If GAD affects you then you can look forward to get the best help possible. The best treatment for this is hypnosis, hypnosis deals with your mind allowing it to relax from the daily stress that had caused a state of worry for it. Hypnosis takes your mind to a subconscious state and allows it to calm down. Once done with this it is directed to looking at things positively, where fear will no longer trouble you and you can carry on with your daily schedule without getting disturbed by worry. This treatment is made available for you in the form of mp3; you can download this from the Internet.

Once done with this you will see that hypnosis has helped you with the problem of GAD, which earlier seemed to be difficult for you to get over. Not only will this mp3 treatment help you with driving away worry from you but also it will teach you new techniques in handling such situations. Wouldn’t this hypnosis help be great for you in eliminating worry from your life and giving you your normal life back? Go ahead and get one (mp3) for yourself. source

There are millions of people that suffer every day from social anxiety, they are usually afraid of dealing with people, talking with strangers, going to public places, speaking in public, being embarrassed and being judged by others.

Those fears cause severe anxiety and depression that can last for a very long time if its not treat it correctly. Some of the side effects of not treating social anxiety are alcoholism and drugs. About 20% of all the people with social anxiety use alcohol as a way to cope with their anxiety symptoms and be able to be in social situations. This personality disorder can become very frustrating and severe depression is very common, some people with this disorder have a few close friends that they see, but there are others that avoid any kind of people and their problem interfere with their correct functioning every day.

They stop going to work, to school, they don’t go to social activities, they avoid any possible social situations where they are going to feel anxious. This disorder cause emotional and physical symptoms such as palpitations, nausea, headaches, sweating and much more.

Social Anxiety Treatments

There are different social anxiety treatments that help to reduce and control some of the anxiety symptoms. There are many drug medications that doctors prescribe to treat social anxiety and reduce some of their symptoms such as: phenibut, xanax, picamilon, pregabalin, neurontin, lexapro for social anxiety and many others. Those medications are classified in SSRIs, SRNIs, Beta Blockers, benzodiazepenes and others.

However there are 3 anti depressants that are approved by the FDA they are Paxil, Zoloft, and Effexor. However those medications can cause side effects such as nausea, headaches, changes in sexual behavior and many more that you doctor will tell you, this is why you need to go with a psychiatrist of physician so he can monitor your progress and avoid any risks.

The most helpful treatment for social anxiety is psychotherapy, it will help you identify and erase your irrational fears so you are not anxious and nervous in front of people any more. Behavioral therapy is the most common type of psychotherapy and it works very well. You should also find some social anxiety help groups to help you go on and make some new friends that understand you and want to support you.

Before going into detail let me explain how I describe these natural anxiety cures. There are two ways of dealing with anxiety disorders. On the one hand the traditional medicine like doctors and psychiatrists. On the other hand anything else.

Getting prescription for anti anxiety medication is not the only answer to anxiety disorders. Studies have shown that psychiatrists too often resort to medication when cognitive behavioral therapy will do. Anxiety medication has the unfortunate tendency to become addictive to the patient. Aside from psychotherapy, there have been a growing number of alternative treatments. Before you think about getting anti anxiety medication, first take a look at the arsenal of natural anxiety cures.

Anti Anxiety Medication: What Are The Alternatives?

Stress Management: Anxiety disorders are usually an outgrowth of stress. One of the best ways to combat the development of anxiety disorders is to manage stress. The techniques available for stress management are many. Some programs use exercise as a means of alleviating stress while some use breathing techniques. Yoga is another technique gaining popularity. Other techniques include life counseling. The purpose of all these is to prevent stress from escalating into unhealthy behavioral patterns.

Nutrition Management: Carbohydrates increase insulin levels and changes to the blood sugar levels change moods. Certain foods can also cause hormonal imbalance in our body. Very few people know how important a balanced and healthy diet is to our emotional health. Doctors can also help people who are already experience mild anxiety problems by prescribing nutritional supplements. Those who are a bit more adventurous can seek advice from holistic experts for natural or herbal supplements.

Exercise: Exercise is an excellent way to release stress. It increases blood circulation and helps ensure that the body is healthy. The activity alone provides individuals with a respite from the pressures of their grueling work. Weightlifting is also a good option. Cardiovascular activities like aerobics or calisthenics are also excellent choices.

Natural Anxiety Cures: Treatment Options

Behavioral therapy and counseling is far better compared to anti anxiety medication. Drug medication has the potential to get patients addicted to it. Behavioral therapy is very effective. In fact, it is the most popular method for treating anxiety disorders. The methods used usually involve teaching the patient to change thinking patterns when they begin to become anxious. The length of treatment depends on each individual case. source