Anxiety disorders are treatable and lots of people do get over them. There are four main ways to treat anxiety:
- Drugs
- Therapy
- Complimentary/alternative therapy
- Self help
Drug therapy is often a doctor’s first reaction when a patient presents with anxiety or panic. Typically benzodiazepines such as Valium or Xanax will be prescribed. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) like Prozac and Citalopram are also commonly used. For more information on drug use for tackling anxiety, including medication-user reviews and pros and cons visit the Medication page.
Some kind of therapy is often vital in order to overcome anxiety. Those who live in countries with national health services or who have decent medical insurance are often offered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Another option is more analytical therapy, which is a longer term option but may well be a waste of time and money. If all your anxiety is caused by negative thinking or you are depressed then it might be worth a look, but for most anxiety sufferers the past and their childhood are little more than irrelevant to what they are feeling now.
There are literally thousands of types of complimentary and alternative therapies ranging from acupuncture to “zero balancing”. They often promise a great deal but only a few of them stand up to statistical analysis. I will be looking into several of them further on this website. Do your research before you spend your money and above all watch out for charlatans, there are many of them about! On the whole you would have to say that when these alternative therapies work it is due to the placebo effect and not because there is any hard science behind them. I would avoid Hypnoanalysis like the plague. It is basically a money-making scam.
Self help can be empowering, rewarding and successful. You should also be aware when to seek help. There are a wealth of relaxation, positive affirmation and meditation techniques in the public domain which can be of tremendous benefit. Mindfulness Meditation is one of the best techniques for anxiety. It is easy to learn and can be learnt from a book or CD at relatively small cost. Those who persevere with it see it as a life-changer!
