How to Deal With Anxiety
Panic attack, anxiety attack and panic disorder treatments In learning how to deal with anxiety, the issue of prescribe medicine often crops up. Have you found yourself wondering whether you need to take medication for your anxiety? In short, Yes and No I have already cover some of the conditions when the taking of medication is advisable, especially if the primary problem is depression with anxiety as a component of the Mood Disorder. This is when you must use professional help Two big issues which you need to be aware of  in working out how to deal with anxiety are:
  • Some medications, especially the Benzodiazepines, used to quell anxiety can be addictive, especially after long-term use, and should not be terminated suddenly as it is quite likely to trigger a panic attack.
  • Be careful of self medication with OTC drugs, alcohol, herbs or other compounds as they often lead to an array of secondary problems.
  • Some of the anxiety disorders respond well to SNRIs, such as Effexor, and in some cases may be all you need.

Medication and How To Deal With Anxiety?

As part of the process of learning how to deal with anxiety you should educate yourself on ‘good’ and ‘bad’ medicines for anxiety attacks. If you don’t have the ability to do this then find a medical practitioner or better still a psychiatrist you trust to help you.  Often it is necessary to take some medication during the anxiety treatment process, either as a bridging support or to help with the physical symptoms. In these instances, medication such as, beta blockers, sleeping tablets and SNRIs and SSRIs may be used. Also, don’t be naive about herbs and so-called natural medicines as a way with how to deal with anxiety. Just because they are called ‘natural, as they can cause as much mischief as prescribed medication or are a complete waste of your money. Too many people think that just because they are ‘natural’ medicines, they must innately be safe and effective.  Often, there is very little good scientific evidence to support any of their claims. (By good science I mean double-blind studies or before-and-after studies with sufficient and good samples that appear in peer-reviewed journals and not the promoting companies  in-house magazine). If you are insistent on using ‘natural’ methods for treating your anxiety, then use thought control, breathing and desensitization methods as these will have more success on the long-term and no  negative secondary effects, instead of alcohol, social drugs or OTC.  Anxiolytics, do have many side effects, but in the hands of a skilled physician dosage balances can be achieved to positive results and management of the side effects. First prize however is to get treat your anxiety difficulties without medication, or limited use thereof.  If this is not working then don’t suffer unnecessarily, but do go to a ‘real’ professional who knows what they are doing.

How To Deal with Anxiety: Self Treatment Programs

You can manage, treat and deal with your anxiety on your own.  Not every anxiety needs to go to a psychiatrist or psychologist.  Anxiety Disorders are well disposed to self-treatment, provided you follow the warnings I have issued on when you must use professional help (see page on Self Help Treatment for Anxiety Attacks).  Also anxiety disorders, such as OCD and PTSD, need professional help in the beginning and then you can go onto a self-treatment approach. For anxiety disorders such as, GAD, Panic Attacks and social phobia, and even separation anxiety are initially well disposed to a self-treatment, self-help approach. If  you want to use a self-treatment approach in learning how to deal with anxiety then have a look at Panic Away because anxiety sufferers have had great success with this approach.

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Three are three situations in which you should use drug treatment for panic and anxiety disorders Drug treatments are often used or are an auxiliary part to the treatment for panic and anxiety disorders. medical drugs are both helpful or debilitating and dangerous depending for anxiety depending upon how they are used and managed. Medication can be a support and relief to the often debilitating symptoms of the condition. Also, not all drugs will work well for all types of anxiety disorders or in the same way for the for the same conditions nor for all people with the same condition – they are idiopathic. I am not one of these people who are naturally anti the use of medications and think all allopathic treatments are bad. Likewise, you will find that medically prescribed drugs play a role, either a dominant or supportive one, depending on the nature of the anxiety disorder – depending upon how acute it is at a particular stage or for how long it has remained chronic without showing any improvement or movement. Underlying Problem Is Serotonin Responsive A drug regime can be very successful with some anxiety and panic disorders; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or is part of a depression condition. In these instances you are likely to be prescribed a SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) or SNRI such as Effexor. Beta blockers, though designed primarily for heart conditions, have also proved useful in reducing anxiety levels, and the more traditionally used drugs for this condition are the benzodiazepines, although this is used on a short-term basis as it can lead to drug addiction and dependence. Insomnia And Sleeping Difficulties Anxiety and panic disorders can play havoc with your sleep patterns and your ability to fall asleep. Often people resort to self-medication and other malpractices in a desperate effort to get to sleep. A sort course of professionally managed sleeping intervention (e.g. sleeping tablets, muscle relaxants and tranquilizers). A short course which often does not exceed three weeks allows for good sleep habits to be acclimatized and for you to begin practicing good sleep hygiene methods as a pre-cursor to returning to natural sleep again. As unhappy as you may be about the use of sleeping tablets, if professionally managed, they often are better than in self-medicated approach with OTC Drugs, herbal methods and other such practices. Intransigent And Unresponsive Chronic Anxiety If your anxiety is chronic and has been unresponsive to all your efforts; yoga, relaxation and meditation, thought and mood diary, etc. then it may be time to give it a bit of a ‘boot’ with a medical intervention and consider the use of a SNRI. The research does show that a combination of medication, self-help practices and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has a very good success rate and this may just be what you need to create a break through so your own self-help methods can become effective again. Far from being drug averse you need to consider that the research has shown that when drugs are combined with therapy (provided it is CBT) in the treatment program, the outlook is good. Therapy has a good record of treating people in the long-term, but in the short-term you may need help in coping until they have successfully learned to start the required therapeutic techniques. .

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