Anxiety and Treatment - Four Options

In the United States alone, roughly 40 million people aged 18 and over suffer from some form of anxiety disorders.

Then there are those under 18. Especially the kids from dysfunctional families who are victims of abuse and neglect, giving rise to stress and anxiety. In addition to these are the millions of others whose parents understand anxiety and treatment for it but who do not have the means to provide it to their children. Taken all together, it is no surprise that anxiety and anxiety attack treatment are such a major concern today.

Anxiety and Treatment Choices

There are several anxiety disorders such as general anxiety, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), panic, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and phobia. Generally speaking, a sufferer has four treatment choices. The severity or nuances of a case will decide the appropriate treatment, which should be agreed upon by both patient and doctor.

Option #1. Alternative Medicine has become popular in recent years. Herbal remedies have shown to offer both short- and long-term relief without the side effects frequently associated with prescription drugs.

However, drugs, whether they are herbal or prescription, have not demonstrated that they can bring about permanent relief. They can only be considered real treatment if and when they are prescribed in association with mental and behavior therapy.

Herbal medications that have shown to be beneficial are Passion Flower, Ashwaghanda Root and the popular SJW (St. Johns Wort). B-complex vitamins have also been found to have a beneficial effect.

Option #2. Drugs are frequently prescribed as anxiety attack treatment, but many people are not aware that clinical research has shown that prescription drugs are no more effective than natural alternatives.

Examples of prescription drugs are Antidepressants (e.g., Prozac, Zoloft), Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax) and Azapirones (e.g., BuSpar).

That's not to say that drugs don't work. In most cases they address symptoms but need to be accompanied by some other treatment to effect a cure. Prescription medication, furthermore, has its disadvantages. These include serious side effects, withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, and even addiction.

Drugs are able to correct a chemical balance but it is temporary. They are not able to change the behaviour that is the fundamental cause of anxiety in many of the patients.

Option #3. Cognitive Behavior Therapy or Psychotherapy addresses anxiety at its core by dealing with the feelings, thoughts and memories that drive it. This has been confirmed as the preferred treatment and you can read about people's experiences here.

Any drugs and herbal remedies, which may help with relief of the symptoms, must be accompanied by therapy that will work on creating new, positive associative thought patterns in the patient.

Option #4. A growing number of clinical studies have proven that exercise can relieve symptoms of anxiety as well as other mental health conditions including depression. Exercise has demonstrated that it can prevent relapse after regular treatment.

It takes at least half an hour of exercise per day, at least 3 to 5 days per week, according to the studies, to have an impact on anxiety symptoms. But even short periods of physical activity, say 10-15 minutes, have been shown to enhance short-term moods. If we add to that the benefit to overall health, it is easy to see why exercise makes a option for anxiety and treatment of it

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is becoming an overwhelming choice for anxiety and treatment of it. It brings none of the downside of medication while addressing the core problem by treating what is causing the attacks. One of the leading approaches to anxiety and treatment is well explained on line here. Go read more about it.