Anxiety disorders are real, serious and treatable. Experts believe that anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors, much like other disorders, such as heart disease and diabetes.

The vast majority of people with an anxiety disorder can be helped with professional care. Success of treatment varies with the individual. Some people may respond to treatment after a few months, while others may take a year or more. Treatment is sometimes complicated by the fact that people very often have more than one anxiety disorder, or suffer from depression or substance abuse. This is why treatment must be tailored to the individual.

Although treatment is individualized, there are several standard approaches that have proven to be effective. Therapists will use one, or a combination of these therapies.

Medications, although not cures, can be very effective at relieving anxiety symptoms. Sometimes anti-depressants or anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medications) are used to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can go forward.

The most commonly prescribed anti-anxiety agent for this disorder has historically been benzodiazepines. Some of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines are Alprazolam (Xanax), Lorazepam (Ativan), and Clonazepam (Klonopin). Individuals on these medications should always be advised about the medications' side effects, especially their sedative properties and impairment on performance throughout the day. These medications can also be quite addictive or habit-forming so it is important that someone who is taking these be closely monitored by a psychiatrist. These medications should not be prescribed to someone who has a substance abuse problem or addictive tendencies. The SSRI antidepressant medications, such as Paxil and Zoloft are commonly prescribed for anxiety.

Another effective anti-anxiety medication called Buspar (Buspirone) has been found to alleviate anxiety symptoms with very few side effects. Another added benefit of Buspar is that it is not addictive or habit-forming like the benzodiazepines, which makes it a highly appropriate drug of choice for GAD.

For most of the medications that are prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, the doctor usually starts the patient on a low dose and gradually increases it to the full dose. Every medication has side effects, but they usually become tolerated or diminish with time. If side effects become a problem, the doctor may advise the patient to stop taking the medication and to wait a week—or longer for certain drugs—before trying another one. When treatment is near an end, the doctor will taper the dosage gradually.

Research has also shown that behavioral therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be effective for treating several of the anxiety disorders.

Behavioral therapy focuses on changing specific actions and uses several techniques to decreases or stop unwanted behavior. For example, one technique trains patients in diaphragmatic breathing, a special breathing exercise involving slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety. This is necessary because people who are anxious often hyperventilate, taking rapid shallow breaths that can trigger rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, and other symptoms. Another technique—exposure therapy—gradually exposes patients to what frightens them and helps them cope with their fears.

Like behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients to react differently to the situations and bodily sensations that trigger panic attacks and other anxiety symptoms. However, patients also learn to understand how their thinking patterns contribute to their symptoms and how to change their thoughts so that symptoms are less likely to occur. This awareness of thinking patterns is combined with exposure and other behavioral techniques to help people confront their feared situations. For example, someone who becomes lightheaded during a panic attack and fears he is going to die can be helped with the following approach used in cognitive-behavioral therapy. The therapist asks him to spin in a circle until he becomes dizzy. When he becomes alarmed and starts thinking, "I'm going to die," he learns to replace that thought with a more appropriate one, such as "It's just a little dizziness—I can handle it."

Spiritually-based Energetic Therapy. Over the last several years, scientific studies have validated the effectiveness of prayer in healing. Now, a spiritually-based energetic healing method has been developed and is showing good promise in becoming an useful combined therapy or alternative therapuetic approach. This safe method of energy-based therapy is generally perfomed over the telephone and may be used in cooperation with any other treatment plan recommended by your doctor. To learn more, visit our sponsor. This method has undergone no clinical trials and no claims are being made for its success.

CHOOSING A THERAPIST

Anxiety disorders can be treated by a wide range of mental health professionals, including: psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses. Primary care physicians are also becoming increasingly aware of the problems of anxiety disorders and depression and are making these diagnoses with more frequency.

Finding the right therapist can be tricky, as credentials are not the only factors to take into consideration. It is important to feel comfortable with one's therapist. Speak to the therapist, either on the phone or in his/her office, and do not be embarrassed if you feel uncomfortable and would rather see someone else.