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Anxiety disorders can affect a person's ability to
work, study and participate in other activities. Recovery is
possible with appropriate treatment. There are different types of
anxiety disorders. The six recognized groups of anxiety disorders
include:
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder (and panic disorder with agoraphobia)
- Social anxiety disorder
- Specific phobias
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder.
A range of treatment options
Some of the treatments for anxiety disorders include:
- Learning about anxiety
- Relaxation techniques
- Correct breathing techniques
- Cognitive therapy
- Behavior therapy
- Dietary adjustments
- Exercise
- Learning to be assertive
- Building self-esteem
- Structured problem solving
- Medication.
Learning about anxiety
The old adage 'knowledge is power' applies here - learning all about
anxiety is central to recovery. For example, education includes
examining the physiology of the 'flight-fight' response, which is
the body's way to deal with impending danger. For people with
anxiety disorders, this response is inappropriately triggered by
situations that are generally harmless. Education is an important
way to promote control over symptoms.
Relaxation techniques
A person who feels anxious most of the time has trouble relaxing,
but knowing how to release muscle tension is an important anxiety
treatment. Relaxation techniques include:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Meditation
- Abdominal breathing
- Isometric relaxation exercises.
Correct breathing techniques
The physical symptoms of anxiety may be triggered by
hyperventilation, which raises oxygen levels and reduces the amount
of carbon dioxide in the blood. A person who suffers from anxiety
should learn how to breathe from their diaphragm, rather than their
chest, to safeguard against hyperventilation. The key is allowing
your belly to expand as you breathe in. You can make sure you are
breathing correctly by placing one hand on your lower abdomen and
the other on your chest. Correct breathing means your abdomen moves,
rather than your chest. It also helps to slow your breathing while
feeling anxious. You can also try to hold your breath for a few
seconds. This helps to boost carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
Cognitive therapy
Cognitive therapy focuses on changing patterns of thinking and
beliefs that are associated with, and trigger, anxiety. For example,
a person with a social phobia may make their anxiety worse by
negative thoughts such as, 'Everyone thinks I'm boring'.
The basis of cognitive therapy is that beliefs trigger thoughts,
which then trigger feelings and produce behaviors. For example,
let's say you believe (perhaps unconsciously) that you must be liked
by everyone in order to feel worthwhile. If someone turns away from
you in mid-conversation, you may think, 'This person hates me',
which makes you feel anxious. Cognitive therapy strategies include
rational 'self-talk', reality testing, attention training, cognitive
challenging and cognitive restructuring. This includes monitoring
your self-talk, challenging unhelpful fears and beliefs, and testing
out the reality of negative thoughts.
Behavior therapy
A major component of behavior therapy is exposure. Exposure therapy
involves deliberately confronting your fears in order to desensitize
yourself. Exposure allows you to train yourself to redefine the
danger or fear aspect of the situation or trigger. The steps of
exposure therapy may include:
- Rank your fears in order, from most to least threatening.
- Choose to work first on one of your least threatening fears.
- Think about the feared situation. Imagine yourself
experiencing the situation. Analyze your fears - what are you
afraid of?
- Work out a plan that includes a number of small steps - for
example, gradually decrease the distance between yourself and
the fearful situation or object, or gradually increase the
amount of time spent in the fearful situation.
- Resist the urge to leave. Use relaxation, breathing techniques
and coping statements to help manage your anxiety.
- Afterwards, appreciate that nothing bad happened.
- Repeat the exposure as often as you can to build confidence
that you can cope.
- When you are ready, tackle another feared situation in the
same step-by-step manner.
Dietary adjustments
The mineral magnesium helps muscle tissue to relax and a magnesium
deficiency can contribute to anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Inadequate intake of vitamin B and calcium can also exacerbate
anxiety symptoms. Make sure your daily diet includes foods such as
wholegrain cereals, leafy green vegetables and low fat dairy
products. Nicotine, caffeine and stimulant drugs (such as those that
contain caffeine) trigger your adrenal glands to release adrenaline,
which is one of the main stress chemicals. Other foods to avoid
include salt and artificial additives, such as preservatives. Choose
fresh, unprocessed foods whenever possible.
Exercise
The physical symptoms of anxiety are caused by the 'flight-fight'
response, which floods the body with adrenaline and other stress
chemicals. Exercise burns up stress chemicals and promotes
relaxation. Physical activity is another helpful way to manage
anxiety. Aim to do some physical activity at least three to four
times every week, and vary your activities to avoid boredom.
Learning to be assertive
Being assertive means communicating your needs, wants, feelings,
beliefs and opinions to others in a direct and honest manner without
intentionally hurting anyone's feelings. A person with an anxiety
disorder may have trouble being assertive because they are afraid of
conflict, or else they believe they have no right to speak up.
However, relating passively to others lowers self-confidence and
reinforces anxiety. Learning to behave assertively is central to
developing a stronger self-esteem.
Building self- esteem
People with anxiety disorder often have low self-esteem. Feeling
worthless can make the anxiety worse in many ways. It can trigger a
passive style of interacting with others and foster a fear of being
judged harshly. Low self-esteem may also be related to the impact of
the anxiety disorder on your life. These problems may include:
- Isolation
- Feelings of shame and guilt
- Depressed mood
- Difficulties in functioning at school, work or in social
situations.
Community support organizations and counseling may help you to
cope with these problems.
Structured problem solving
Some people with anxiety disorders are 'worriers', who fret about a
problem rather than actively solve it. Learning how to break down a
problem into its various components - and then decide on a course of
action - is a valuable skill that can help manage generalized
anxiety and depression.
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Things to remember
- Anxiety disorders can affect a person's
ability to work, study and participate in
other activities.
- Recovery is possible with the appropriate
treatment.
- Some of the treatments for anxiety disorders
include learning about anxiety, relaxation
techniques, correct breathing techniques,
dietary adjustments, exercise, learning to be
assertive, building self-esteem, cognitive
therapy, exposure therapy, structured problem
solving and medication.
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