Your Anxiety Treatment May Be Different Than Others

Your Anxiety Treatment May Be Different Than Others

Why is it that someone's anxiety treatment may be different than someone else's? After all, isn't obsessive compulsive disorder or panic disorder or general anxiety disorder all the same for everyone? A disorder is a disorder, right?

Therein lies the incorrect thinking when it comes to anxiety disorders and anxiety treatment. These disorders do not affect everyone the same way and to the same degree. Some people may respond very well to cognitive or behavior therapy, while others need very strong medication, and still others respond well to a form of both.

Your anxiety treatment absolutely must be something that works well for you, and should be tailored to you alone. Most doctors will begin with a long and detailed history of your concerns before they can recommend any type of anxiety treatment. By fully understanding how long you've been suffering from your symptoms, what triggers them, and how severe they are, then he or she can know whether or not medication is necessary right away or if you should at least try cognitive therapy first.

For those whose disorders are currently interfering with their life, especially in severe cases, a doctor may immediately recommend medication as the first attempt at anxiety treatment. These medications may take a few days or even weeks to begin working properly, but the doctor wants to be sure that anxiety does not lead to depression or thoughts of suicide. Additionally, using medication as an immediately anxiety treatment may help the patient remain calm enough to begin behavior or cognitive therapy, something he or she cannot do if their anxiety is so severe that they cannot even sit with a therapist.

It's very important that anyone undergoing any type of anxiety treatment listen to their doctor's advice and follow it completely. Many have a tendency to discontinue their medication as soon as they feel better, but this can be a mistake. If you are having side effects that you find unpleasant or that are also interfering with your well-being, speak to your doctor as he or she may be able to recommend a different medication or something in addition to your anxiety treatment to lessen these symptoms.

The good news is that most treatments for anxiety are very successful; some disorders are completely cured while others are at least controlled so that they no longer interfere with the patient's life.

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

Many people are simply not aware of how many different types of anxiety disorders there are prevalent in the world today. It's important to know the differences between them and what brings them about so that doctors and patients alike can be familiar with the symptoms and the possible onset of any of these anxiety disorders.

For example, post-traumatic stress is a common anxiety disorder experienced among those who have been soldiers or who have lived in war-torn areas, who have gone through natural disasters or who have been victims of a crime. The terrible occurrence or series of events in their life triggers certain reactions such as being jumpy or tense at inappropriate times, such as when someone touches them unexpectedly. They may even avoid people or places that remind them of the trauma. Post-traumatic is one of those anxiety disorders that can reveal itself weeks, months, or even years after the event itself is over.

Social anxiety disorders can take the form of agoraphobia, which is the fear of open places or large crowds, or generalized anxiety disorder where a person is tense and anxious at all times. These types of anxiety disorders are specifically related to people and especially strangers; rarely do they occur when someone is safe in their own home or in a familiar place.

Panic attacks are also classified as a type of anxiety disorder. This feeling of panic can come on at any time or anywhere; some even experience them when in their own bed! They can also be triggered by certain uncomfortable events or circumstances, such as being in a crowded room or when needing to do some public speaking. Panic anxiety disorder can be experienced by children, or can develop in adults for what seems like absolutely no reason at all.

If you think that you are suffering from any of these types of anxiety disorders or have any other concerns regarding your mental or emotional health, it's always advised that you speak with a health care professional immediately. He or she may be able to recommend certain medications or forms of therapy that might not always make the anxiety disorder go away, but can help you control it and get on with your life. The important thing to remember is that you are not helpless against it and that there is help available, whatever your condition or concern.

Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

Why is it that someone would experience both anxiety and depression? When you learn about both disorder, you realize that they are somewhat related, and how one can lead to another. Anxiety and depression are often suffered by someone who starts with one disorder, and then finds themselves suffering from the other. Let's explore that a bit further here.

How One Leads to Another

Anxiety is marked by obsessive worry and nervousness, whether it's over a past event being repeated (such as in post-traumatic stress disorder), or over something that might happen, such as panic disorder. Anxiety and depression then go hand in hand because obsessive and excessive worry can keep someone in a heightened state of arousal, and this can cause severe depression. Depression is marked by a loss of enjoyment in activities or hobbies. It makes sense then that anxiety and depression are related or that one leads to another – how can you have enjoyment in your life, your relationships, your hobbies and interests, if you are constantly worried, nervous and anxious? To put it bluntly and crudely, anxiety just sucks the joy right out of life, and a joyless life is the basic meaning of depression.

Treating Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are also related because they are both baseless thoughts that are not tied to reality, and which often spiral out of control. Both can be treated with the same or similar medications that quiet discomforting and obsessive thoughts. They can also be treated with therapy, such as with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Many forms of anxiety and depression are caused by physical abnormalities, such as chemical or hormone imbalances, but if someone chooses not to take medications they can learn how to control their thoughts and how to replace those thoughts with new ones.

Sometimes just knowing that what you're experiencing is an anxiety attack or a bout of clinical depression can be enough to help someone cope with their debilitating circumstances. Knowing that others are going through the same thing can also help. If you're someone with both anxiety and depression, don't hesitate to speak to your healthcare professional at once, as help is available if you simply ask for it. You may not be completely cured of your conditions, but you can learn ways of coping and of not allowing these disorders to interfere with your everyday life.