How
to Get Help for Anxiety Disorders
If you, or someone you know, has symptoms of anxiety, a visit to the family physician
is usually the best place to start. A physician can help determine whether the
symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, some other medical condition, or both.
Frequently, the next step in getting treatment for an anxiety disorder is referral
to a mental health professional.
Among the professionals who can help are psychiatrists, psychologists, social
workers, and counselors. However, it's best to look for a professional who
has specialized training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral
therapy, as appropriate, and who is open to the use of medications, should
they be needed.
As stated earlier, psychologists, social workers, and counselors sometimes
work closely with a psychiatrist or other physician, who will prescribe medications
when they are required. For some people, group therapy is a helpful part of
treatment.
It's important that you feel comfortable with the therapy that the mental
health professional suggests. If this is not the case, seek help elsewhere.
However, if you've been taking medication, it's important not to discontinue
it abruptly, as stated before. Certain drugs have to be tapered off under the
supervision of your physician.
Remember, though, that when you find a health care professional that you're
satisfied with, the two of you are working together as a team. Together you
will be able to develop a plan to treat your anxiety disorder that may involve
medications, cognitive-behavioral or other talk therapy, or both, as appropriate.
Strategies To Make Treatment More Effective
Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help group and
sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking with trusted friends
or a trusted member of the clergy can also be very helpful, although not a
substitute for mental health care.
The family is of great importance in the recovery of a person with an anxiety
disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive without helping to perpetuate
the person's symptoms. If the family tends to trivialize the disorder or demand
improvement without treatment, the affected person will suffer. Stress management
techniques and meditation may help you to calm yourself and enhance the effects
of therapy, although there is as yet no scientific evidence to support the
value of these "wellness" approaches to recovery from anxiety disorders.
There is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may be of value, and it
is known that caffeine, illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold
medications can aggravate the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Check with your
physician or pharmacist before taking any additional medicines.
For More Information
Please visit the following link for more information
about organizations that focus on anxiety disorders.
Back to Anxiety
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