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Anxiety disorders are more than just experiencing temporary fear or worry. Their symptoms may interfere with most of your daily activities, including relationships, school work, and job performance. Anxiety disorder is available in different types:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Specific phobia
- Agoraphobia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
You can use medication to treat various types of anxiety. But if you’re dealing with stress regularly, medication may not be your best treatment option. Several resources can help you deal with the specific kind of anxiety you deal with frequently.
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, you might respond to some situations and things with dread and fear. You might also encounter physical anxiety symptoms like sweating and a pounding heart. A mix of environmental and genetic factors might raise your risk of developing the condition. Some of the factors that put you at risk of developing the anxiety disorder include:
- Traumatic or stressful events during childhood or adulthood stage
- Certain personality traits like behavioral inhibition or shyness make you uncomfortable with unfamiliar people, environments, or situations.
- Family history of mental health condition
- Certain physical conditions such as heart arrhythmias and thyroid problems
According to BetterHealth, anxiety disorders may be debilitating and distressing. They can contribute to your loss of employment and educational opportunities and make you experience challenges with handling your social and family relationships. Fortunately, you can use several helpful resources to calm or control your specific anxiety disorder.
1. Self-Help Resources
Several self-help resources can aid in calming your anxiety condition. Some of the most common self-help resources include workbooks, online CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy programmers, etc. Another great self-help resource is to try out intuitive coaching which can help you let go of things that are holding you back and to move forward in your life. Depending on what you would like to work on, your healthcare provider can recommend resources that you can utilize individually or share with others experiencing similar difficulties.
2. Taking Therapies
With some types of anxiety disorders or situations, your healthcare provider may recommend talking therapy treatment to control your condition. The standard talking treatment options for anxiety include applied relaxation and cognitive-behavioral therapy. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on addressing the factors affecting your behavior and feelings, such as attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. It’s a talking therapy that can help you learn how to use coping skills to control different anxiety disorder symptoms.
Applied relaxation therapy is a form of talking therapy that teaches you how to calm your muscles, especially in a situation that often triggers your anxiety disorder.
3. Medication
Your healthcare provider may recommend medication to manage your anxiety symptoms. In some rare cases, combining medicine and taking therapy would be helpful. Common medications to treat different treatments include antidepressants, pregabalIn, and beta-blockers. These medications may cause side effects such as rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, etc. Ensure, therefore, to consult your doctor before taking any medicine for an anxiety disorder to be advised accordingly.
4. Identifying and Learning to Control Your Triggers
You can either identify your anxiety triggers with a therapist or yourself. But the former sounds like an excellent idea. Some anxiety triggers are apparent, such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or caffeine. Long-term stimuli like work and financial-related situations might take time to identify. That’s where the need to involve a therapist to identify your triggers comes in handy.
If you’re lucky enough to identify all your triggers, work on limiting your exposure to them as much as possible. For instance, if your anxiety level rises due to drinking alcohol, you can reduce the amount you drink or completely stop drinking.
5. Keeping Your Mind and Body Healthy
Getting enough sleep, connecting with friends and family members regularly, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced diet are excellent methods to combat your anxiety symptoms. Getting enough sleep should include having a good night’s sleep for at least seven hours. Some of the workouts you can try to stave off your anxiety symptoms include yoga, meditation, and deep breathing.
Conclusion
If you apply these tips but your anxiety condition persists or becomes more severe, you might need to seek immediate medical help. Your healthcare provider can streamline the procedure to identify your triggers and customize a suitable plan that suits your unique needs. While you’ll have to do most of the treatment process yourself at home, ensure to make frequent visits to your doctor’s office to assess your situation and track your progress.
