 |
ADD DRUGS-WEB.COM AS FAVORITE - SITE MAP |
 |
ANXIETY DISORDERS TREATMENTS |
||
|
For relatively mild anxiety disorders,
psychotherapy alone may suffice. In general, doctors prefer to use a
combination of medications and psychotherapy with more severely
anxious patients. Most patients respond better to a combination of
treatment methods than to either medications or psychotherapy in
isolation. Because of the variety of medications and treatment
approaches that are used to treat anxiety disorders, the doctor
cannot predict in advance which combination will be most helpful to
a specific patient. In many cases the doctor will need to try a new
medication or treatment over a six- to eight-week period in order to
assess its effectiveness. Treatment trials do not necessarily mean
that the patient cannot be helped or that the doctor is incompetent. Although anxiety disorders are not always easy to diagnose, there are several reasons why it is important for patients with severe anxiety symptoms to get help. Anxiety doesn't always go away by itself; it often progresses to panic attacks, phobias, and episodes of depression. Untreated anxiety disorders may eventually lead to a diagnosis of major depression, or interfere with the patient's education or ability to keep a job. In addition, many anxious patients develop addictions to drugs or alcohol when they try to "medicate" their symptoms. Moreover, since children learn ways of coping with anxiety from their parents, adults who get help for anxiety disorders are in a better position to help their families cope with factors that lead to anxiety than those who remain untreated. Alternative treatment Alternative treatments for anxiety cover a variety of approaches. Meditation and mindfulness training are thought beneficial to patients with phobias and panic disorder. Hydrotherapy is useful to some anxious patients because it promotes general relaxation of the nervous system. Yoga, aikido, tai chi, and dance therapy help patients work with the physical, as well as the emotional, tensions that either promote anxiety or are created by the anxiety. Homeopathy and traditional Chinese medicine approach anxiety as a symptom of a systemic disorder. Homeopathic practitioners select a remedy based on other associated symptoms and the patient's general constitution. Chinese medicine regards anxiety as a blockage of qi, or vital force, inside the patient's body that is most likely to affect the lung and large intestine meridian flow. The practitioner of Chinese medicine chooses acupuncture point locations and/or herbal therapy to move the qi and rebalance the entire system in relation to the lung and large intestine. Aromatherapy using essential oils can also be beneficial in treating patients with anxiety. The oils go directly to the brain via the olfactory nerve (which controls smell) and can have direct affect on calming the nervous system. |
||
|
||
| ANXIETY DISORDERS RELATED ITEMS | ||
