Help for anxiety can come through medication and non-medication options.
Medication
The mainstay of medication treatment for anxiety disorders is the serotonin-enhancing antidepressants like the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (Cymbalta and Effexor).
Even though these medications are anti-depressants, we also use them to treat anxiety disorders like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Specific Phobias.
There are some over-the-counter treatments for anxiety.
- Gaba
- L-Theonine
- Chamomile
- Kava
- Valerian root
This video talks about these options.
Non-Medication Treatment
Here are some ways to manage anxiety without medication
Develop a regular meditation routine to turn down the dial on your daily level of angst.
Meditation versus Relaxation, Which Works Better?
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a type of relaxation exercise
Mindfulness is a type of meditation, but it is also seen as a mindset you adopt
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a type of therapy approach that involves a focus on what you think (cognitive therapy) and/or a focus on changing behaviors. There are different variations of cognitive behavior therapy.
Cognitive therapy helps you change misperceptions you have or wrong conclusions you draw that affect your behavior.
These videos discuss how you can identify thought distortions and then challenge them.
Distress Tolerance is a module of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which is a variant of cognitive behavior therapy. It involves living in the moment of your distress and being able to tolerate it rather than use things to run from it or avoid it.
Many essential oils can produce a relaxation response. We refer to this as aromatherapy. Essential oils can be diffused in your home to create a relaxing atmosphere.
What is the best way to communicate with someone who over thinks?
It is exhausting to listen to them.
The video on mindfulness was very eye opening for me. I had heard this “living in the moment” comment many times but really didn’t understand what it meant. I’m thinking but don’t I always live in the moment or most of the time. I think that I actually did live in the moment when I was young and my children were little. But as things progress and the kids got older I wasn’t as much. I was always trying to do more that one thing at the time. So that I wasn’t “wasting “ time. Like while watching the news I could write checks for bills at the same time. I was always doing 2-3 things at once so that I didn’t have any lull time. No time to just be. While waiting to pick my son up from one of his activities I would study or write checks, make out cards or write a letter. I never gave myself any down time. This is how I never stopped to smell the roses. So now I get anxious sometimes and don’t have a reason per say to be anxious. I’m just anxious. I never give myself time to relax and to just enjoy my environment. Even on vacation at the beach I can’t just lay there on the beach. To just enjoy looking at the waves, the birds, the sand. I have to be doing something even if it’s just crocheting or doing some cross stitch or reading something for continuing Ed. I think I’m going to have to learn how to do this again. I feel like now that I’m 62 I don’t have much time left so I need to get stuff done. Thank you so much for your videos. This one in particular was very awakening. Will continue to follow you and share this with my daughter who has issues with anxiety herself.