Anxiety Attacks: When To Seek Professional Help
Anxiety attacks can be quite frequent during major life changes such as a death in the family, a divorce or moving out. These are usually episodes of intense fear that result to bodily signs such as palpitations, difficulty in breathing, excessive sweating, dizziness and trembling. Oftentimes, the fear is aggravated by thoughts of losing control, having a heart attack or worse, of dying during an anxiety attack.
When your daily functions are hampered by constant anxiety, and when you feel these symptoms quite frequently, then a visit to a doctor or a therapist may be in order. There are other medical conditions that your doctor maybe able to rule out which may be causing your anxieties such as hypoglycemia or a thyroid problem. It is also possible that anxiety is caused by any of the medicines that you may be taking for an already existing health problem.
If your doctor concludes that your anxiety is not really caused by a medical condition, a consultation with a psychotherapist may be in order. Consult with a therapist who is familiar with anxiety disorders and who could give you options for treatment.
Finding a good therapist is crucial. One thing you can do is to ask for referrals from friends or family members. If you find this difficult because you feel uneasy admitting to your family or your friends that you have a problem, try getting referrals from a doctor you are comfortable confiding with.
What are the options available for treating anxiety disorders?
There are several options available for treating anxiety, depending on the kind of disorder. Generally though, anxiety disorders respond better to a blend of behavioral therapy and medication.
Behavioral Therapy
The most common form of behavior therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been proven to be effective in dealing with anxiety. The sessions usually take from 5 to 20 weeks depending on the severity of the condition. The main focus of this kind of therapy is identifying the thought processes such as negative thoughts, false assumptions and illogical beliefs that cause your anxiety. The therapist will work with you in challenging these thought processes and help you replace these thoughts with more positive or more rational thoughts that will eventually create changes in the way you behave.
Medication
It has been established through research that medication works best when it is given to supplement or complement behavioral therapy. Medication alone has resulted to more relapses, usually within a two week period after use is discontinued. The most frequently prescribed medications for anxiety are the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and also benzodiazepines which have both been proven to reduce the frequency and intensity of anxiety attacks. However there are drawbacks to continued use of these medicines, such as dizziness, memory loss, sleepiness, and sometimes the body develops tolerance for them, that a relapse of the physical symptoms happens after 2 weeks of use.
Alternative Therapies
There are several alternative therapies that you can consider to cure anxiety. Anything that can contribute to a more relaxed mind such as relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, even a good massage can reduce your level of anxiety and prevent further anxiety attacks.
If you think your anxiety level is higher than most people you know, and if you think that your anxiety attacks are getting too frequent, you should seek professional medical help. Self-medication is not advised, and if you try the alternative therapies mentioned above, make sure that you consult with your doctor first in order to rule out all other medical conditions that maybe causing your anxiety attacks.
