When a person has an anxiety disorder, they may suffer from unrelenting worries, panic attacks or incapacitating phobias. Anxiety medication can help, but therapy is usually the most effective treatment option, as it treats more than just the symptoms. Therapy helps patients discover the underlying causes of their anxiety; learn how to relax; and look at situations in new, less frightening ways. It also teaches them how to avoid maintaining factors such as negative thinking and escape behaviors.
Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is the most well-researched anxiety treatment. It targets the three big components of anxiety—worry, physical arousal and edginess, and avoidance behavior–by teaching one or more well-researched programs of skills.
CBT teaches patients how to recognize the irrational predictions and negative distortions in their anxious thoughts, helping them to replace those beliefs with realistic ones. It also encourages them to engage in desensitizing activities such as mental exposition, which involves the patient remaining in the presence of images that are related to their possible concerns or anxieties for an extended period of time, and emotional exposure, which involves exposing a patient to the things they fear in small doses over the course of therapy.
In addition to teaching patients these skills, therapists will also try to teach them relaxation techniques and other coping strategies. For instance, a patient with an anxiety disorder might be taught to take a deep breath when they experience their symptoms, or they may be encouraged to meditate, eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. These lifestyle changes can help ease anxiety symptoms and improve a patient’s overall mood, making them more receptive to therapy.
Anxiety therapy is usually conducted in a series of 12 or more sessions that last about an hour each. Between sessions, patients will often be given “homework” assignments such as tracking their thoughts and practicing relaxation skills. Therapy for anxiety is not a quick fix, and most people experience ups and downs as they go through it. But in general, research shows that Anxiety Therapy has lasting effects, even years after it is completed.
A therapist who specializes in treating anxiety disorders can be found at sites such as Brightside, which has a large number of licensed therapists, or Talkspace, which focuses on offering LGBTQ+ friendly services and provides online psychiatric services including prescription management. Some therapists will also accept insurance, though others prefer not to deal with the hassle of filing claims and will instead charge on a sliding scale that is based on a client’s income and expenses.
Patients with an anxiety disorder should be sure to see a primary care doctor for a checkup before starting therapy. This can rule out any underlying medical conditions that would need to be treated, such as heart disease. If a physician determines that there is no medical cause for the anxiety, he or she can refer the patient to a mental health specialist for counseling. Anxiety therapy can make a huge difference in the quality of life for people who suffer from this condition.