Treating Anxiety Disorder

Do you visit your regular doctor? That's a good idea, to make sure that the symptoms you're experiencing are actually caused by anxiety and not something else, some physical malady that requires medical attention. Sometimes what feels like a heart problem really IS a heart problem.

But what is your doctor going to do when he or she diagnoses your problem as anxiety? Most likely, one of three things:

1. Prescribe medications to calm your symptoms
2. Refer you to a psychiatrist
3. Refer you to a counselor or psychologist - hopefully one with experience treating anxiety disorder

Let's take a brief look at each of these possibilities or options:

Your Doctor Prescribes Medications

If your doctor prescribes medications for your anxiety disorder, it's only going to make you feel better, since this is not a disease and can't be cured by pills. But making you feel better is what a lot of doctors see as their job and with what's happened to the health care industry in this country, that's often about all they CAN do; in most busy clinics today the doctor is only allowed about 15 minutes per patient.

The downside of many medications prescribed for anxiety problems is two-fold: one, the relief is often only temporary (assuming it works at all) and soon you might be needing more of it or something different, and two, with a lot of psychotropic meds, the withdrawals can potentially be as bad or worse than the problem they're trying to control. This latter problem is especially the case with benzodiazepines if they're taken on a regular basis. 

Your Doctor Refers You to a Psychiatrist 

If your doctor sends you to a psychiatrist, that practitioner is also likely to prescribe meds. However, it's probable that this one has more experience with the various medications used for anxiety, panic, depression, etc. And he or she may well combine the meds with therapy. 

Two problems with this protocol, though, are that while you're taking medicines that dull your feelings, emotions, reactions and more, how will you know if the therapy is working? And then if you try to quit the drugs, the rebound effect or withdrawal might just send you right back to them. A lot of people simply expect to take these drugs for the rest of their lives to keep the anxiety at bay.

Fact:

A fact that needs to be pointed out here is that ALL mood-enhancing or psychotropic drugs have negative side effects, ranging from mild to severe. And, as already mentioned, many also set you up for serious and debilitating withdrawal troubles. 

(For more information on these drugs read Anti-Anxiety Medicatons)

Your Doctor Recommends a Counselor or Psychologist

If the counselor or psychologist has experience treating anxiety disorder and uses a therapy such as guided Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, the aim is to get to the source of your anxiety and eliminate it, by changing your way of thinking and reacting. Usually without medication. (If you suffer from severe panic attacks you may benefit from some medication on a limited basis to get you through it and make you functional.) 

In the experience of virtually all former anxiety sufferers, these types of thought-changing therapies have been the answer. Because your anxiety comes from your active brain - your beliefs, your perspective and your subconscious training, and drugs don't change that, only you can.

You can take drugs to cover up your symptoms or take action and cure your anxiety disorder. Most of those who have successfully eliminated their problem have first tried the drugs, then taken action to cure themselves.

To Your Recovery,

Owen

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