Therapy Vs. Medicine for Anxiety

Panic attacks, headaches, anxiousness, worry and trembling are all possible symptoms experienced with anxiety disorders. Both physical and emotional symptoms may play a part in a person's condition. Medication treatment is effective in reducing symptom effects, while therapy helps to treat the root cause of the condition. In many cases, a combined treatment approach is the most effective solution.

Identification

• Anxiety disorders can range from mild to severe, causing minimal or significant impairment in a person's ability to function. Each person's circumstances are different, so one form of treatment may work for one person, and not work for another. The symptoms experienced by someone who suffers from anxiety may be emotional or physical, or both. The more severe cases involve both emotional and physical symptoms. Traditional treatment approaches include therapy and/or medication depending on how severe the case may be.

Treatment Types

• Medications used to treat anxiety disorders include benzodiazepines, antidepressants and beta-blockers. Benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin. Antidepressents used for anxiety include Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Prozac. Beta-blocker medications include Atenolol, and Propranolol. The type of medication needed will depend on a person's body chemistry, as well as how severe her symptoms have become. Therapy treatments used to treat anxiety include cognitive and behavioral therapy. And while medication treatments may help with symptom relief, they do not cure the actual cause of a person's condition. Therapy is the approach that addresses the root causes of anxiety symptoms.

Medication Treatments

• Benzodiazepines are tranquilizer drugs used to treat symptoms of anxiety as well as insomnia and certain seizure disorders. These drugs specifically target a chemical in the brain called GABA. By increasing GABA secretions in the brain, they provide a calming effect and alleviate symptoms quite efficiently. However, these drugs are highly addictive, meaning a person will require increased dosages to maintain the same desired effects over time. Antidepressant mediations are less addictive than benzodiazepines, but it can take up to four to six weeks before their effects can be felt. Dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine are the brain chemicals targeted by antidepressants. An imbalance in one or more of these chemicals can cause anxiety symptoms. Antidepressants work by creating a normal chemical balance in the brain. Beta-blockers specifically target norepinephrine, which is a stress hormone. They work to reduce the levels of norepinephrine in the brain. These drugs are good for the relief of physical symptoms like those that occur during a panic attack, but emotional symptoms are not treated by this type of drug.

Psychotherapy Approaches

• Therapy treatments are designed to address the thinking patterns that lead to feelings of anxiety. Through the course of treatment, individuals learn how to better cope with their feelings and control their thought processes. Cognitive therapy views thought processes as the basis of emotional pain. By replacing destructive thought patterns with constructive ones, the source of emotional symptoms is eliminated. Behavioral therapy focuses on how a person's behaviors or actions affect his emotional state. Individuals are encouraged to confront their anxieties by gradually exposing themselves to fearful situations. Through repeated exposures, individuals become desensitized to what were once threatening situations. It's not uncommon for a therapist to combine the cognitive and behavioral approaches when working with anxiety sufferers.

Combined Treatment Approach

• People who experience both physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety see the best results when medication and therapy treatments are administered together. Emotional symptoms are typically related to how a person views her life circumstances, so it's not uncommon for depression to play a part in her condition. Physical symptoms experienced are more immediate and life-altering. Beta-blockers or benzodiazepine medications may be prescribed at the outset of treatment, and then tapered off as antidepressant medications begin to take effect. Or benzodiazepines and beta-blockers may be prescribed on an as-needed basis. Throughout the course of medication treatment, psychotherapy provides a person with the coping skills needed to deal with her emotions. In some cases, individuals may get to the point where no medication treatment is needed at all.