What Works for Anxiety

What works for anxiety depends on body chemistry, which differs from person to person. When a person suffers from anxiety, there are generally six main avenues he can take. Sometimes the best way to ease anxiety is to combine one or more methods. Exercise, anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, herbal supplements, cognitive-behavioral therapy and meditation are all methods to help people with anxiety.

Exercise

• The Mayo Clinic reports that exercise reduces anxiety (as well as depression) for reasons that aren't completely understood. One theory is that exercise releases mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. Another theory is that exercise raises the level of endorphins and and reduces cortisol, the stress-causing hormone. Although the Mayo Clinic suggests that at least 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week is optimal to reduce anxiety, short bouts of exercise for 10 or 15 minutes may also temporarily ease anxiety.

Anti-Anxiety Medications

• The National Institute of Mental Health warns that anti-anxiety medications will not "cure" anxiety, but may help ease the symptoms. There are two types of anti-anxiety medications: benzodiazepines and buspirone. There are approximately 30 benzodiazepines on the market and each is used for a specific purpose. For example, a person with anxiety who is experiencing panic attacks may be prescribed alprazolam. Buspirone is used to treat generalized anxiety disorder. Only a doctor can recommend the best anti-anxiety medication, based on individual symptoms.

Antidepressants

• When a person's anxiety also includes symptoms of depression, antidepressants may be prescribed. The three main types of antidepressants are SSRIs, tricyclics and MAOIs. Generally, SSRIs are used as the first line of defense against anxiety combined with depression. Commonly prescribed antidepressants for anxiety are Lexapro (escitalopram) and Celexa (citalopram).

Herbal Supplements

• MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health reports the following herbal supplements may help ease symptoms of anxiety: chamomile, kava, lavender aromatherapy, passion flower and valerian.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

• The National Institute of Mental Health reports that cognitive-behavioral therapy is useful in treating anxiety. This type of therapy has people look at what triggers their anxiety and helps them change the way they think. This type of psychotherapy lasts about three months in either an individual or group setting.

Meditation

• The Mayo Clinic recommends meditation as a way of relieving anxiety caused by stress. The Mayo Clinic reports that just a few minutes of meditation may work in relieving anxiety. There are several different ways of meditation, but according to the Mayo Clinic, it doesn't matter what type of meditation is practiced. The following meditation techniques are equally useful in treating anxiety: guided meditation, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, qi gong, tai chi and yoga.