Therapy And Treatments For Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety is a typical emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. However, it doesn’t fade away for some people as it should. Anxiety serves as your body’s early warning system, but people with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and other mental health conditions with similar emotional symptoms may constantly feel on edge and worried. Read on to learn more about anxiety disorders and the various treatments for anxiety attacks.
Unlike a panic attack, which is a diagnosable condition and has a clear set of symptoms, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not have a set definition for an anxiety attack. While the meaning can be subjective, many consider an anxiety attack to be the sudden or gradually building onset of intense anxiety symptoms concerning an obvious stressor or specific situation that could happen. By comparison, panic attacks can occur without warning or apparent cause.
However, many people use the term “anxiety attack” to refer to panic attacks.
How to handle an unexpected one
Panic attacks and anxiety attacks can be overwhelming experiences that occur suddenly and significantly impact daily life. These episodes, characterized by sudden and intense feelings of fear and apprehension, can worsen if left untreated, potentially leading to the development of panic disorder.
Recognizing the symptoms of panic, which include emotional and physical manifestations such as muscle tension, is crucial for seeking help from a mental health professional. Traumatic events and a family history of anxiety disorders can all contribute to triggering attacks.
Practicing deep breathing exercises and other stress management techniques like muscle relaxation can help release tension, prevent panic attacks, and reduce stress levels. Additionally, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with enough sleep, a healthy diet, and regular aerobic exercise can contribute to overall well-being, help prevent panic attacks, and help manage panic disorder.
While medication such as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and those in the benzodiazepine drug class may be prescribed in severe cases. However, it's essential to work closely with your doctor to avoid physical dependence and to avoid the use of recreational drugs in an attempt to self-medicate your medical condition. Some individuals also explore alternative therapies such as support groups or herbal remedies.
By taking proactive steps to manage stress and seek support, individuals can effectively cope with panic attacks and improve their quality of life.
As with many mental health conditions, the symptoms of panic attacks and anxiety attacks can differ from one person to another. However, some common symptoms are often seen with anxiety attacks.
Anxiety attack symptoms include:
- Intense nervousness or building feelings of worry
- Feeling that you are losing control of your life or emotions
- Higher than usual irritability
- Chest pain
- Increased or irregular heart rate
- Lightheadedness or feeling you may faint
- Rapid breathing, shortness of breath, or other trouble breathing
- Trembling
- Nausea
- A feeling of detachment or unreality
- Sweating
- Overwhelming sense of impending doom or danger
- Trouble concentrating or your mind going blank
- Difficulty falling and staying asleep
Anyone can experience an anxiety attack, but it often occurs as an anxiety disorder symptom. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 30% of American adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Generalized anxiety disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) typically involves persistent anxiety, worry, fear, or dread about many situations or multiple areas of your life. You may frequently overthink situations or fixate on improbable worst-case scenarios. Because anxiety doesn’t dissipate, your body may be stuck in fight or flight mode, leaving you to constantly perceive threats even when they aren’t present. People with GAD often have trouble handling uncertainty and may demonstrate persistent worry disproportionate to the situation.
Panic attack and panic disorder
Anxiety can lead some to develop panic disorder for some people, which involves sudden and extreme periods of overwhelming fear or anxiety. Panic attacks are usually debilitating, causing severe interference with your functional ability, and typically last several minutes. Panic attacks can happen without warning, with or without an obvious cause. Panic attacks may worsen as some experience more anxiety about the severity of future episodes.
If your anxiety centers around the fear of ridicule, rejection, or embarrassment in social situations, you may have a social anxiety disorder. This type of anxiety usually involves persistent and intense fear in social situations. You may experience symptoms more often when in situations with unfamiliar people or when performance of any kind is involved. You may also worry about saying or doing something that will draw negative attention to you.
Humans form emotional attachments to the people we care deeply about, and some people experience intense distress when separated from their attachment figures. Separation anxiety disorder typically involves excessive fear and anxiety when away from your loved ones. You may also have nightmares with separation themes, actively avoid being alone, or experience physical symptoms such as a racing pulse and rapid breathing when you’re not together.
Phobia-related disorders
Some people experience extreme fear and aversion reactions to specific objects or situations, such as a phobia of heights, spiders, or open water. Phobia-related disorders frequently involve concerns about things that pose little or no danger. However, despite the improbability of being injured by the subject of your phobia, you may show severe reactions out of proportion to the situation.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
After experiencing a life-threatening traumatic event, some people have trouble controlling their emotional responses to specific stressors and reminders of their trauma. People with PTSD often have powerful unwanted symptoms that affect their thought patterns, mood, behaviors, and overall comfort, significantly impacting multiple areas of their lives and interfering with their daily function.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
Medication
While not curable, anxiety and panic disorders can be treated by antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety medications. These options may effectively target the symptoms and significantly reduce the discomfort associated with the mental health condition by making it easier to function and cope with the effects.
Psychotherapy for unexpected attacks
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common treatments for anxiety disorders. CBT helps you identify and replace negative thought patterns and behaviors with more productive, positive options.
Exposure therapy helps you control your reaction to the stressors that trigger anxiety through systematic exposure. By exposing you to the object of your phobia or concern, you can develop a tolerance and better control your reactions, learning new ways to confront your fears.
Group therapy offers both the support and guidance of a professional and a community of other people likely going through similar experiences with their anxiety symptoms. In addition to the benefits of talking with others who tell your disorder, you may also learn about coping mechanisms that helped them and could potentially work for you.
Relaxation techniques such as guided imagery, biofeedback, deep breathing exercises, progressive relaxation, and autogenic training can help you manage anxiety symptoms. Talk to your doctor to learn more about these treatment methods.
Coping strategies
- Acknowledge the situation and that it will pass
- Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet and get plenty of sleep
- Practice mindfulness with meditation, yoga, or deep breathing techniques
- Develop a repertoire of healthy coping skills to manage stress and anxiety
- Build a support network of friends, family, and mental healthcare providers
- Take a walk to ground yourself
- Get regular exercise
- Keep a journal to track your anxiety triggers and what helps
- Listen to music that relaxes you
- Establish calming hobbies
- Find relaxation techniques that help you feel calm
Know when to reach out for help for treatment
Anxiety is a regular part of life and an emotion that everyone experiences. However, if you’re experiencing frequent anxiety attacks or find that your symptoms are severely interfering with your life and ability to function, it may be time to reach out for professional help. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition among adults, affecting nearly 40 million people. The organization said that anxiety disorders are also “highly treatable,” though only 36.9% of people living with them receive treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common treatment for anxiety disorders and is available online through virtual mental healthcare platforms like BetterHelp. Working with a licensed therapist can help you identify and replace negative thought patterns and behaviors with healthier, more effective habits. You can also learn practical coping skills to help you manage your anxiety symptoms and stress reactions in tense situations. Flexible appointment formats make fitting therapy into your busy schedule more manageable than ever.
Online CBT treatments are as effective as in-person sessions, according to a recent study measuring the results of internet-based therapeutic interventions for anxiety disorders. Medical professionals agree that the effectiveness of therapy increases with the number of sessions attended, and many patients said the convenience of receiving treatment at home made it possible to make it to more appointments.
Takeaway
There may not be a one-size-fits-all anxiety attack treatment. That said, there may be a few ways to reduce symptoms when anxiety or panic attacks occur. These include:
- Breathing exercises: One of the more severe possible symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack is a feeling of having difficulty breathing. Breathing exercises like box breathing can be helpful for controlling the breath and making sure you aren’t hyperventilating.
- Mindfulness: Using mindfulness can be helpful for returning your mind to the present moment and slowing down racing thoughts. By focusing on physical sensations like your breath, or on things you can see, hear, or smell, you may be able to reduce feelings of fear and anxiety.
- Relaxation exercises: Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing one set of muscles at a time. This can be a useful way to reduce tension and manage symptoms of anxiety in the body.
- Positive affirmations: Often, when people experience panic attacks or anxiety attacks, fear overwhelms their body or mind. Making reassuring statements to yourself, like “I’m safe” or “This is not a heart attack,” can help to reduce feelings of fear and keep negative thoughts in check.
These methods may help you to manage the acute symptoms of anxiety attacks and panic disorder. Longer-term treatments, like therapy and medication, may also help to prevent future panic attacks and anxiety attacks.
It may be possible to have anxiety attacks every day, especially for people with severe anxiety disorders or phobias, or people who are frequently exposed to triggers. Mental illnesses like panic disorder can also cause frequent and unexpected panic attacks.
Daily anxiety and panic attacks can negatively impact mental health and quality of life. If you are experiencing them often, it may be worth talking to a mental health specialist.
The fastest way to resolve anxiety may be different for different people. Practices like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and meditation can all help to reduce acute anxiety and panic symptoms.
That said, it can be an ongoing process to reframe anxious thoughts and overcome fears that may be contributing to them. This can require patience, and the help of a professional may sometimes be necessary to treat panic attacks, anxiety attacks, or other anxiety symptoms.
The timeline for anxiety recovery can depend on factors like the person and their specific treatment plan. For example, some anxiety medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may take several weeks to start working. Certain therapeutic methods may also require a few sessions. Some people may start to feel better within a few weeks, while for others, recovery can take a year or more.
Several self-care strategies may be useful for managing anxiety, such as:
- Getting healthy sleep
- Eating a balanced diet
- Reducing caffeine intake
- Getting regular exercise
- Practicing meditation, yoga, or deep breathing
- Maintaining a healthy support system
- Journaling
- Practicing enjoyable hobbies
These methods may help reduce the severity of anxiety. That said, some people may also benefit from treatments like therapy or medication.
Anxiety disorders may occur alongside other mental illnesses, but they may also occur on their own. In this case, a doctor may prescribe treatments designed to target the anxiety by itself. If the anxiety is occurring along with another mental illness, like depression, a doctor may recommend a medication or therapy that targets both.
In some cases, managing anxiety may simply be a matter of making lifestyle changes and practicing self-care. That said, this can vary. Some people may need professional help to effectively reduce their anxiety symptoms. If you have questions about treating anxiety, it may be worth talking to a mental health specialist.
Some people may find that anxiety gets worse at night, leading to racing thoughts or potentially even panic attack symptoms. This may be due to having fewer distractions at night, leaving more opportunities for anxiety to set in.
Nighttime anxiety can be distressing and make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. That said, there may be ways to manage it, including:
- Emptying the mind by journaling about worries before bed
- Getting regular exercise, which may make it easier to sleep
- Meditating before bed
- Practicing yoga before bed
- Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon
- Avoiding screens, social media, and the news before going to sleep
- Taking time to wind down before getting in bed
These methods may help reduce the effects of nighttime anxiety.
Anxiety tends to be considered chronic, meaning it may not be possible to completely “cure” it. That said, medications, lifestyle changes, and therapy can all reduce anxiety symptoms and improve quality of life. With proper treatment and support, people with anxiety disorders often go into remission.
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