Will anxiety go away?

Anxiety is the body’s normal response to perceived or actual fear, threats, dangers, and stress. When one of these presents itself, the body responds by releasing specific hormones and neurotransmitters that enable it to fight, flee, faint, or freeze to survive. For most people, anxiety is an occurrence that comes and goes exactly as it is supposed to – in moments of intense stress or threat and then resolves itself when the threat diminishes.

For example, you may experience anxiety just before a job interview and during it. Once the interview is over, the feeling of anxiety and the physiological process dissipates, and the body and mind return to a normal state. For others, anxiety can be a daily process that continues after a specific situation or occurs even when danger isn’t present. It can even begin to interfere with daily functioning.

While anxiety will occur as a normal response in some cases, and for others, it may become disordered; it can be managed and treated. When anxiety retreats after a threat are extinguished, anxiety is gone. It may come again in other situations where you sense a threat, just as it is meant to. Anxiety that frequently occurs and out of the blue may be a type of anxiety disorder and, left untreated, may worsen over time.

Normally occurring anxiety tends to go away on its own and be simple to manage on its own. Disordered anxiety may not and usually requires treatment. Anxiety is treated by mental health professionals and doctors like your family doctor or a psychiatrist. The most commonly recommended treatments include medication and talk therapy.

There are multiple forms of therapy used with anxiety that have research support for their effectiveness. Some include cognitive behavior therapy or CBT, dialectical behavior therapy or DBT, narrative therapy, interpersonal therapy, and others. The therapy used often depends on you, your strengths and preferences, and the evaluation performed by the therapist.

Some lifestyle changes are commonly recommended by both doctors and therapists, which typically include:

• Improving sleep quality and bedtime routines
• Getting enough exercise
• Lessening the amount of caffeine or other stimulants in your diet
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Breathing exercises
• Improving nutrition

Disordered anxiety can become a long-term condition but can also be managed and treated effectively to prevent worsening and limit its impact on your day-to-day life. If you are experiencing anxiety that doesn’t resolve once a situation that triggers it resolves or is difficult to manage on your own, reach out to a therapist or your regular doctor for guidance on your treatment options.