How to Treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Everyone feels anxious at times, but sometimes your worries and fears can interfere with your everyday life and your ability to relax. If you are constantly worried and nervous, you may suffer from common anxiety classified as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). These feelings of anxiety can be treated with several different approaches.
Approaches to Anxiety Treatment
There are many different treatments for anxiety. However, each treatment method should be tailored specifically for each individual suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, because what works well for one individual may not work well for another.
Counseling and Therapy
Behavioral strategies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focus on the way you react to events, rather than changing the event itself. This type of therapy is used to help you better identify and understand the way things work so you can change your thinking and behavior patterns related to your anxiety.
Psychotherapy is another method of counseling that’s used in attempts to get to the root of an anxiety disorder, exploring triggers and coping mechanisms to overcome the burden of concern.
Medication
Some people find medication is helpful in managing the symptoms of anxiety. It’s important that you speak to your healthcare provider or mental health specialist about the benefits of taking medication for anxiety, as well as the risks and the side effects. Anti-anxiety medication and antidepressants are the most common prescriptions for GAD.
Prevention
There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of anxiety attacks on a day to day basis.
- Using herbal remedies
- Keeping a balanced diet
- Regular sleeping patterns
- Avoiding alcohol, marijuana, and other recreational drugs
- Decreasing your caffeine consumption
- Practicing yoga, meditation, and other exercises
Anxiety Treatment in Naples, Florida
To treat generalized anxiety disorder, you have to focus on therapies, medication, and specific adjustments and lifestyle changes. Methods of treatment are different for every person suffering from GAD, so a licensed counselor who specializes in mental health services can create an individualized approach to help your recovery process.
At Counseling of Southwest Florida, we pride ourselves on our commitment and dedication to treating mental health disorders like GAD. At our counseling center in Naples, we’ll work with you every step of the way to bring success and change that will better your life and eradicate your feelings of anxiety.
Contact our treatment specialists today if you’re looking for more information on how we can help you overcome anxiety.
Casey is the founder and CEO of Portner Counseling Group (PCG), a counseling center in the Fort Lauderdale area, which specializes with issues related to drug and alcohol use. Casey has completed focused course work on the physiological aspects of drug addiction and human psychology, as well as received extensive training on the treatment of co-occurring disorders.