ANXIETY TREATMENT
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Anxiety is a cycle.
You feel anxious so you avoid the thing making you feel anxious, which brings you a sense of relief. That relief reinforces the avoidance behaviour so the next time you feel anxious, you avoid again. Temporary relief leads to long-term anxiety because you never face the anxiety.
Do something different.
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The following video shows Rob doing something different and is an example of exposure therapy, often used for social anxiety and phobias:
All pictures courtesy of Wix.com
Once you've talked to your parent(s) or guardian(s) about what's been going on for you, the next step is to see your family doctor to discuss your symptoms.
If the doctor decides that a formal diagnosis is necessary, they will likely then refer you to a psychologist or counsellor for cognitive and behavioural treatment and/or a psychiatrist for medication, if necessary.
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Do something different.
Be the change.
For you.
Used with permission from https://www.anxietycanada.com/
BEST PRACTICE IN ANXIETY TREATMENT
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY
Cognitive behaviour therapy is the most common approach to treating anxiety (Pereira & Shinde, 2018; Ishikawa, 2015). By helping to give you a different perspective, CBT targets any negative thinking you may be experiencing and helps you to process it in a different way.
Being more mindful of the way you are thinking about your environment and situations that happen around you helps to decrease your anxiety by diminishing unhelpful thoughts and increasing your ability to cope and regulate your emotions.
EXPOSURE
THERAPY
Exposure therapy is the act of exposing you to the situation or thing you are afraid of in small increments over time to help you get used to being around it. Studies have shown that exposure therapy is very effective in treating anxiety (Foa & Mclean, 2016).
Exposure therapy can be delivered in person, via virtual reality, imagined (talking you through a situation), or by creating the same physical sensations experienced when fearful.
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DOCTOR-PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS
Your doctor may feel it is appropriate to prescribe medication for your anxiety.
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It is important to tell your doctor if you are experiencing any side effects from any medication you are taking.
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Disclaimer: This site does not endorse or promote any pharmaceutical therapies; talk to your doctor if you want to know about your options.
PREVENTITIVE
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Prevention is about knowing yourself and being mindful of your mental and physical needs.
Sleeping, eating, exercising, and making self-care a priority will help to manage the stress in your life and keep your anxiety low.