What is the treatment for anxiety disorders and phobias?
The main aim of treatment is to help you to reduce symptoms so that anxiety no longer affects your day-to-day life. The treatment options depend on what condition you have, and how severely you are affected. They may include one or more of the following.
NON-MEDICATION TREATMENTS
Understanding
Understanding the cause of symptoms, and talking things over with a friend, family member or health professional may help. In particular, some people worry that the physical symptoms of anxiety such as palpitations are due to a physical illness. This can make anxiety worse. Understanding that you have an anxiety disorder is unlikely to cure it, but it often helps.
Counselling
This may help some people with certain conditions. For example, counselling which focuses on problem solving skills may help if you have generalised anxiety disorder.
Anxiety management courses
These may be an option for some conditions if they are available in your area. The courses may include: learning how to relax, problem solving skills, coping strategies, and group support.
Cognitive and behaviour therapy
These, if available in your area, can work well for persisting anxiety disorders and phobias.
- Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that certain ways of thinking can trigger, or 'fuel', certain mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. The therapist helps you to understand your current thought patterns. In particular, to identify any harmful, unhelpful, and 'false' ideas or thoughts which you have that can make you anxious (or depressed). The aim is then to change your ways of thinking to avoid these ideas. Also, to help your thought patterns to be more realistic and helpful. Therapy is usually done in weekly sessions of about 50 minutes each, for several weeks. You have to take an active part, and are given 'homework' between sessions. For example, you may be asked to keep a diary of your thoughts which occur when you become anxious or develop physical symptoms of anxiety.
- Behaviour therapy aims to change any behaviours which are harmful or not helpful. For example, with phobias your 'behaviour' or response to the feared object is harmful, and the therapist aims to help you to change this. Various techniques are used, depending on the condition and circumstances. As with cognitive therapy, several sessions are needed for a course of therapy.
- Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT)is a mixture of the two where you may benefit from changing both thoughts and behaviours. (Note: cognitive and behaviour therapies do not 'look into the events of the past'. They deal with, and aim to change, your current thought processes and/or behaviours.)
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