TAKING CONTROL
GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER. For a diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder, you need to have displayed at least three from the following list of symptoms:
Procedures
When it comes to GAD, psychotherapy is one of the best options to help you cope with the outside world. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is one approach that is especially useful if you have GAD.
Two studies in the mid-1990s found that this technique caused the same beneficial brain changes as those found in people taking Prozac, a drug commonly prescribed for GAD. This therapy helps you
make connections between the way you think the way you feel. people who are chronically anxious often criticise themselves harshly, which can trigger even more anxiety. Cognitive therapy teaches you to subsitute helpful thoughts for negative ones, to develop coping strategies and to use imagery to ease your anxiety.
Insight therapy, also known as the 'talking cure,' was pioneered by Sigmund Freud. The technique involves probing of the past and your mind's inner workings. The idea is to eventually produce that flash of understanding that leads you to the reason for your symptoms. Insight brings with it a tremendous emotinal release that helps you to heal. A doctor might also suggest supportive psychotherapy. You know how good it is to find an understanding and sympathetic car, how calming it is to have someone you trust tell you that everything's going to be okay--that's the essence of supportive pyschotherapy. You team up with an encouraging, positive psychiatrist or psychologist who develops a relationship with you like a kindly uncle or aunt. The therapist talks you through the tough spots and helps you to see that everything is going to work out.
Medications
The number of drugs approved to treat anxiety is extensive. This is fortunate because sometimes a drug may have an unacceptable side effect or simply doesn't work. Everyone is different, so you won't know for sure how a particular medication will affect you until you start taking it. If it's not right for you, ask your doctor to prescribe another.
If you're really handcuffed by anxiety, chances are you'll start with benzodiazepines, a group of fast-acting sedatives that includes stalwarts such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Good for short-term relief, these drugs also have well-known side effects,
most notably a sense of excessive sedation, which is eased when the dose is lowered. And, if taken regularly, they can also be habit forming. Some people report feeling out of focus, sometimes dangerously so. A Canadian study found that people who use benzodiazepines were 26 percent more likely to have a car accident.
>My anxiety seems to increase in the winter. Am I imagining it?
Actually, there could be a very good reason for this. One of the symptons of second affective disorder (SAD) is anxiety. If you live in a temperature zone and in the winter months find yourself irritable, depressed and sleeping too much, or if you're munching on excessive amounts of carbohydrates or chocolate, and putting on weight, have your doctor check you for SAD. To combat this problem, try getting out for early morning walks. A study in the British Medical journal The Lancet found that exposure to morning light (30 minutes at down) was an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder.
- Breathe deeply. Sit or lie with a pillow at the small of your back. Breathe in slowly and deeply so that your stomach moves out. Say the word 'relax' to yourself just before exhaling Exhale slowly, letting your stomach pull back in. Do this until you're calm.
- You shall overcome. Hold this thought in your mind. For most people, generalised anxiety disorder can be quelled within a few months with proper treatment.
- Pay attention to your overall health. Many people with GAD experience depression, which can be effectively treated. Chronic anxiety has also been linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks. Get checked out completely to be sure you're on a through treatment track.
GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER. For a diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder, you need to have displayed at least three from the following list of symptoms:
- irritability
- feeling restless, keyed up or edgy
- easily fatigued
- difficulty concentrating or mind goes blank
- muscle tension
- sleep disturbance
Procedures
When it comes to GAD, psychotherapy is one of the best options to help you cope with the outside world. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is one approach that is especially useful if you have GAD.
Two studies in the mid-1990s found that this technique caused the same beneficial brain changes as those found in people taking Prozac, a drug commonly prescribed for GAD. This therapy helps you
make connections between the way you think the way you feel. people who are chronically anxious often criticise themselves harshly, which can trigger even more anxiety. Cognitive therapy teaches you to subsitute helpful thoughts for negative ones, to develop coping strategies and to use imagery to ease your anxiety.
Insight therapy, also known as the 'talking cure,' was pioneered by Sigmund Freud. The technique involves probing of the past and your mind's inner workings. The idea is to eventually produce that flash of understanding that leads you to the reason for your symptoms. Insight brings with it a tremendous emotinal release that helps you to heal. A doctor might also suggest supportive psychotherapy. You know how good it is to find an understanding and sympathetic car, how calming it is to have someone you trust tell you that everything's going to be okay--that's the essence of supportive pyschotherapy. You team up with an encouraging, positive psychiatrist or psychologist who develops a relationship with you like a kindly uncle or aunt. The therapist talks you through the tough spots and helps you to see that everything is going to work out.
Medications
The number of drugs approved to treat anxiety is extensive. This is fortunate because sometimes a drug may have an unacceptable side effect or simply doesn't work. Everyone is different, so you won't know for sure how a particular medication will affect you until you start taking it. If it's not right for you, ask your doctor to prescribe another.
If you're really handcuffed by anxiety, chances are you'll start with benzodiazepines, a group of fast-acting sedatives that includes stalwarts such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Good for short-term relief, these drugs also have well-known side effects,
most notably a sense of excessive sedation, which is eased when the dose is lowered. And, if taken regularly, they can also be habit forming. Some people report feeling out of focus, sometimes dangerously so. A Canadian study found that people who use benzodiazepines were 26 percent more likely to have a car accident.
>My anxiety seems to increase in the winter. Am I imagining it?
Actually, there could be a very good reason for this. One of the symptons of second affective disorder (SAD) is anxiety. If you live in a temperature zone and in the winter months find yourself irritable, depressed and sleeping too much, or if you're munching on excessive amounts of carbohydrates or chocolate, and putting on weight, have your doctor check you for SAD. To combat this problem, try getting out for early morning walks. A study in the British Medical journal The Lancet found that exposure to morning light (30 minutes at down) was an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder.
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