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Thanks
to the National Institute of Mental Health
for the following information.
Facts About
Anxiety Disorders - 2
Generalized Anxiety
Disorder—Constant, exaggerated worrisome thoughts and tension about
everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months.
Almost always anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to
expect it; accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling,
muscle tension, headache, or nausea.
What Are
Effective Treatments for Anxiety Disorder?
Treatments have been largely developed through research conducted
by NIMH and other research institutions. They help many people with
anxiety disorders and often combine medication and specific types of
psychotherapy.
A number of medications
that were originally approved for treating depression have been found to
be effective for anxiety disorders as well. Some of the newest of these
antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Other antianxiety medications include groups of drugs called
benzodiazepines and beta-blockers. If one medication is not effective,
others can be tried. New medications are currently under development to
treat anxiety symptoms.
Two clinically-proven
effective forms of psychotherapy used to treat anxiety disorders are
behavioral therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy
focuses on changing specific actions and uses several techniques to stop
unwanted behaviors. In addition to the behavioral therapy techniques,
cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients to understand and change
their thinking patterns so they can react differently to the situations
that cause them anxiety.
Do Anxiety
Disorders Co-Exist with Other Physical or Mental Disorders?
It is common for an anxiety disorder to accompany depression, eating
disorders, substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders
can also co-exist with illnesses such as cancer or heart disease. In such
instances, the accompanying disorders will also need to be treated. Before
beginning any treatment, however, it is important to have a thorough
medical examination to rule out other possible causes of symptoms.
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