How anxiety disorders are treated

In the United States, 40 million adults have an anxiety disorder. The first step in feeling better is to get help from a physician or other healthcare provider (HCP). They have the tools—and knowledge—to help you put together a treatment plan that helps ease your symptoms. Here's what you can expect.

Pinpointing your treatment options

Before treatment begins, your HCP will find out if your symptoms are caused by an anxiety disorder or another emotional or physical condition. The three main anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.

Your HCP will also look for any other health issues that may affect your mental well-being, such as depression or a substance use disorder. They may also use tests to rule out a physical cause, rather than an emotional cause. To make the diagnosis, they'll need to hear all about your symptoms and how they're affecting your life.

Once you're diagnosed, your HCP may prescribe medications, talk therapy, or a combination of both to put you on the road to recovery. You can combine these treatments with practicing good coping strategies at home to really make a difference in your anxiety levels.

Antidepressants offer relief

If your HCP prescribes an antidepressant, it could take you up to four to six weeks to feel relief from your anxiety. The most common antidepressants for anxiety are:

• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro), and citalopram (Celexa)

If you’ve tried an SNRI or SSRI and it didn’t work for you, your HCP may try a different type of SNRI or SSRI or a different drug, such as a tricyclic antidepressant like clomipramine (Anafranil) or imipramine (Tofranil). They can also begin cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of talk therapy that helps many people cope with anxiety.

Anti-anxiety medicines work well in the short-term

To help you feel calm and relaxed right away, many HCPs prescribe anti-anxiety medicine. The most widely prescribed class of anti-anxiety drugs is benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan).

Keep in mind that you may experience side effects like sleepiness, grogginess, dry mouth, or feeling uncoordinated. Benzodiazepines are not prescribed for first-line or long-term use, since people may react poorly to them or can develop a tolerance or dependency. (This means the drug doesn't work as well over time or you begin to need the drug too often.) Benzodiazepines are also linked to a higher mortality rate.

Beta-blockers may help your physical symptoms

These include rapid heart rate, sweating, and dizziness. They aren’t FDA-approved to treat anxiety and are usually meant to treat heart-related conditions. Despite a lack of strong evidence so far regarding how well they work, beta-blockers are sometimes prescribed to treat phobias or performance anxiety, since they don't affect the emotional symptoms of anxiety. Common beta-blockers include atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal).

Learn about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Discussing your problems can also help you overcome anxiety, so HCPs often recommend using CBT to treat anxiety disorders. You can set up an appointment to speak with a trained mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or counselor. Therapy can help you find the root of your anxiety and learn how to manage anxiety symptoms.

How effective is treatment?

Once you know anxiety's signs and symptoms, it's up to you to seek treatment as soon as possible. Remember, the goal of treatment is to help you function well and feel better, making each day yours for the taking once again.

Help yourself by learning coping strategies

Building healthy habits and go-to coping strategies into your lifestyle can help ease anxiety. Here are some things you can do to feel less stressed out or anxious.

• Try to get enough rest. Most healthy adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
• Aim to exercise every day. Believe it or not, just 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day can make a real difference in your well-being.
• Stick to a healthy diet. Eating balanced meals that include lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains—and limit added sugars and saturated fats—can help improve your mood. Keeping smart snacks on hand, like cut fruit or vegetables, low-fat cheese sticks, or a handful of nuts can also help.
• Try to limit your alcohol and caffeine intake. They can make anxiety worse and even cause panic attacks.
• Look for laughs. Whether it’s from movies, comic books, stand-up comedy, or a funny friend, laughter is a mood booster and can lessen anxiety.
• Try relaxation practices. Mindful meditation, deep breathing, massage, and mind-body exercises like tai chi and yoga may help ease anxiety.

The ways you and your HCP decide to treat your anxiety depends on the specific problems you're facing, as well as your preferences. With an effective treatment plan in place, many adults see improvement in their symptoms.