You can treat anxiety disorders with medication. However, a combination of meds and anxiety counselling is more effective. Unlike medicine, counselling provides you the necessary tools and psychological techniques to manage your anxiety by yourself.
What Are Anxiety Disorders
Approximately 20% of adults and 30% of adolescents experience anxiety every year. The major types of anxiety disorders are the following:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Social anxiety disorder (SAD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Phobias
These disorders usually are the result of negative or traumatic experiences. People who suffer from anxiety disorders tend to overreact to disagreeable feelings, thoughts, and situations. You can manage these reactions by evading the usual triggers, but you can minimize the ill effects through anxiety counselling.
How Anxiety Counselling Helps
The goal of counselling is to help you understand why you feel anxious, what triggers it, and how you can change your reaction towards these triggers. A counselor can use a variety of therapeutic techniques to rewire your negative thoughts and change your behavior.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most used type of therapy for anxiety. It is effective in treating panic disorders, phobias, SAD, and GAD. The assumption is that your thoughts, and not your current situation, affect your feelings and how you behave. The goal of this therapy is to identify the negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and replace them with more realistic thoughts.
Exposure Therapy
According to studies, exposing you to something you are afraid of is the best way to conquer your fears. During sessions, the counselor or therapist slowly introduces you to the cause of your anxiety until you become desensitized to the trigger.
Art Therapy
The use of art is not a standalone technique. It is practiced in conjunction with other techniques. Without saying a word, you can express your emotions through the process of making artwork. This process also allows you to practice mindfulness and relaxation.
Bottomline
There are more therapies involved in managing anxiety, but the right one for you depends on your underlying condition. Although medicine can help minimize the triggers, taking anxiety counselling can prepare you for future attacks.
Learn to manage your anxiety by visiting a reliable counselor today. Fortunately, you can also get counselling services online. You do not have to commute to the doctor’s office to get the counselling you need. However, you may have to drive to the doctor’s office during therapy sessions.
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