Your body is hardwired to make you feel anxious. It’s the natural response when you face a challenge, whether it’s irritation when you’re stuck in traffic, worry over a first day of work, or a frightening, life-threatening situation.
Anxiety should come and go. These feelings trigger a hormone surge that activates your reaction, giving you the focus and strength to deal with the challenge or quickly escape to safety. Then, balance and calm return when the anxiety-producing event is over.
For nearly one-third of teens and adults, anxiety turns into an ongoing mental health problem. Calm seldom returns, while feelings of dread and worry persist, even when they are no longer confronting a difficult situation.
If you live with anxiety that doesn’t let up, the team at Palo Alto Mind Body can help. We specialize in personalized care, recommending effective treatments that target your unique mental and physical needs.
Our team stays up-to-date with the latest treatments while continuing to use long-standing, proven therapies. After weighing each treatment’s safety and effectiveness, we explain your options and create a customized care plan.
Here’s a summary of anxiety treatment options:
Relaxation alone may not be enough to ease your anxiety. It is, however, a supportive tool that defuses anxiety, making your feelings and behaviors easier to manage.
As you practice a relaxation technique like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or visiting a quiet place, it can become a positive tool to help you better deal with stress, dread, or fear.
Several types of psychotherapy (talk therapy) effectively treat anxiety. One example is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT teaches you to identify and purposefully change the negative thoughts and emotions that trigger anxiety.
Other therapies have a different focus. For example, some help you confront and manage your fears. Others give you skills and support, so you can stay engaged in activities that anxiety has caused you to avoid.
We provide talk therapy, recommending the most appropriate techniques for the type of anxiety, symptom severity, and your personal preferences.
Medication is a treatment option typically used for moderate-to-severe anxiety. The most frequently prescribed medications include antidepressants, benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety medicines), and ketamine. Some people may benefit from a beta-blocker.
Antidepressants can reduce anxiety even if you don’t feel depressed. In addition, they’re often a good option because anxiety and depression frequently occur at the same time.
Nearly 42% of people with depression have one or more anxiety disorders, while 43% of those with generalized anxiety disorder are also diagnosed with depression.
Benzodiazepines (benzos) include medications like lorazepam (Ativan®), alprazolam (Xanax®), and clonazepam (Klonopin®). These medicines are highly effective for treating anxiety.
Some take effect quickly, so they work well for sudden, severe anxiety and panic attacks. However, benzos are also potent, and you can develop a dependence if you take them for an extended period of time.
We typically prescribe benzos only in specific situations. For example, you use it sparingly and only take a tablet at the start of a panic attack. We may prescribe them for daily use but only for a limited time to avoid dependence and other risks associated with long-term benzo use.
Like antidepressants and benzodiazepines, ketamine treats anxiety by rebalancing brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). However, ketamine is different from other medications.
Ketamine targets a different neurotransmitter than most other mental health medications (glutamate instead of serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine). As a result, it produces faster results. Antidepressants need six to eight weeks before you’ll notice an improvement in your symptoms. Ketamine may improve your symptoms in a matter of hours or days.
We administer ketamine using an intravenous (IV) infusion. An infusion allows us to control the dose you receive. It also sends the medicine directly into your bloodstream, ensuring you get the total dose. IV infusion is the most effective way to receive ketamine treatment.
You may be a good candidate for ketamine if other treatments don’t help or if you have severe symptoms. Most people need a series of infusions, but we customize each treatment plan to meet the individual’s needs.
Beta-blockers are heart medications that block the release of stress hormones like adrenaline. Anxiety also triggers the release of adrenaline, which causes symptoms like sweating, shaking, and a racing heart.
Taking a beta-blocker doesn’t ease anxiety, but it can reduce anxiety’s physical symptoms. A beta-blocker may be a good option if your anxiety arises in specific, predictable situations.
Call Palo Alto Mind Body today, or request an appointment online if anxiety disrupts your life or you have questions about treatments.
