Does Anxiety Go Away? Managing An Anxiety Disorder With Behavioral Therapy

Are you experiencing sleepless nights, digestive problems, and uncontrollable worry in your daily life? These are all common symptoms of anxiety, and many other symptoms can come along with it. Whether you’re living with generalized anxiety disorder or navigating social anxiety, anxiety can be challenging to live with, particularly when it begins to impact your day-to-day life. Learning how to manage, cope with, and treat the symptoms of an anxiety disorder is possible when you have the appropriate tools and support. In this article, we’ll be giving an overview of anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms and then exploring the different treatment options available to help people with anxiety overcome it.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is something that many people experience from time to time. It's the feeling you get when you don't know the outcome of a potential situation, you may feel anxious, believe that you could be in danger, or you think there's something to worry about. At healthy levels, experiencing anxiety is normal and even expected, and it doesn’t necessarily indicate a social anxiety disorder. However, when anxiety becomes a major part of your life, stopping you from accomplishing the things that you want and need to do, it can become a problem. Some people develop anxiety disorders, which can make it difficult to function on a daily basis.

The US Department of Health and Human Services states that the five major types of anxiety disorders include:

1. Generalized anxiety disorder 
2. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
3. Panic disorder
4. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
5. Social anxiety disorder

However, there are other types beyond these five alone. For example, the National Institute of Mental Health also mentions phobia-related disorders and others. 

Who experiences anxiety?

Anyone can experience anxiety and panic attacks. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health challenges in the world. In fact, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that "according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in thirteen globally experiences anxiety." This equates to around 40 million Americans every year. 

Anxiety doesn't only affect adults; the percentage of children diagnosed with anxiety has been increasing over the years. 

There are many different reasons why people experience anxiety. For example, if someone is diagnosed with PTSD, this means they have been through a traumatic experience in their life. There are many soldiers that experience PTSD after returning from war, but this disorder can impact anyone who has been through trauma. When it comes to other anxiety disorders, there can be other risk factors, including:

• Having a family history of anxiety
• Drug or alcohol use
• Having another mental health diagnosis
• Trauma
• Personality
• Stress
• Illness

Anxiety disorder symptoms

The symptoms that people with anxiety disorders experience can differ based on their specific situation and which type of anxiety disorder they're living with. For example, someone diagnosed with OCD will have different symptoms than someone who has been diagnosed with PTSD. Those diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder may not have as specific symptoms as some of the others. It all depends on your personal experience. However, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, some of the general symptoms that may come along with anxiety can include:

• Nervousness, restlessness, and worry
• Irritability and anger
• Digestive issues and nausea
• Heart palpitations
• Rapid breathing
• Insomnia
• Changes in appetite
• Body aches and pain

These are some of the symptoms that you may experience if you have anxiety, but it is not by any means an all-inclusive list.

Does anxiety go away?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, for most people, anxiety doesn’t just go away on its own. If you're predisposed to struggling with it, then it may be something that you have to be more aware of than other people. However, with the right treatment and proper coping techniques and strategies, anxiety doesn't have to be something that controls your life forever. Rather, you can learn how to manage and overcome your symptoms and live a healthy, productive life.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatment options for anxiety disorders

As with other mental health conditions, multiple forms of treatment can help, but not everyone responds to different types of treatment in the same way. It can be vital to find the treatment that you respond most effectively to. Often, combining several different types of treatment can be the most powerful way to find relief from your symptoms. Consider the following popular treatment options:

Medication

Some people find that prescription medication can help them gain control of their anxiety, and there are many options to choose from. If you are leery about being on medication, it can be important to understand that it doesn't have to be something that you take for the rest of your life. It could be that you're going through something that's difficult and could use help getting through it. Or it could also be that you use medication to help gain some control over your symptoms while you learn other strategies to cope with anxiety long-term. While medication can come with side effects, its benefits may outweigh the risks, particularly if your anxiety is causing physical symptoms, like having frequent panic attack and putting stress on your body. If you think that medication could help you with your symptoms, talk to your doctor or a psychiatrist about your options.

Therapy

There are several different kinds of therapy available to help you learn to overcome your anxiety. One of the most successful forms of therapy used for anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which works by addressing unhelpful thinking patterns that may lead to unwanted behaviors. When you learn how to recognize the thoughts that are leading to your troubles, then you can start to work on replacing them with more positive ways of thinking. Since your thoughts impact your behavior, CBT can be an effective way to reduce your anxiety.

Exposure therapy is another form of therapy for those who struggle with anxiety and fear. With this type of treatment, a therapist works with you to expose you to the things or ideas that you are scared of. They use a systematic approach and create a safe environment to keep the process moving forward while ensuring that you feel comfortable at all times. 

Another therapy that works for anxiety is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, his works teach you how to accept things as they happen instead of trying to avoid negative situations. You learn how not to allow negative thoughts and situations to control you.

These are just a few of the forms of therapy that can be helpful for anxiety. An experienced therapist can help determine what the right form of therapy could be for your specific situation, diagnosis, and goals.

Alternative treatments

Apart from traditional forms of therapy, there are other things that you can do to work toward overcoming your anxiety. Some of these you can do on your own at home, and they include:

• Meditation: Spending time meditating can help you to gain control over your mind and learn how to not be so reactive to situations that would normally cause you anxiety. While practicing meditation, you'll also learn how to practice techniques such as deep breathing. This can help you gain control of your body and reduce physical symptoms of anxiety like rapid breathing, which can lead to an increased heart rate.

• Massage: Massages can help release the tension that you carry throughout your body when you struggle with anxiety. It can also help you to relax your mind. Paired with other forms of treatment, a massage can help you avoid reaching the point of needing the massage in the first place.

• Art therapy: Some people find comfort in art. Working through the artistic process can help you to take your focus off your anxiety by requiring you to focus on something else. It can be an outlet for your emotions and help you to calm down. This can be through things like painting, sculpting, and drawing. It's not so much about the finished product that you're creating but the process itself.

• Self-care: Ensuring that you're taking care of yourself can be important when you're living with anxiety. This includes things like eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising. While these are very basic things, they are often some of the first to go when you struggle with anxiety. You may have a hard time falling asleep at night or wake up prematurely and not be able to get back to sleep. Throughout the day as you struggle with anxiety, you might have a lack of appetite or overeat to make yourself feel better. Keeping these areas in check can go a long way for your anxiety. Your body needs sleep and nourishment to function properly, and exercise can be helpful in boosting your mood and easing symptoms of anxiety.

Mental health and online counseling with Regain

One of the most effective treatment options for anxiety and panic disorder is talk therapy with a qualified mental health professional. If the tools and tricks above aren’t helping your anxiety go away, consider speaking with a therapist. You can find one in your local community or connect with one online through a platform like Regain, which offers online counseling. With online counseling, you don’t have to worry about meeting with a stranger face-to-face or driving through traffic to an office, which could be anxiety-inducing for some. Instead, you can use a phone or computer to chat with a therapist through video calls, phone calls, or in-app messaging. A therapist can help you uncover the root of your anxiety and give you tools for managing it so that you can gain greater control over your day-to-day functioning and overall well-being.

The effectiveness of online counseling  

Research shows that internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment method for generalized anxiety disorder and other types of anxiety. In one study, researchers found that online CBT combined with applied relaxation techniques from a therapist produced significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life. The authors of this study concluded that “internet-delivered CBT with therapist support can reduce symptoms and problems related to GAD.”

Takeaway

While there may not be a cure for anxiety, it remains a very treatable condition. Often, its symptoms can be managed with the right tools and support, and an optimistic mindset. Medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes are among some of the most common methods people use to find relief from their anxiety, but there are many other options that may work effectively for you. Managing anxiety is all about trying different techniques to find what works and what doesn’t. If you’re struggling to cope with your anxiety or think you may have an anxiety disorder, reaching out to a therapist could be beneficial. They can do an assessment to determine the right course of action and come up with a treatment plan to help you move past your symptoms. Even with anxiety, it’s possible to live a healthy, happy life.