Though most people feel anxious at some point, anxiety can become a problem when it begins to disrupt daily activities, reports the Mayo Clinic. Talk therapy and medications are available to relieve the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by muscle tension, irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
Medication
The Mayo Clinic recommends anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants for help dealing with anxiety. Benzodiazepines work quickly to relieve anxiety symptoms, often within 30 to 90 minutes. They are not recommended for people with substance abuse problems, because they are highly addictive and are usually reserved to treat situational anxiety and used only for a short period of time. Sedatives such as Xanax, Librium, Ativan and Valium are more common medications used to treat anxiety disorders. While sedatives can provide calming benefits, they do induce drowsiness and reduced muscle coordination and should not be used when driving. Long-term use can create permanent memory loss. A less risky medication is buspirone, or Buspar, that takes a couple weeks to begin working, but does not create a dependency. Buspirone can cause lightheadedness and headaches. Antidepressants such as Paxil and Prozac can help to relieve anxiety by medicating neurotransmitters in the brain and have few physical side effects. The National Institutes of Health reports that antidepressants can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to begin alleviating anxiety symptoms.
Psychotherapy
Counseling provided by a mental health care provider offers patients a safe environment to talk about feelings. Also referred to as talk therapy, psychotherapy assists patients in identifying false beliefs and thinking patterns that keep them trapped by their fears. New ways of coping and looking at situations can evolve from the therapeutic sessions. As a result, new behaviors are learned, reducing the amount of anxiety. Cognitive behavior focuses on behavior and is usually provided on a short-term basis. Psychotherapy typically is performed on an outpatient basis with a trained counselor.
Nutrition
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic report that although anxiety disorders may not be cured by proper nutrition, eating right can provide patients with more energy to deal with negative emotions and help to stabilize mood swings. Small meals eaten regularly throughout the day stabilize blood sugar, which plays a role in mood swings and general feelings of well-being. Drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day prevents dehydration, another trigger for mood swings. Meals and snacks rich in complex carbohydrates produce increased serotonin levels, which have a calming affect on the body, whereas foods high in sugar can trigger elevated or depressed mood swings. Patients with anxiety disorders should avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both are responsible for anxiety-producing symptoms even though they may initially relieve certain feelings. Tryptophan, found in foods such as milk, bananas, soy and nuts, has a calming affect on the brain.
