Mild anxiety may result from stressful situations. It can cause difficulty sleeping, tension, restlessness, nervousness or trouble concentrating. People who continue to dwell on situations that underlie their anxiety may start to lose their appetite or overeat. Their concerns and worries may lead to becoming easily startled, feeling a sense of impending doom or thinking something worse may happen. Anxiety disorders may develop over time, requiring anxiety treatment. Early treatment can prevent the condition from worsening.
Self-Treatment
Regular exercise significantly reduces anxiety symptoms, Psych Central reports. An analysis of 2,914 patients in 40 randomized clinical trials found that patients who exercised regularly had a 20 percent reduction in anxiety than subjects who did not exercise, according to researchers at the University of Georgia-Athens. The study, published in the Feb. 22, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, examined patients who suffered from a variety of conditions, such as heart disease, chronic arthritic pain, cancer and multiple sclerosis. People who exercised regularly reported fewer feelings of worry, nervousness and apprehension than those who did not exercise. Doctors can prescribe exercise as a form of medicine to help anxious patients, researchers concluded.
Communication
Talking to someone, particularly a mental health professional, helps many people understand the reasons for their anxiety so they can take steps to overcome it. Psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers or counselors can provide essential information and support. Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, helps people with generalized anxiety disorder, which causes constant worries that interfere with a person's work, family life and social functioning. Limited sessions can ease mild anxiety symptoms.
Identification
Short-term cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients reduce stress and gain more control over their lives, the Mayo Clinic explains. Therapists show patients how to identify negative thought patterns and behaviors that cause the anxiety. By focusing on positive thoughts when negative thinking arises, people can effectively reduce or eliminate their anxious feelings.
Medicine
Patients with mild anxiety may benefit from medication if necessary. Doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety sedatives. Benzodiazepines work effectively on a short-term basis for people with acute anxiety, the Mayo Clinic states. The drugs can become habit-forming and doctors taper off the prescription medication to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Considerations
People with ongoing anxiety can get help with antidepressants or buspirone, an anti-anxiety drug that works on a long-term basis without addictive potential. These medications help people with problems that have developed into anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders or panic disorders. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs to treat anxiety disorders may take several weeks to reach the full effect. Doctors may switch medications or adjust dosage to get the right prescription for each individual.
