Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but when it becomes excessive or irrational it is a disabling disorder that requires treatment. Anxiety attacks are usually accompanied by physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain and shortness of breath. You may experience an anxiety attack as a sense of dread or panic. Treatments for anxiety attacks are aimed at reducing the symptoms and allowing you to function without disabling and irrational dread of everyday situations.
Medications
According to the Mayo Clinic, medications are one of the mainstays of treating anxiety disorders. It may take some trial and error to find the drug or combination of medications that works best for you. You may also find that a combination of medications, therapy, relaxation techniques or biofeedback will help you the most with your disorder. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for anxiety attacks because they influence neurotransmitter activity in the brain. Buspirone is an anti-anxiety medication that can be used on an ongoing basis. Benzodiazepines are short-term sedatives that should be used in limited circumstances and are used only to relieve acute anxiety, because they can be habit-forming.
Therapy
Recovery from anxiety disorders is not a matter of will power or self-discipline, which is why behavioral therapy or cognitive therapy is often included in the recommendations for treatment. According to the Cleveland Clinic, psychotherapy addresses the emotional response to the stressor of anxiety and is a method of talking through strategies to deal with the disorder. Cognitive and behavioral therapy helps you to learn to recognize and change patterns of thinking that ultimately lead to feelings of anxiety. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, exposure therapy may also be tried to reduce the fear and anxiety response. During therapy sessions, you are gradually exposed to a fearful situation and learn to become less sensitive over time. Dialectical behavioral therapy integrates cognitive-behavioral techniques with Eastern meditation. This therapy uses both individual and group sessions to learn mindfulness and skills for interpersonal effectiveness.
Complementary Therapies
According to HelpGuide, several new complementary treatments have shown promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders and anxiety attacks. The goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of anxiety experienced and improve the ability to function normally in everyday situations. To this end, the natural stress relief of exercise can reduce the amount of anxiety experienced, especially when combined with behavioral therapy and medication. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and controlled breathing, when practiced regularly will increase feelings of relaxation and reduce stress. Hypnosis is sometimes used in combination with behavioral therapy to help you face your fears and develop strategies to deal with them.
