Treatment - Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, and Stress-Related Illness

TREATMENT

Treatment for anxiety disorders usually involves medica-tion and therapy. This combination produces better results than either one alone (Charney, 2005). Drugs used to treat anxiety disorders are listed in Table 13.3. Cognitive–behavioral therapy is used successfully to treat anxiety disorders. Positive reframing means turning neg-ative messages into positive messages. The therapist teaches the person to create positive messages for use during panic episodes. For example, instead of thinking, “My heart is pounding. I think I’m going to die!” the cli-ent thinks, “I can stand this. This is just anxiety. It will go away.” The client can write down these messages and keep them readily accessible such as in an address book, a calendar, or a wallet.

Decatastrophizing involves the therapist’s use of ques-tions to more realistically appraise the situation. The thera-pist may ask, “What is the worst thing that could happen? Is that likely? Could you survive that? Is that as bad as you imagine?” The client uses thought-stopping and distrac-tion techniques to jolt himself or herself from focusing on negative thoughts. Splashing the face with cold water, snap-ping a rubber band worn on the wrist, or shouting are all techniques that can break the cycle of negative thoughts.

Assertiveness training helps the person take more control over life situations. Techniques help the person negotiate interpersonal situations and foster self-assurance. They involve using “I” statements to identify feelings andto communicate concerns or needs to others. Examples include “I feel angry when you turn your back while I’m talking,” “I want to have 5 minutes of your time for an uninterrupted conversation about something important,” and “I would like to have about 30 minutes in the evening to relax without interruption.”