What are the main therapies for anxiety management?

 

What are the main therapies for anxiety management?

Anxiety responds to psychological, behavioral, and pharmacological therapies. Each approach targets symptoms, triggers, or underlying cognitive patterns.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

2. Mindfulness-Based Therapies

  • Mechanism: Focuses on present-moment awareness to reduce rumination.

  • Types: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

  • Evidence: 40–50% improvement in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms.

  • Example: Daily meditation sessions lower physiological stress responses.

3. Exposure Therapy

  • Mechanism: Gradual, controlled exposure to anxiety triggers reduces avoidance behavior.

  • Applications: Phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

  • Effectiveness: 60–70% symptom reduction when combined with CBT.

  • Example: Fear of heights treated through incremental exposure to taller platforms.

4. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Mechanism: Encourages acceptance of anxious thoughts without judgment while promoting value-driven actions.

  • Focus: Psychological flexibility, experiential acceptance.

  • Evidence: Demonstrates improvement in GAD and social anxiety by 35–45%.

  • Example: Patient acknowledges anxious thoughts during presentations without avoidance.

5. Pharmacological Therapy

6. Lifestyle and Complementary Approaches

  • Mechanism: Supports overall resilience and stress reduction.

  • Strategies: Regular exercise, yoga, sleep hygiene, dietary adjustments, biofeedback.

  • Evidence: Exercise lowers cortisol levels, reducing anxiety intensity by ~30%.

  • Example: Daily aerobic exercise improves sleep and decreases panic attacks.

Next Step: The following section can explore integrating therapies to maximize anxiety management outcomes, combining CBT, mindfulness, and lifestyle interventions.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How Therapy Helped Me Overcome Depression in London

Benefits of psychodynamic therapy in London

Managing Anxiety in the City: Therapy in London Works