Anxiety is a part of life for everyone. It is quite normal to feel anxious over certain circumstances however it becomes a problem when a person is anxious over seemingly small, trivial or non existent factors. This is known as an Anxiety Disorder and is a recognized mental illness. Recognized or not, it is still sometimes misdiagnosed as paranoia, depression or many other illnesses but they are all quite different. it is true that virtually any Anxiety Disorder can include these as symptoms but the underlying problem is a very specific one that should not be overlooked by patient or by doctor. Patients who may be suffering are very unlikely to come forward themselves and seek help because the nature of the problem means they can not approach people with this kind of problem. There is help for sufferers of even the most sever Anxiety Disorder though. 1- Psychological treatment should be sought from a registered psychiatrist. Finding a professional who has a lot of experience with patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder is the best option. A Psychiatrist will understand the problem perfectly and will help the patient work through their anxiety. Remember, a patient suffering from a severe Anxiety Disorder is unlikely to want to visit a doctor of any sort, but a Psychiatrist with the appropriate experience will know how to overcome this problem. 2- Medication can be prescribed that will help patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder. Most trials have been conducted on monotherapy treatment, which means the use of one drug but often it is necessary to combine more than one drug to get the best effects. Antidepressants are administered although it is very much a case of trial and error as to exactly which one will prove the most effective. 3- Benzodiazepines are another regularly used medication that is proven to help some sufferers of severe Anxiety Disorder but again there isn't any single one that is proven to work while others don't. 4- Polypharmacy is the combination of several drugs and has proven to be much more effective for people who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder. By combining Antidepressants with benzodiazepines and possibly a mild stimulant the patient will find it much easier to face problems that would have normally led to heightened levels of anxiety. 5- Combing psychiatric assistance with prescribed medication is by far the best solution. Often the drugs only mask the symptoms and the patient can grow immune to their effects so by using a psychiatric program as well the patient will really benefit. |
