Although each anxiety disorder has its own unique characteristics, most anxiety disorders respond well to two types of treatment: medication and psychotherapy.  These treatments can be prescribed alone or in combination.  Although not cures, both treatments are effective in relieving the symptoms of anxiety disorders, thus enabling individuals to live healthier lives.

Several effective medications are available; therefore if one does not provide expected results, another can be prescribed.  Because medications often require several weeks to achieve their full effect, progress should be monitored by a psychiatrist to determine whether a change is needed in either the type or the amount of medication given.

Three types of psychotherapy have been used successfully to address the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Behavior therapy uses relaxation techniques and exposure to the feared object or situation in a carefully planned, gradual manner so that the individual can learn to control the anxious responses.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps patients understand their patterns of thinking so that they can react differently to situations that cause anxiety.  Psychodynamic psychotherapy is based on the concept that symptoms result from unconscious mental conflict, and that to experience relief from the symptoms their meaning must be uncovered.

~ 1999 American Psychiatric Association

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