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Anxiety disorders
How to Get Help for Anxiety Disorders?
If you, or someone you know, has symptoms of anxiety, a visit to the family physician is usually the best place to start. A physician can help determine whether the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, some other medical condition, or both. Frequently, the next step in getting treatment for an anxiety disorder is referral to a mental health professional.
Among the professionals who can help are psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors. However, it's best to look for a professional who has specialized training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, as appropriate, and who is open to the use of medications, should they be needed.
As stated earlier, psychologists, social workers, and counselors sometimes work closely with a psychiatrist or other physician, who will prescribe medications when they are required. For some people, group therapy is a helpful part of treatment.
It's important that you feel comfortable with the therapy that the mental health professional suggests. If this is not the case, seek help elsewhere. However, if you've been taking medication, it's important not to discontinue it abruptly, as stated before. Certain drugs have to be tapered off under the supervision of your physician.
Remember, though, that when you find a health care professional that you're satisfied with, the two of you are working together as a team. Together you will be able to develop a plan to treat your anxiety disorder that may involve medications, cognitive-behavioral or other talk therapy, or both, as appropriate.
You may be concerned about paying for treatment for an anxiety disorder. If you belong to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or have some other kind of health insurance, the costs of your treatment may be fully or partially covered. There are also public mental health centers that charge people according to how much they are able to pay. If you are on public assistance, you may be able to get care through your state Medicaid plan.
Strategies To Make Treatment More Effective
Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking with trusted friends or a trusted member of the clergy can also be very helpful, although not a substitute for mental health care. Participating in an Internet chat room may also be of value in sharing concerns and decreasing a sense of isolation, but any advice received should be viewed with caution.
The family is of great importance in the recovery of a person with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive without helping to perpetuate the person's symptoms. If the family tends to trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment, the affected person will suffer. You may wish to show this booklet to your family and enlist their help as educated allies in your fight against your anxiety disorder.
Stress management techniques and meditation may help you to calm yourself and enhance the effects of therapy, although there is as yet no scientific evidence to support the value of these "wellness" approaches to recovery from anxiety disorders. There is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may be of value, and it is known that caffeine, illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can aggravate the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any additional medicines.
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For More Information
Anxiety Disorders
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rm 12-105 Parklawn Building
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 301-443-8956
Fax: 301-443-9050
URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institute of Mental Health
Office of Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Phone: 301-443-4513
Fax: 301-443-4279
TollFree: 1-866-615-NIMH (6464)
TTY: 301-443-8431
Email: nimhinfo@nih.gov
URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
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American Psychiatric Association (APA)
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825
Arlington, VA 22209-3901
Phone: 703-907-7300
URL: http://www.psych.org/index.cfm
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5510
TollFree: 1-800-374-2721
URL: http://www.apa.org
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
8730 Georgia Ave., Suite 600
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 240-485-1001
Fax: 240-485-1035
URL: http://www.adaa.org
Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT)
305 7th Avenue, 16th floor
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-647-1890
URL: http://www.aabt.org
Freedom from Fear
308 Seaview Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
Phone: 718-351-1717
URL: http://www.freedomfromfear.com
National Center for PTSD
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
116D VA Medical and Regional Office Center
White River Junction, VT 05009
Phone: 802-296-6300
Email: ncptsd@ncptsd.org
URL: http://www.ncptsd.org
Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (OCF)
676 State Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: 203-401-2070
URL: http://www.ocfoundation.org
Trichotillomania Learning Center
303 Potrero #51
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-457-1004
Fax: 831-426-4383
Email: info@trich.org
URL: http://www.trich.org
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For Information About Clinical Trials
NIMH Clinical Trials Web Page
www.nimh.nih.gov/studies/index.cfm
National Library of Medicine Clinical Trials Database
www.clinicaltrials.gov
