Treating anxiety disorders with therapy

When it comes to treating anxiety disorders, research shows that therapy is usually the most effective option. That’s because anxiety therapy—unlike anxiety medication—treats more than just the symptoms of the problem. Therapy can help you uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears; learn how to relax; look at situations in new, less frightening ways; and develop better coping and problem-solving skills. Therapy gives you the tools to overcome anxiety and teaches you how to use them.

Anxiety disorders differ considerably, so therapy CAN be tailored to your specific symptoms and concerns. If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, your treatment will be different from someone who’s getting help for anxiety attacks. The length of therapy will also depend on the type and severity of your anxiety disorder.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most widely-used therapy for anxiety disorders. Research has shown it to be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, among many other conditions.

Cognitive behavioural therapy addresses negative patterns and distortions in the way we look at the world and ourselves. As the name suggests, this involves two main components:

Cognitive therapy examines how negative thoughts, or cognitions, contribute to anxiety.

Behaviour therapy examines how you behave and react in situations that trigger anxiety.

The basic premise of cognitive behavioural therapy is that our thoughts—not external events—affect the way we feel. In other words, it’s not the situation you’re in that determines how you feel, but your perception of the situation. For example, imagine that you’ve just been invited to a big party. Consider three different ways of thinking about the invitation, and how those thoughts would affect your emotions.

This is particularly effective when delivered by therapists who have personally experienced and have successfully overcome anxiety disorder and anxiety symptoms in their own lives.

Having personally experienced and successfully overcome anxiety disorder and anxiety symptoms means not only do I understand your struggle and how anxiety symptoms feel and can impact a person's life but that they also know how to treat anxiety unwellness and its symptoms. This personal experience is a valuable asset in the anxiety disorder recovery process, including treating symptoms.