Generalized Anxiety Disorder- Complications and Treatment

Anxiety is an unpleasant emotional state of the mind. The exact factors that cause this state of mind in human beings are still unknown to the medical world. Researchers believe that certain chemicals that are present in your body can cause this state of mind. The malfunction of the chemicals that are meant to control the emotions and fears of a person can drag you to this mental illness called anxiety. People who come from a family with a strong history of anxiety and depression have a stronger chance of getting affected by this mental disorder.

The complications caused by anxiety disorder include depression, drug abuse, insomnia, digestive troubles, head ache and teeth grinding.

Medications and psychotherapy are the two major methods of treatments now available for a patient for anxiety disorder. Doctors use these methods of treatment independently or in combinations depending upon the condition of the patient under treatment.
Doctors normally use a trial and error method to decide the treatment pattern to be followed for the patient. Such an experimental method will help them to find the treatment pattern that suits the problems of the patient. It is important that the patient undergoing an anxiety treatment should be comfortable with the treatment to get the maximum result.

Medications

Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressant medications are the two types of medicines now available in the market to treat an anxiety patient. Benzodiazepines prescribed by doctors, are sedatives that help the patient to relax in 30 to 90 minutes. But the patients who use these medications tend to show a tendency to become addicted to these medicines if they are allowed to take these medications continuously for two weeks or more. For this reason most of the doctors who treat anxiety patients do not prescribe this medicine for longer periods. The other anti-anxiety medicines that are commonly used to treat anxiety patients include alprazolam, chloridazepoxide, clonazepam, diazepam and lorazepam. The side effects of using these medicines include dizziness, reduced muscle coordination and unsteadiness. Buspirone is another medicine that is not an addicting medication. But this takes a longer time to improve the symptoms when compared to other medicines.

Anti-depressant medications that are used to treat anxiety disorder are meant to control the functions of neurotransmitters in the brain of the patient. The medicines that come under this group of medicines include fluoxetine, paroxetine, imipramine, venlafaxine, escitalopram and duloxetine.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or counseling is a treatment that involves talking and listening. Psychotherapy by a mental health provider can improve the condition of patients who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder. It will help the patent to identity the exact causes behind his behavioral problems.

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