by Nichole Cross

Created on: February 10, 2009

Anxiety disorders affect almost eighteen percent of Americans. Anxiety disorders can be triggered by certain events or can exist as a life long problem. There are several different types of anxiety disorders to include: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Are these disorders able to be treated? The answer to that is yes. Of course, to the extent that the treatment is affective all depends on the individual, as well as the disorder and the severity of it. Treatment for anxiety disorders can consist of either therapy, medication, or the combination of both.

In order to treat an anxiety disorder an individual has to be thoroughly evaluated first. A qualified individual must determine if there are any co existing conditions, such as depression. Also medical and family history has to be taken into account. It often takes weeks or months for treatment to begin to work. It may also take several different tries at different options of treatment.

As far as medication goes there are several different types to be offered. Antidepressants is one of those drugs. Antidepressants are broken down into a few sub categories. SSRI's are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, and alter serotonin levels in the brain. Trycyclics are another form of antidepressant. They are used on most anxiety disorders, with the exception of OCD. MAOI's are the last of the antidepressant family. These are Mono amine oxidase inhibitors. These can interact with many other drugs, so one must be careful when taking these.

Also, there are specific anti anxiety medications. Some of these include Klonopin, Ativan, and Xanax. Also at times Beta Blockers are used to prevent physical symptoms from worsening. Beta Blockers are used for things such as slowing heart rate during the onset of an attack or spell.

Therapy is also very useful to an individual suffering with anxiety. Therapy helps to change a persons way of thinking and program them into healthier thought patterns. The average course of therapy can last anywhere from twelve weeks to a lifetime depending on the individual. Therapy often takes patience and willingness to try new things, so individuals must be open to treatment to benefit from it.

So all in all, Can anxiety disorders be treated? Yes, they can. Will time and willingness anxiety disorders can be managed and one can get back to a healthy pattern of everyday living.

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