Psychotherapy can assist if your anxiety is caused by erroneous ideas or bad thought habits. Here are some possibilities for psychotherapy.
Although anxiety may appear to be sudden, it is frequently caused or exacerbated by negative thought patterns, inadequate coping mechanisms, or deeply rooted unconscious beliefs.
Talk therapy, often known as psychotherapy, can be quite helpful in this situation.
You can start to heal from the inside out after you address the underlying cause of your anxiety, whether it be faulty beliefs, traumatic experiences, or a lack of social skills.
Options for anxiety psychotherapy
Anxiety can be effectively treated using a variety of psychotherapies.
Here are a few of the most popular methods:
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy
The most popular evidence-based treatment for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
By employing a variety of cognitive and behavioral (such as exposure) strategies, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) therapies for anxiety aim to assist you in altering irrational beliefs regarding the probability and actual cost of expected harms.
A 2018 analysis of forty-one studies According to a reliable source, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a more effective treatment for anxiety-related problems than a placebo.
Researchers discovered that CBT was most successful in treating acute stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
CBT focuses on the particular problem you wish to address and is usually utilized for a brief period of time (once a week for three to five months).
ACT stands for acceptance and commitment treatment.
The foundation of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is the belief that unpleasant emotions and ideas are a natural part of being human and that attempting to suppress or manage them simply makes matters worse.
By teaching you how to accept your challenging ideas and feelings without passing judgment, ACT may help you become more psychologically flexible.
Additionally, you learn to act on your principles despite your unpleasant emotions.
In addition to behavior-changing tactics, ACT therapists employ a variety of mindfulness practices.
ACT can be given in a group or individual context and is frequently used in conjunction with other types of therapy.
It can be applied over a longer time frame or as a short-term intervention.
Therapy by exposure
A form of cognitive behavioral therapy called exposure therapy involves exposing you to the concepts or things that make you feel anxious or afraid over time.
You can learn to control your anxiety and lessen avoidant habits in this safe and encouraging setting.
For the following conditions, exposure therapy may be beneficial:
- Particular phobias and panic disorders Disorder of social anxiety OCD with PTSD
- (post-traumatic stress disorder)
Both OCD and PTSD tend to have significant levels of anxiety, even though they are no longer classified as anxiety disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition text-revision (DSM-5-TR).
Cognitive therapy based on mindfulness (MBCT)
A form of cognitive behavioral therapy called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) helps you control unpleasant thoughts and feelings, such anxiety, by fusing mindfulness meditation with conventional CBT methods.
Although it can be done alone, it is usually done in a group.
In MBCT, you discover how to:
- Focus on the here and now without passing judgment.
- Determine and combat harmful thought habits.
- Identify and control signs of anxiety, such as tenseness, racing thoughts, and quick breathing.
Many different kinds of anxiety disorders can benefit from MBCT, which is frequently combined with other therapies like medication.
Psychodynamic treatment
The foundation of psychodynamic therapy is the notion that unconscious factors, such as suppressed emotions and prior experiences, influence many of our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. In psychodynamic therapy, you learn to make more deliberate and healthful choices while working to overcome these unconscious conflicts, emotions, and habits.
Exploring your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as well as your dreams and other unconscious processes are common components of psychodynamic therapy.
DBT, or dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy incorporating both individual therapy and group skills training. You can improve your problem-solving abilities, interpersonal connections, and emotional control with DBT.
To help patients feel less anxious in the here and now, DBT therapists employ mindfulness practices including progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing.
In 2020, a study comparing the efficacy of CBT and DBT in 68 GAD individuals was conducted.
They discovered that DBT was more successful at enhancing emotional regulation and mindfulness, whereas CBT was better at lowering anxiety and sadness.
IPT, or interpersonal psychotherapy
Improving your relationships and social functioning is the main goal of interpersonal psychotherapy, or IPT.
IPT can be a useful intervention if your anxiety is connected to your relationships or social interactions, even though it is not explicitly developed to treat anxiety.
IPT can assist you in recognizing and resolving issues related to social functioning and communication, which can lessen anxiety and other mental health issues.
