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Individual Therapy
Locate a psychologist or therapist experienced in treating anxiety disorders. Research indicates that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the best method of treating anxiety disorders. Therefore, try to find a cognitive behavioral therapist or one familiar with the concepts of CBT. How to go about finding this type of psychotherapist is described in our related links.
Self Help Groups
Locate a self-help group whose focus is dealing with anxiety problems. This can provide you with a supportive environment that will help you with this problem and allow you to learn how others have dealt with their anxiety issues. How to find a self-help group is described in our related links. For information about the local support group, call The Anxiety Treatment Network of Southwestern Michigan at 1-800-942-7814.
Self Help Materials
There is a large selection of books, audiotapes, and videos available on the topic of anxiety disorders. These resources can be quite helpful when used in conjunction with individual therapy and/or a self-help group. Some of the better selections are described in the recommended self-help materials.
Medication
A variety of drugs have been shown to be useful in treating anxiety disorders. Those frequently recommended by psychiatrists fall into two classes:
Antidepressants- particularly the newer ones such as Paxil, Prozac, Serzone, etc.
Antianxiety Agents- particularly the newer ones such as Xanax, Klonopin, Buspar, Ativan, etc.
Our recommendation is that medication should be used in conjunction with individual therapy.
A Guide to Beneficial Psychotherapy
This website addresses the consumers' needs for information about benefits of psychotherapy. This website has been developed by the Committee on Science and Practice of the Society of Clinical Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, to provide brief descriptions of various psychotherapies that have met basic scientific standards for effectiveness. Therapies described here have been shown to be beneficial in scientific studies meeting several stringent criteria.
To visit this site click on the web address below:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~tat22/empirically_supported_treatments.htm
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