Psychiatrist Questions Psychiatrist

Can you heal anxiety without pills?

I have anxiety and want to treat it. Can you heal anxiety without pills?

11 Answers

Some people are able to learn to manage their anxiety without medication, if the intensity levels are low to moderate in nature. With more severe anxiety, it is hard to use and master skills that would decrease the intensity overall. In this case, many of my clients will start on a medication to decrease the intensity to mild/moderate levels so that they can learn to manage the rest themselves with skills. Then, they can decrease the usage of medication to see if they can get off medication. For some though, the neurotransmitter levels are in need of medication even after mastering skills.
Yes, anxiety can be treated with cognitive-behavior therapy without medications.
Yes there are non med treatments
Is it possible to treat anxiety without medications? Yes.
It really depends on the severity of the anxiety. If it is severe, then medication can definitely help stabilize how you are feeling so that talk therapy can be more effective.
Mild to moderate anxiety may benefit greatly from talk therapy. You'll learn appropriate coping skills for managing your symptoms and will learn to recognize when and how your anxiety manifests.
There are methods such as peppermint tea and other health psychology interventions that can help soothe anxiety somewhat such as some other over-the-counter remedies as well. I would also advise always being cautious of side effects or potential allergic reactions by looking at all ingredients and taking into account the patient's current and past medical health history and medications, however, if one does have anxiety this can often be the start of something benign or serious however, we don't know until proper screening is done with a doctor, psychotherapist, or another qualified mental health provider or a depression questionnaire is performed such as an MMSE (mini-mental health status exam test or another screening) exam which is a short bedside questionnaire often administered in an emergency setting however, there are many more psychological testing instruments (diagnosis-centric) provided by the APA (American Psychological Association) that fit the type of diagnosis or what is to be tested and any hypothesis on a potential diagnosis. Abstaining from caffeine can also help many people with anxiety to not feel the symptoms so badly. Hope this helps.
You can, pills are there to help aide you for a while, but it’s not recommended to take permanently. You can try going on walks, taking warm to cool showers not baths, make sure you are eating, lowering your stress levels, try exercise, meditation can help as well. And rest please make sure you are sleeping well, the body needs enough sleep to function.
Yes
Yes, you can treat anxiety without pills. Pills may help to reduce the severity of the anxiety, but therapy will help you understand and master strategies that will help you manage, reduce and successfully cope with anxiety. Unlike medication, these strategies and skills will last a lifetime once you learn them and can be used anytime, regardless of your situation, health insurance coverage, financial means or age.
There are ways to manage anxiety without using medication. Therapy is a great option!
Yes, some suggestions would be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Biofeedback.