Anxiety Relief Journal

TORONTO, ON -- November 24, 2005 -- Wyeth Canada has announced that its serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), Effexor XR, has been approved for the symptomatic relief of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. Previously indicated for the treatment of anxiety and depression, Effexor XR is distinguished from all other antidepressants as the only available "dual-action" treatment that affects the levels of two naturally occurring neurotransmitters in the brain known to affect mood, serotonin and norepinephrine.

"Panic disorder can have long-lasting personal, social and economic consequences," says Dr. Martin Katzman BSc MD FRCPC, Clinic Director of Start Clinic for Mood and Anxiety Disorders. "Evidence supporting the role of Effexor XR in treating Panic Disorder provides hope to those who have been unsuccessfully treated with other treatments."

Guide to anxiety treatment

2006-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Anxiety disorders are real, serious and treatable. Experts believe that anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors, much like other disorders, such as heart disease and diabetes.

The vast majority of people with an anxiety disorder can be helped with professional care. Success of treatment varies with the individual. Some people may respond to treatment after a few months, while others may take a year or more. Treatment is sometimes complicated by the fact that people very often have more than one anxiety disorder, or suffer from depression or substance abuse. This is why treatment must be tailored to the individual.

Although treatment is individualized, there are several standard approaches that have proven to be effective. Therapists will use one, or a combination of these therapies.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Behavior Therapy
The goal of Behavior Therapy is to modify and gain control over unwanted behavior. The individual learns to cope with difficult situations, often through controlled exposure to them. This kind of therapy gives the individual a sense of having control over their life.

Cognitive Therapy
The goal of Cognitive Therapy is to change unproductive or harmful thought patterns. The individual examines his feelings and learns to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts. As with Behavior Therapy, the individual is actively involved in his own recovery and has a sense of control.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Many therapists use a combination of Cognitive and Behavior Therapies, this is often referred to as CBT. One of the benefits of these types therapies is that the patient learns recovery skills that are useful for a lifetime.

Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation Techniques help individuals develop the ability to more effectively cope with the stresses that contribute to anxiety, as well as with some of the physical symptoms of anxiety. The techniques taught include breathing re-training and exercise.

Medication
Medication can be very useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders, and it is often used in conjunction with one or more of the therapies mentioned above. Sometimes anti-depressants or anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medications) are used to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can go forward. Medication is effective for many people and can be either a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on the individual.

Treating anxiety disorders

2006-01-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Fortunately, much progress has been made in the last two decades in the treatment of people with mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders. Although the exact treatment approach depends on the type of disorder, one or a combination of the following therapies may be used for most anxiety disorders:

* Medication: Medicines used to reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders include anti-depressants and anxiety-reducing medications.
* Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) addresses the emotional response to mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people by talking through strategies for understanding and dealing with their disorder.
* Cognitive-behavioral therapy: People suffering from anxiety disorders often participate in this type of psychotherapy in which the person learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings.

Anxiety causes

2006-01-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

Causes of Anxiety Disorders

The exact cause of anxiety disorders is unknown; but anxiety disorders -- like other forms of mental illness -- are not the result of personal weakness, a character flaw or poor upbringing.
As scientists continue their research on mental illness, it is becoming clear that many of these disorders are caused by a combination of factors, including changes in the brain and environmental stresses.
Like certain illnesses, such as diabetes, anxiety disorders may be caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Studies have shown that severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of chemicals in the brain that control mood. Other studies have shown that people with certain anxiety disorders have changes in certain brain structures that control memory or mood. In addition, studies have shown that anxiety disorders run in families, which means that they can be inherited from one or both parents, like hair or eye color. Moreover, certain environmental factors -- such as a trauma or significant event -- may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have an inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder.

Dummy drugs 'can relieve anxiety'

2006-01-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Scientists say they have found that the "placebo effect" of dummy drugs can relieve anxiety as well as pain. The effect is when a person is successfully treated by a dummy drug, just because they believe it works.
Swedish volunteers were shown a series of unpleasant pictures and then given an anti-anxiety drug. The test was later repeated, but with a fake drug.
The effects on calming the people's nerves were fairly similar, the scientists told the journal Neuron.

You may read the whole story here.

Brain structure link to anxiety

2006-01-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Vulnerability to anxiety may be down to the size of a brain structure involved in fearful memories, say US scientists.
The findings may help explain why some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others bounce back after adversity, say the authors.

You may read the whole story here.

Anxiety relief

2006-01-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

What can I do to help myself?

The first step is to understand how anxiety works. Anxiety is a mixture of physical and mental symptoms. They are part of what psychologists call the 'fight or flight' response. When the body is under threat it automatically prepares to either defend itself or run.

Relaxation

To manage your anxiety you must first break the cycle. One way of doing this is to reduce the severity of physical symptoms by practising relaxation techniques.

There are two types of relaxation exercise: guided fantasy and muscle tension. It's best to try them both to find out which one suits you best. Relaxation isn't an immediate fix for the problem. It's a skill that must be learned, and (like all skills) is only acquired through practice.

Exercise

Another strategy for breaking the physical symptoms of the vicious cycle is taking aerobic exercise. This is exercise that's low impact - not involving carrying heavy weights or sudden exertion - and acts mainly on the heart. Any gentle physical activity that leaves the heart slightly racing will help.

By effectively giving the heart exercise it will, like any other muscle, become stronger. A stronger heart will be less prone to the kind of pounding that can make the physical symptoms so unpleasant. Exercise will also help to release some of the tension that builds up and can fuel the anxiety.

Diet

Caffeine is present in many soft drinks, not just tea and coffee. Try to cut out caffeine as much as possible, since it can set up its own vicious cycle. It can have an effect on the heart (speeding it up) and make you pass more urine - both signs of general anxiety. It can also disturb your sleep, another sign of anxiety.

If you're tired you'll be less in control of your emotions and more likely to feel anxious. Trying to overcome tiredness by drinking more caffeine only makes the long-term problem worse.

Say "no"

This can be the very best therapy. It's simply too easy to take on too much. You can find yourself in a situation where you have too many demands on your time. Often, no one thing is causing you anxiety. But as you try to fit more and more into your life, you can become slightly anxious about each task.

This anxiety can build up, bringing you to breaking point. It's as bad to feel a little anxious about a lot of things, as it is to feel very anxious about one big thing.
Monitor your mood and thoughts

Sometimes it can be useful to think of your anxiety in the same way that an asthmatic might think of their breathing. We all breathe - just as we all experience anxiety at some point. Just as asthmatics will often check their breath capacity regularly, it can be useful to check your anxiety level regularly. You can do this by using the mood monitoring technique - developing the skill of spotting problems before they become unmanageable.