Anxiety can be a very tricky subject. Every person who experiences anxiety is affected slightly differently, which means that there is no universal answer to finding relief.  This article will walk you through the top anxiety disorders with the best methods of relief for each. We will touch on the most common methods, but there are so many more anxiety relief tips, tricks, and therapies out there.

There are numerous levels of anxiety, circumstances in which a person might begin to feel anxious, and ways to relieve the feeling. Take note of the word “relieve”. It is important to know that we focus on methods of relief rather than a “cure”. Anxiety can be soothed but not eliminated. With that in mind, it is important to try several methods of relief to know what works for you. It is also important to determine the cause of your anxiety to the best of your ability. We recommend taking time during moments of clarity to create lists of things that may trigger your anxious feelings. Certain methods of relief may work better if you can acknowledge the cause of your anxiety before you begin.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault.

Methods of relief for PTSD:

• Medications prescribed by a medical professional.
• Therapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy or Stress Inoculation Therapy. These methods for PTSD has three main goals:
  1. Improve symptoms
  2. Teach skills to deal with triggers
  3. Restore self-esteem

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

This is the most common form of anxiety with more than 3 million US cases per year. Worrying on a certain level is normal and should not be a concern until those worrisome thoughts begin to feel unbearable and never-ending. You may experience persistent muscle tightness, fatigue, shaking, sweating or an overall sick to your stomach feeling. GAD does need to be diagnosed by a medical professional so that proper methods of relief can be administered. 

Methods of relief for GAD:

• Medications/antidepressants that can be prescribed by medical professionals.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – A form of talk therapy which is focused on changing negative thoughts and responses that one might associate with their mental distress.
• Self- care techniques such as daily exercise, yoga, meditation or pursuing enjoyable stress reducing hobbies.

Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)

A chronic health condition which causes extreme fear of social interactions. One may be excessively worried about being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated during social interactions. Common situations like dating, public speaking, using a public restroom or going to parties may be extremely difficult or seemingly impossible for a person suffering from social phobia

Methods of relief for Social Phobia: 

• Prescription medications
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Social skills training
• Keeping a journal
• Joining a support group