Anxiety disorder is a prevalent mental illness characterized by idiopathic fears, worries, impulsive behavior and many more. There are plenty of sub-types such as social phobia, OCD, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, which manifest themselves in varying symptoms (with a considerable overlap), but all of them frequently respond to a common treatment. How does the brain exactly evoke anxiety and whether it originates from a common cause is left to discussion, however there have been proposed numerous theories upon which many forms of treatment are based:
1. Exercise - Performing aeorobic physical activities has been proposed to activate the endocannabinoid system resulting in a so called runner's high. Binding of anandamide to its corresponding receptor sites can bring about pain relief and mood enhancement. Additionally does exercise promote neuronal growth within the brain. This neurotrophic effect might be appreciated by many as anxiety/depression often result in increased cortisol levels (hypercortisolemia), which has a neurotoxic effect in excess.
2. Diet - Eating excess of sugars will result in rapid mood cycling: you might experience a short relief by eating something sweet, but know that it won't last long and likely emphasize depression because of the contrast it can induce. Drinking coffee is also something to consider avoiding as it activates adrenergic receptor sites (alpha 1 and 2), agonists at alpha 1 (such as coffee) have been shown to induce anxiogenic effects in subjects. Adhering to protein rich foods with an adequate carbohydrate intake is advised.
3. Supplements - It has been long thought that psychiatric disorders arise from the shortage of neurotransmitters/neuromodulators operating our brains. This and possible regional malfunctions (cingular cortex, amygdala, substantia nigra etc.) are the likely criminals implicated in a wide array of mental disorders. All of these require proper enzymes, proteins and other substances to operate correctly. Therefore supplementing yourself with vitamins (B and C mostly) and Zinc, Calcium, Magnesium, Omega-3, Lecithin and others might prove useful by eliminating possible deficiencies, which might be adding to or even be the sole cause of the disorder.
4. Medication - Prescription medication is a common accessory of many psychiatric patients. The spectrum of available anxiolytics is rather wide, offering different approaches involving different pharmacodynamics. The etiology of an anxiety disorder is not same among all sufferers, contrary to what many psychiatrists and physicians assume, making choosing the correct pill a matter of experimentation. The intricacy and heterogenity of our central nervous system do not enable for generalizations: e.g your anxiety might emanate from a vitamin deficiency while my anxiety ca be a result of receptor hyper-sensitivity. Therefore starting with an option presenting the best side effect to efficacy ratio is advised.
5. Meditation - Practices such as meditation have been revealed to support the growth of gray matter, structure associated with intelligence, and bring more order into a disorder by improving focusing and decision making skills. Meditating daily for 10-20 minutes will enable your mind to rest and make amends to the plaguing disorder. Furthermore a technique as such enables one to analyze the sources of distress and makes a disorder more accessible for corrections.
These are only few practices used by myriad anxiety sufferers to combat their symptoms. The efficiency of each of these approaches will vary among individuals mainly because of subjective reasons such as etiology of the disorder and personal psychology. However by combining several approaches (not by carrying them out simultaneously, but in a sequence and frequently) you will maximize the potential gains. Furthermore some techniques might work in a synergy such as exercise and supplementation: the exercise increases consumption and utilization of ions,minerals,vitamins and other bodily fuels so supplementation of these will enhance the effect of exercise.
To be concise: because of discrepant disorder etiologies the individual is advised to experiment with different techniques and if possible co-administer them to achieve a more significant symptom reduction.
A good site further elaborating on the topic of possible treatments of anxiety disorders: Alleviating anxiety - It provides all the information about the supplementation, medication and natural techniques that will help you reduce your anxiety and enter remission.
Paddy