4 Non-Medication Treatment Methods for Anxiety | Safe and Sound
If you are experiencing anxiety on a regular basis, you may be tempted to calm your nerves by self-medicating with alcohol, stimulants, or even prescription medications. But there is a better way. Safe and Sound psychologists and psychiatrists can help you manage and overcome the symptoms of this mental disorder without the need for such substances. Here are four effective methods that we offer to help you treat anxiety without medication.
Ngo Thi Sang | Master of Education - SnS Institute of Psychology and Mental Health
Center for Community Health and Development Research
1. Biofeedback
Biofeedback helps track changes in your brain
Biofeedback is a way to treat anxiety by monitoring the involuntary things that happen to your body when you're stressed or having an anxiety attack, such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle movements, sweating, and temperature.
Psychologists and psychiatrists say that with this method of treating psychological disorders, patients will have small electrodes attached to their scalp or skin so that they can send signals to a video screen. Once patients can see what happens to their brain waves and body when they are stressed, they can try things to change those reactions.
Through the patterns on the screen, you can see how different thoughts and emotions trigger responses in your brain. According to psychologists and psychiatrists, through different techniques such as breathing exercises and guided visualization, people can learn to control some of their body's involuntary functions and improve their anxiety symptoms.
2. Psychotherapy
Talk therapy
Psychotherapy is a treatment for anxiety that is properly called “talk therapy” and involves exploratory conversation sessions between you and a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. During these conversations, you delve into your past and analyze your present so that you and the psychologist or psychiatrist can identify the feelings, emotions, and thoughts that cause you anxiety.
Once those triggers are identified, you can understand the connection and take steps to address the issue to help overcome this mental disorder.
3. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Psychologists and psychiatrists say that psychotherapy is a general term used to describe several types of psychological approaches to mental problems and disorders, including anxiety treatment. One of these specific approaches is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
While similar to psychotherapy in its goal of identifying anxiety-causing emotions and thoughts, CBT is a bit more structured and primarily focused on the present, according to psychologists and psychiatrists. It identifies negative beliefs—such as “I am inadequate” and “I can’t do this”—and replaces them with more positive thoughts.
If you participate in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, you will likely have homework between sessions to reinforce your new thoughts and make them into habits.
4. Virtual reality exposure therapy
Virtual reality exposure therapy
Another highly effective way to treat anxiety and overcome situations that trigger your anxiety is virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), say psychologists and psychiatrists. This approach addresses the specific situation that triggers your fear.
With this anxiety treatment, it uses virtualization technology to create virtual environments that simulate anxiety-provoking situations, helping patients expose themselves to and face these situations in a safe and controlled manner.
For example, if you are afraid of flying or being around dogs, it may be because you associate that experience with something negative or even dangerous. Under the guidance of a psychologist or psychiatrist, by repeatedly viewing and experiencing those events without any danger through a simulated virtual environment. This helps you connect more fully with a safe version of your past reality and gives you the best chance of overcoming your fear, effectively treating your anxiety.
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