What to Expect During Anxiety Disorder Therapy

Those living with an anxiety disorder know how life-altering it can be. Anxiety disorder therapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment. However, therapy for anxiety can take many forms depending on what works best for the patient. This article will outline some major anxiety disorder therapies and what you can expect during an appointment.

The various forms of anxiety disorder treatment therapy

After determining which anxiety disorder a patient has through a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, the psychiatrist will work with the patient to construct a treatment plan. While they will introduce medication if needed, they may start by recommending psychotherapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing how one thinks and behaves. It can help one learn to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in order to live a normal life without the added stress and worry. A practitioner can perform CBT in individual or group sessions. During these sessions, patients may learn relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or guided imagery exercises, and how to challenge the negative thinking patterns contributing to their anxiety disorder.

The mental health care professional will work with the patient to develop goals for treatment and curate a plan that patients can fit into their lifestyle. The length of treatment depends on how well the patient responds to their sessions.

Acceptance and commitment therapy

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an archetype of CBT that focuses on accepting uncertainty. It is based on the idea that our thoughts directly affect our emotions and behaviors, so if one can change their thoughts, one can change their feelings and actions. ACT also emphasizes mindfulness, the practice of being fully aware of what is happening in the present moment without judgment or resistance.

Interpersonal therapy

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the relationship between the patient and others. It can help improve their relationships with others (professional and personal), cope better with stressful situations, and understand their feelings better. During IPT anxiety disorder sessions, patients will learn to:

• Recognize how their thoughts about others affect how they feel about themselves.
• Express their feelings appropriately when a negative situation or circumstance occurs in a relationship.
• Regulating their emotions when recognizing when others are upset to maintain a healthy conversation.

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is a type of psychotherapy practitioners use to treat patients with phobias and other forms of anxiety disorder. It involves gradually exposing the patient to an object or situation that normally triggers their anxiety to help them learn that their anxiety will not worsen. During this time, the practitioner will walk them through identifying their feeling and building healthy coping skills.

In some cases, psychiatrists can perform exposure therapy through virtual reality simulations where patients are put into situations similar to real ones without the risk of harm occurring due to being unable to touch anything around them physically. This form of therapy should only be performed under the direct care of a licensed medical professional, such as a psychiatrist.

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is based on the idea that the unconscious mind is the root of all mental illnesses. The practitioner will try to uncover hidden feelings and thoughts and help one understand how these feelings and thoughts affect their life. Mental healthcare professionals that specialize in psychodynamics have different approaches, but they typically focus on past experiences that may be contributing to a patient’s anxiety disorder. This type of treatment can take place in individual sessions, or it might involve group therapy, where the patient will meet with others under the guidance of a therapist.