Anxiety: getting help

When anxiety starts to affect all aspects of your life and prevents you from doing things you used to enjoy, it's time to take action and get help.

How can I seek help for anxiety?

If we are put under a lot of pressure, we may feel anxious and fearful for much of the time. We usually cope with these feelings because we know what is causing them and we know when the situation will end. For example, if you have an exam ahead, you know that once the exam is over the feelings will pass.

But some of us have these feelings a lot of the time without knowing what is causing them, and not knowing when they might end. This is much harder to cope with and will usually require some help from somebody else. Sometimes, people avoid asking for help because they worry others might think they are needy or paranoid. This is rarely the case, and it's always better to seek help than to keep quiet and bottle things up.

Helping yourself to beat anxiety

Try to take a positive outlook on your anxiety, taking one day at a time. Don't be too hard on yourself. Learning to deal with your anxiety can be extremely difficult and may take some time. If possible, try to face the things or situations that make you anxious, and feel confident about being able to cope with your anxiety.
It is important to find ways of motivating yourself, such as setting small and achievable goals. It is sometimes helpful to make a list of particular problems or difficult situations that you would like to overcome and attempt them step-by-step.
Learn to relax by thinking about things that make you feel calm such as listening to music or reading. You could also use specific relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or pre-recorded relaxation tapes. This may help you if you are having difficulty sleeping.
Do some form of exercise on a regular basis. Physical exercise can trigger brain chemicals that will improve your mood. Feeling better about your body can make you feel more positive about yourself.
Eat well - lots of fresh vegetables and fruit will increase body energy. Also, try to avoid drinking too much tea and coffee as caffeine can increase anxiety levels.
Talk to your friends and family about your worries.
Self-help groups are a good way of getting in touch with people with similar problems. They will be able to understand what you are going through, and may be able to suggest helpful ways of coping.
Online discussion forums can also be a good place to find others who have experienced similar problems. Make sure you use a reputable, well-moderated forum, such as TheSite.org's Health forum.

Other sources of help:

General practitioners (GP)

This is a good place to start. Your doctor (GP) can help you to find the right type of help. This may include medication, or a referral to another agency for other forms of treatment such as talking treatments. Some GPs now have counsellors or psychologists based in their practices who can also offer help.

Psychotherapy

This is a more intensive talking treatment that can help us to understand and come to terms with reasons for our anxieties that we may not have recognised ourselves. The treatment can take place in groups or individually and is usually weekly for several weeks or months.

Medication

Tranquillisers: The most commonly used are the Valium-like drugs; the benzodiazepines. They are very effective at relieving anxiety, but they can be addictive after only four weeks of regular use. When people try to stop taking them they may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that can go on for some time. These drugs should be only used for short periods, perhaps to help during a crisis.
Antidepressants: Depression and severe anxiety often go hand-in-hand and antidepressants will treat both conditions. One of the drawbacks is that they take two to four weeks to work and some can cause drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth and constipation.
Beta blockers: Some people experience a number of physical effects of anxiety, such as chest pains, palpitations, seating and tremors. Beta blockers can be an effective treatment for these physical symptoms.