Therapies for Anxiety

The word "therapy" may ring some very clichéd bells in your head. Isn't therapy about lying down on a couch, telling a pointy-bearded man with glasses all of your deepest darkest secrets?

Thankfully, much of the stigma surrounding therapy has dissipated in the last three decades. People understand that there are a wide variety of therapeutic treatments that they can try on. Talk therapy (psychoanalysis) is still a viable option, but so are any number of behavioral and cognitive therapies aimed at helping people break cycles of self-defeating thought and action.

This is particularly great news for people with anxiety disorders, or people who may only be experiencing passing, but very stressful life events. Therapy exists for you to help yourself discover the patterns of your own thinking and feeling. It is a relationship between you and your therapist guided by your personal goals and vision of the future. If this vision includes feeling less anxious and afraid, or maybe even uncovering some underlying reasons behind your anxieties and fears, therapy can help you in the short-term and the long-term.

In this part of the course, we'll take a look at a handful of common, popular, and scientifically effective therapy treatments that anxiety sufferers would do well to look into. Therapy has become more ubiquitous and affordable for a large amount of people. Health insurance may cover mental service costs up to a point, and if you are a college student your institution may offer affordable therapy sessions. Some colleges give their students a set amount of free consultations, which may be just enough time to express your concerns and develop a plan of action on your own.

Therapy has also made its way onto the Internet. As we'll see, most schools of therapy are offered as online courses. More and more studies are revealing that certain kinds of therapy, whether in-person or across the Internet, produce nearly equal results for patients. And of course, the main theories and exercises therapists of all schools use can be found online, often with free worksheets and materials to help set you on a self-guided course.

Hopefully by now, you agree that fear and anxiety are necessary and natural emotions to feel. Life situations both in and out of your control may put you face-to-face with anxiety-inducing challenges, and you may not always be able to cope. As there is no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed by experiencing these emotions, so too is there no shame or guilt needed when you decide to seek help for yourself or others. Most therapies conform to your goals and wishes for the session. You and your therapist will work as a team to identify the anxious thoughts or behaviors that may be keeping you from adequately relaxing or reaching  your potential. Then you'll narrow your focus onto putting what you learn during therapy into everyday practice.

Remember that therapy is a commitment. While many of the core theories and practices of therapies can be easily grasped, implementing them and setting up a system of support and accountability are what are mostly needed to see solid results.

This section will introduce you to a number of therapies that may interest you, including online therapies and the use of medication. Know that no matter which school of therapy you decide to research more or find therapists for, you are taking the first step in a long but life-changing road to living with fear and anxiety in a healthier way.

The self-knowledge you gain through therapy and the healthy mental habits you put to use in your life can remain invaluable tools for fearful and anxiety-inducing situations you encounter as the years roll on. Through therapy, you learn new ways to cope and new structures of thinking and behaving which equip you to field life's stressful and anxious twists and turns.