What is the best therapy for anxiety?

In 2022 alone, the number of people with anxiety grew by 25%. According to statistics from Forbes Health, the number of people with anxiety around the world has grown to about 374 million. Anxiety affects how a person functions and carries out their daily activities due to intense worry and fear. This has led many, including you, to ask, What is the best therapy for anxiety?

This article will discuss the different therapies available today for anxiety.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Also known as CBT, it is a form of therapy that deals with the psychological and behavioral aspects of a person's life. It works to identify the triggers or causes of a person's anxiety and how they react to them. This can be done physically or through online therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, according to research, has over a 90% chance of effectiveness. The British Journal of Psychiatry found that cognitive behavioral therapy was effective in reducing anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder. While this method is effective, it only addresses the visible causes of your anxiety and not the underlying factors.

Exposure therapy 

This type of therapy, as the name implies, exposes the patient to things or situations that cause them anxiety. These sessions happen in a controlled or monitored environment. Studies have shown that exposure therapy has great success in treating anxiety. An example is a study by Foa et al. (2002). The drawback encountered in exposure therapy is the patient's reluctance to confront their fears.

Acceptance and commitment therapy

ACT uses confrontation as a form of therapy; patients are taught not to run away from feelings or things that cause them anxiety. Rather, focus on pleasant things to deal with the situation. Research has shown this method to be effective in anxiety treatment. An example of such is The Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs" (Bond et al., 2015). ACT, like cognitive and behavioral therapy, deals with only surface fears.

Psychodynamic therapy 

Psychodynamic therapy engages the patient in verbal conversations to draw out the person's innermost feelings. It aims to filter the patient's thoughts to find the real cause of their anxiety. A study conducted by Barber et al. (2012), which showed that psychodynamic therapy was effective. This form of therapy is more cost-intensive than the other therapies and has longer sessions.

The different forms of therapy listed above are effective in their ways. Hence, it is important to speak with your healthcare providers about which form of therapy is best suited for you. This is important because while one form of therapy might work for someone you know or have heard of, it might not for you. Your healthcare provider is in the best position to suggest the best treatment for you.

Conclusion

As the world is evolving, more forms of therapy are now available to help you fight anxiety. Depending on your symptoms, triggers, or severity, your therapist might suggest combining two or more forms of therapy. Medications are sometimes added, depending on the seriousness of your anxiety.

It is important to speak to a healthcare provider when you start to feel symptoms of anxiety. One or more of the different anxiety therapies listed above would likely be suggested. Overall, cognitive and behavioral therapy is the best therapy for anxiety.

Disclaimer : The above is a sponsored article and the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of The Tribune editorial in any manner.

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