Seeing a mental health professional for anxiety disorder can help you overcome the condition’s symptoms. Different therapists may have different techniques for anxiety. However, with the help of a qualified professional, you can get over the condition and start to feel better sooner. Anxiety can often negatively impact your quality of life and mental health. This article will discuss different treatment options for anxiety disorder and which one might be best for you.
Interpersonal therapy
A social anxiety disorder psychotherapist may recommend interpersonal therapy (IPT) to treat the underlying anxiety disorder. Although the research on this therapy is limited, it has shown promising results with patients suffering from social anxiety. This therapy focuses on addressing interpersonal problems and fostering interpersonal awareness to improve moods and relationships. An IPT psychotherapist will ask patients about their anxiety symptoms and identify ways to improve their interpersonal relationships.
This type of therapy addresses four categories of distress. First, the therapist asks about recent events, relationships, and changes in one’s life. The therapist uses feedback to identify what is working and what’s not. Third, the psychotherapist may use role-play exercises to identify relationship health and adjust a patient’s style to improve a particular relationship. While therapy does involve a psychotherapist, it can be performed independently.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorder is a type of counseling that focuses on changing beliefs and behaviors causing symptoms of the condition. Cognitive therapy is based on Beck’s tri-part model of emotion, which suggests that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interrelated. In this way, changing maladaptive thoughts can change our behavior and affect. In addition, it targets inaccurate thoughts and helps you learn to control them.
During therapy, patients are encouraged to identify what triggers their symptoms and face the anxiety head-on. Then, the therapist can teach them skills to challenge these negative thoughts and help them develop action plans to cope with their conditions. For example, they may be taught how to combat procrastination, which is the tendency to put off a task later despite negative thoughts. An example is when a person procrastinates on a big project until the night before it is due.
Schema therapy
The therapist may use the term “schema” to refer to a set of beliefs or emotional patterns a client relates to. The therapist will assess a patient’s history to determine the presence of early maladaptive schemas. By carefully assessing the client’s life and emotional experiences, the therapist can provide a thorough review of their lifetime schemas. After the initial assessment, therapists may encourage patients to develop emotional regulation awareness and reactivate certain schemas they’ve held for many years.
The coping styles of a person may include thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. These responses are often rooted in negative experiences and reinforce old and persistent schemas. These behaviors can be damaging to one’s self-esteem and deteriorate relationships. Moreover, a person’s coping mechanisms may change over time, depending on their temperament and what their parents taught them. In the case of an anxiety disorder psychotherapist, the patient can learn to develop new, effective strategies to cope with their current circumstances and overcome their anxious feelings.