Therapy for Anxiety And Where To Find Appropriate Services In Bangalore

What is anxiety? When is it a disorder?
Anxiety fundamentally refers to the subjective experience of sensations that accompanies the body’s response to any form of threat that is similar to a fear reaction. Experiences like this are typically accompanied by strong emotional responses like fear of losing control, fear of dying, feelings of fear or dread as well as physical symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, increased perspiration, cold hands or feet, hot flushes, sensations of shortness of breath, numbness, chills, lightheadedness and trembling. It is considered as an excessive alarm response system when there is no real threat - a pathological expression of fear responses.

Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life, however if the frequency and intensity of the episodes affect a person’s daily functioning, and limit life in an extensive way, it can be called an anxiety disorder and one must avail therapy for anxiety.

Anxiety can manifest in many different ways. Some of the disorders that are associated with anxiety are mentioned below:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Panic Disorder
3. Specific Phobias
4. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
5.  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
6. Eating Disorders
7. Illness/Health Anxiety

What are the treatment options for Anxiety spectrum disorders?

Therapy for Anxiety or treatment can typically be divided into

1. Pharmacotherapy
2. Psychotherapy.

Pharmacotherapy is offered by a ‘Psychiatrist’ while psychotherapy by a ‘Clinical Psychologist’.

Pharmacotherapy includes a wide range of medication and is prescribed based on the psychiatrist’s evaluation of the client’s concerns.

Also read: The side-effects of Pandemic Anxiety and coping with them

Psychotherapy is a process of understanding how one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions affect our actions and vice versa. It offers the space to reform many unconscious tendencies, misunderstandings and thinking errors that cause difficulty on an everyday basis. Psychologists practice different types of therapy depending on their training and learning. However, the objective remains the same, to alleviate symptoms and also create a menu for change, keeping sustainability in consideration, and to carry a tool kit for life! Some of the therapies in practice are:

1. Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy
2. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
3. Emotion Focused Therapy
4. Mentalization based Therapy
5. Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy

Along with the above there are many allied therapies available. But these function as adjunct aids rather than primary interventions:

1. Music therapy
2. Art therapy
3. Group therapy
4. Support groups

How to find the best suited treatment?
A number of private and government institutes/organizations offer mental health services and Therapy for Anxiety. However, keep the following in mind:

1. Choosing an organization/institute that has a holistic approach to psychological interventions. This can be a multi-disciplinary set up where different treating professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, allied therapists etc.) work together under the same roof. This ensures accuracy of diagnosis and determining effective treatment methods.
2. Finding an RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India) licensed Clinical psychologist.
3. It is also important to find a professional that suits your available resources like time and finances.
4. After the first assessment, one always has the autonomy to evaluate how comfortable it felt or if the wavelengths matched. Remember, that every psychologist/psychiatrist has his/her own style and mode of delivering intervention. However, it is your space and what you feel is very important
5. In case, there is a doubt of suitability, one could try a couple of sessions to further evaluate if a different professional must be sought. If you need a second opinion, please remember that it definitely can be considered.

Once the above are met, the professional would determine the frequency of sessions initially depending on the severity of the problem. It is strongly recommended that one pursues sessions as per the advice of the professional.

Where to find the best Therapist for Anxiety in Bengaluru:

Mpower-The Center, Indiranagar
 
2nd Floor, 2983, 12th Main,
Indira Nagar, HAL, 2nd stage,
Bengaluru - 560 008.
+91 80 25209712,
+91-9702803210
info.bengaluru@abet.co.in

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