Signs and Symptoms. Mental health professionals offer a wide range of effective therapies and treatments for anxiety disorders, drawing on significant advances in procedures and technologies. Anxiety disorders usually require a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Today, a variety of medications are available for anxiety disorders. If one is ineffective, there are usually others to try.
Patients generally start with low doses and gradually increase as needed.
Like others, medications for anxiety disorders have side effects, but they usually become tolerable or diminish with time. Behavioral therapies are also effective in treating anxiety disorders. They focus on changing specific actions and use several techniques to stop negative behavior. In cognitive-behavioral therapy, a related therapy, patients learn to react differently to the triggers of anxiety attacks. They also learn to understand how their thinking patterns contribute to their symptoms and how to change their thoughts to reduce or prevent the symptoms.