support network outside of therapy The past in particular unprocessed grief and trauma has a significant impact on the persistence of anxiety symptoms Consider weekly psychotherapy to help you work through past trauma and loss that may be impacting your ability to feel sustained relief from anxiety As seen anxiety frequently masks other negative emotions that you may be unaware of or have not yet processed Talking with a therapist can help you uncover those negative emotions and identify causing them Very typically anxiety lifts when you enter therapy and start the process ofexploring your deeper emotions and issues You may be faced with other complicated emotions but awareness of them will significantly accelerate the recovery process Medication In some cases medication along with psychotherapy is the best approach for anxiety reduction This should be considered only after using the strategies in this book on a consistent basis and meeting with a licensed mental health therapist or clinical psychologist If you and your therapist believe medication could be helpful set up an appointment with a psychiatrist Psychiatrists have specific training in how drugs impact emotions and behavior If you decide to try medication be wary of benzodiazepines and prescription painkillers