For decades, talk therapy has been considered the best way to treat mental illness and other issues. It provides an opportunity to talk through your issues and develop healthy coping strategies. However, there are other treatments and techniques that can offer even more value out of your therapy for anxiety in Dallas.
Your one-on-one counseling or group therapy sessions could be more beneficial for you if you try additional therapeutic interventions. Let’s discuss some of the ways you can take your mental health care to the next level.
Get Educated on Anxiety Disorders
Did you know that many people with an anxiety disorder also have a co-occurring disorder or medical condition? This can make symptoms of anxiety far worse and more difficult to recover from (ADAA). Facts like that can be greatly beneficial for your anxiety symptoms.
To better manage your anxiety, it’s helpful to become more knowledgeable about your disorder. When you have the facts about your anxiety disorder, you’ll gain greater awareness of your condition. In turn, this will help you get the most out of your anxiety therapy.
Explore Ways to Alleviate Anxiety Each Day
There are many steps you can take in your day-to-day life that may help ease feelings of excessive anxiety. Believe it or not, changing your habits, social behaviors, and routines can work wonders for anxiety symptom relief.
Here are a few lifestyles changes to consider:
- Form new social connections – Research has shown that loneliness and isolation contribute to anxiety. So, make a point to see your friends more frequently, find ways to meet new people, or consider joining a self-help group.
- Increase your physical activity – Exercise has been proven to alleviate tension and anxiety.
- Limit alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine – These may make your symptoms worse.
- Reduce stress in your life – You can say no extra responsibilities. You can avoid people who make you anxious. And you can make time for fun and relaxation.
Pair these incremental changes with counseling and you’ll undoubtedly see many improvements in your daily life.
Make sure to communicate these changes to your therapist as you make them. This will help them understand how your anxiety condition is improving and it may even spark ideas for them on other lifestyle changes you can make.
Consider Different Types of Therapy
There are many mental health professionals that specialize in different treatment approaches. It never hurts to explore your options and attend different types of therapy for anxiety in Dallas. Here are a few options that you may want to try:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Also called CBT, this approach challenges negative thought patterns and how you view the world and yourself.
- Group Therapy – As mentioned earlier, social interactions can greatly benefit anxiety symptoms. This therapy may be very helpful for those with social anxiety disorder.
- Exposure Therapy – Your therapist may ask you to confront situations that trigger your anxiety. Those repeated exposures can help you feel more in control over stressful situations.
Just remember to discuss these therapies with your current mental health specialist first. They may be able to offer more personalized advice on therapies to try that may be best suited to your needs.
Embrace in Alternative Anxiety Treatments
Whether you have a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or a panic disorder, it’s worthwhile to explore treatments outside of therapy.
Treatments for mental health disorders have come a long way over the past several decades. Many emerging and innovative treatments have shown promising results for many types of anxiety disorders. And there are two therapies we’d like to draw your attention to:
- Biofeedback therapy
- Neurofeedback therapy
Biofeedback
Biofeedback therapy is a non-invasive, research-based treatment approach that focuses on the connection between the mind and the body.
During treatment, electrical sensors are placed on your body to gather real-time data about bodily efficiencies (e.g., breathing, heart rate, sweat gland activity, etc.). This allows you a chance to see your physiological responses to stress and anxiety.
Given enough time, you’ll become aware of your anxiety responses and learn how to better control them. Just imagine what you could accomplish when you pair this treatment with talk therapy.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback therapy uses real-time data about your brainwaves to treat severe anxiety disorders.
It’s a drug-free, non-invasive therapy that works to retrain your brain through operant conditioning. During a session, you’ll receive a reward when your brainwaves function within an optimal range. And when your brainwaves fall out of that range, your reward is taken away.
Over time, your thought patterns and cognitive behaviors will change for the better. You’ll gain greater control of your anxiety and will likely have reduced symptoms (e.g., fewer anxiety attacks, better responses to anxiety triggers, etc.).
Get Greater Relief from Your Therapy for Anxiety in Dallas
If you’re tired of living with an intense fear of anxious situations, contact Braincode Centers today.
Our mental health specialists work with every type of anxiety disorder. We offer both traditional counseling and alternative treatments, so we can function as your one-stop-shop for your ongoing anxiety. After your initial consultation, we’ll develop a detailed and customized treatment plan for you that integrates an array of anxiety treatments.
Contact us today to start getting more value from your therapy for anxiety in Dallas.
