The 3 most used therapy techniques for anxiety attacks.

These are the most commonly used psychotherapy techniques to treat anxiety attacks.

Therapy against anxiety has become commonplace. Data from the Ministry of Health regarding psychological disorders are worrying: it is estimated that about 8% of Spaniards currently suffer from anxiety. A disorder that is more frequent in women (10%) than in men (3%) and that has a higher incidence in the population over 55 years of age.

However, it should be noted that practically 100 % of our population has suffered or will suffer episodes of anxiety during their lifetime. throughout their lives.

The lack of knowledge of this type of pathology, which we do not deal with until we suffer from it, makes its prevention difficult. However, from Atlas Psicólogos Tres Cantos we recommend the treatment of our emotional health which is fundamental for the full and rational enjoyment of our life.

Anxiety, despite being a great inconvenience for our daily performance, is part of our biology which in turn adapts to our own demands and rhythms of life. Therefore, far from putting an end to it, it is convenient to follow our own thoughts in order to reduce the risk of suffering from it or to control it once we are exposed to it.

We can all suffer from anxiety at any time, since it usually depends on the demands of each person. However, there are some psychology techniques for anxiety, some techniques of psychology for the anxiety exist demonstrated to help you..

The best therapy techniques for anxiety attacks

These are the most effective forms of therapeutic intervention for anxiety attacks.

1. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

This current of thought was developed by the American psychologist Albert Ellis and consists of reflecting on our thoughts to address our behaviors through our emotions. consists of reflecting on our thoughts in order to address our behaviors through our emotions.. It is related to Stoic philosophy and the reflections that Epictetus, for example, left us in our legacy.

Epictetus was a Greek philosopher and slave. Once, his "master", tired of Epictetus' inefficiency, twisted his arm and asked him for a reason not to break his arm on the spot. Epictetus, with serenity and temperance looked at him and said "it may be that you have a slave who does not respond to your demands, but if you break my arm you will not fix anything and you will still have a slave who does not satisfy you, but with a broken arm, which would make things worse".

Exactly that serenity and search for solutions through the analysis of thought is what this ideal therapy for anxiety seeks..

Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck said that "between events and emotions there is a deformed thought; the event does not cause emotion". And they are right. Suppose a loved one dies. At the moment you don't feel sad, let alone depressed. After a few seconds you may be crying because you will have analyzed the information and a stream of thoughts will have gone through your head.

Well, in this case, the same thing happens with anxiety. What to do in the face of an anxiety attack? Let's think: Why are we like this? Is what I am thinking rational? Is what I am thinking practical or useful? You will see how all your answers will be negative. Therefore we will have to look for alternative thoughts.

In other words, do you know about anxiety attacks on the eve of exams? Maybe they could respond to the demands I had about passing. Maybe I thought that if I didn't pass I wasn't a good person, or that my parents would be disappointed. Neither of those two thoughts is rational, basically because it's not real.

You have to be careful with romantic partners, family or friends. They are highly irrational environments that can trigger maladaptive and harmful attitudes for us.. "For the family I kill", "you are the love of my life, my better half", "for friends anything". Sound familiar? These are all irrational thoughts. Therefore, TREC therapy follows three fundamental steps as a therapy for anxiety:

• We identify what disturbs us: "ALL my friends are fake", "I ALWAYS let my parents down", "I will NEVER make it".
• We analyze what we say to ourselves: "surely there is a friend who I think does not say the things she thinks", "I don't think I have met my parents' expectations this time", "this time I didn't succeed".
• We modify thoughts.

The good thing about this therapy is that once understood and internalized, the changes are immediate.. But, as in all treatments, it requires a small sacrifice. In this case they are not going to put a bandage on our head, but they are going to ask us to actively listen. We must make that effort.

2.Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques.

Among the many psychological techniques for anxiety, the TRD, also called Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique or Schultz's Autogenous Relaxation, stands out. In this case, a series of meditation techniques are used in order to find momentary calm. This exercise, unlike Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, is not long-lasting. That is, they influence in the moment, and has the disadvantage that you will need a quiet space where you can do it.

Breathing is something fundamental for the human being. This fact favors the reach of all the nutrients throughout our body and makes possible the correct functioning of our organism.

The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique is considered the most efficient breathing technique against anxiety, since, regardless of the inherent benefits of breathing correctly, allows a series of diaphragmatic stimuli that stimulate some areas of our body responsible for producing a state of relaxation.. These are the vagus nerve or the central axis of the parasympathetic system.

We will achieve an increased secretion of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter produced by our body that acts as a natural relaxant.

The steps for a TRD are as follows:

• Inhale all the air from our lungs through our mouth and wait 3 seconds.
• We exhale progressively and steadily through the nose directing the air into our lungs.
• Breathe very slowly and steadily the air in our lungs concentrating on the sensations perceived. We repeat the three seconds and start again.

3. Exposure techniques

If you are still worried about what to do in the face of an anxiety attack, exposure techniques serve as another therapy for anxiety. This is another type of therapeutic procedure specialized solely and exclusively in the treatment of anxiety.. It is a contrast technique that seeks to confront the patient with the origin of his anxiety in order to overcome it.

By means of this technique, the patient avoids adopting maladaptive behaviors that may harm him/her (e.g., alcohol to help him/her stop feeling). In this way, you will see that the perceived thoughts will not correspond to the real situation and anxiety levels will drop considerably.

Thus, if your anxiety is a product of your fear of expressing yourself in public, this technique will look for that.... That's right! Speak in front of a crowd.

On the other hand, there are virtual reality alternatives for a certain number of cases.... For example, let's put the situation of someone whose fear of flying makes him anxious. In that case, he can face the experience in a flight simulator that will give him a first step to his fears.

Concluding

In conclusion, emotional health is important for our stability and optimal progress in the life we choose to live.

It is true that there has not been enough training to enable us to deal with this type of situation at an earlier age, but there are effective treatments against it. Without going any further, the TREC is the most followed therapy against anxiety in the world. Do not miss the opportunity to learn about it.