If anxiety is diagnosed it requires comprehensive treatment. Anxiolytics to relieve anxiety and panic attacks (a recurring intense feeling of fear, accompanied by a sense of near death and loss of control) have a significant effect, while psychotherapy can reduce the degree of anxiety. Some of the more effective psychological treatments for anxiety disorders are as follows: (1) Explanatory method: Since patients with anxiety disorders mostly have anticipatory anxiety, they have an expected fear of future anxiety attacks. If the patient can actively cooperate with the psychiatrist and patiently listen to the doctor’s explanation of the nature of the illness, it helps to reduce the psychological burden and prevent the occurrence of anxiety disorders. (2) Relaxation method: Relaxation method therapy is a method that teaches patients how to perform muscle and emotional relaxation. Patients can eliminate distractions by learning and mastering breathing regulation and relaxing muscles throughout the body.
The patient first focuses on one part of the torso (e.g., the left hand) and tries to relax that part of the muscles until a warm sensation is created. Then shift the attention to another part of the body (such as the right hand). This repeated training can lead to a calm mood, regular heartbeat and even breathing, which is very effective for anxious state episodes. When available, relaxation training can be performed under the detection of biofeedback therapy instrument. (3) Shock method: To change pathological behavior by putting the patient suddenly in the actual environment that stimulates anxiety. This treatment lasts 30-60 minutes each time, and the number of treatments is usually 1-4 times. (4) Hypnosis: Hypnosis is suitable for generalized anxiety disorder (an anxiety disorder characterized by frequent, persistent tension and anxiety with no obvious object or fixed content, or excessive worry or annoyance about certain problems in real life). The hypnotist uses highly suggestive hypnosis techniques to improve the patient’s anxiety and sleep. (5) Systematic desensitization method: With the patient in a state of general relaxation, the stimuli that can cause weak anxiety are repeated in front of him/her, and when they reach the point where they cannot cause anxiety, the intensity of the stimuli is increased as usual until the patient’s anxiety disappears completely.