Strengthening the nervous system: a review of anti-stress drugs

Treatment of anxiety

To get rid of an obsessive state, psychologists and psychotherapists use a treatment complex consisting of consultations and, if necessary, the use of medications. Treatment development is carried out on a purely individual basis and depending on the type of anxiety disorder.

When the condition worsens, medications are prescribed. Depending on the symptoms manifested, several groups of tablets can be distinguished:

1. Psychotropic substances - tranquilizers. Help relieve panic and constant feelings of tension. You can also get rid of suicidal intentions, as well as reduce aggressive behavior
2. Antidepressants. Restores a stable emotional background, eliminates possible anxiety states and exacerbations
3. Neuroleptics. This is relevant if the patient is in an inadequate condition. The effects of drugs are carried out on certain areas of the brain, which help to control the situation and show rationality in thinking.
4. Sedatives. They have a calming effect, help reduce nervous tension, normalize sleep, and reduce the level of excitability.
5. Nootropics help maintain the patient’s performance at the proper level, and also promote normal blood circulation
6. Beta and alpha blockers. They help deactivate the receptors that perceive adrenaline. Helps improve the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.

Psychotherapy is an integral part of treatment. To do this, psychotherapists use various techniques, depending on the complexity of the disease and its progression. For treatment, hypnosis is used as an auxiliary method.

Treatment of anxiety in adults

The treatment program is developed individually, depending on the patient’s condition. So, for example, for some people it is enough to carry out persuasion techniques, as a result of which their condition significantly improves, but in advanced situations it is simply impossible to do without the use of medications.

Rational type beliefs often involve the use of psychotherapeutic techniques. In addition, the specialist constantly accompanies the patient, and also teaches how to cope with emerging exacerbations and interact normally with other members of society.

As with an anxious depressive state, many patients may be prescribed antidepressants, antipsychotics, and nootropics.

It is important to note that the patient’s work on his own condition is no less important. You can do breathing exercises or yoga, and walk in the fresh air as much as possible. It is not recommended to abuse alcohol or smoke cigarettes, as this reduces the effectiveness of treatment.

Anxiety in children

Psychologists and psychotherapists work with children at any stage of anxiety development. However, often one or both parents are included in the process to help improve and speed up the restoration of the child’s normal condition. And although an individual treatment plan is developed for each child, the general scheme is as follows:

1. Psychotherapy. Typically, cognitive behavioral therapy is used to work. As a result, the child must learn to cope with assigned tasks and stressful conditions.
2. Family psychotherapy. To eliminate the anxious state as quickly as possible, not only individual techniques are used, but also work with entire families and proper monitoring of the condition by a psychologist or psychotherapist. If there are difficulties in contact between family members
3. The use of medications is possible only if the child cannot cope with anxiety even with the support of a psychotherapist. As a rule, anxiolytics are extremely rarely used under the age of 18 years.

Treatment of anxiety during menopause

Menopause is a transitional state of the female body as a result of hormonal changes. As a result, not only pathological changes in the functioning of the body, but also in the emotional state can be observed. The most well-known and popular method is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, its use is possible only if you have first consulted with a specialist.

Non-hormonal drugs are also often used to help overcome depression and reduce anxiety. Also one of the popular types of treatment is the use of SSRIs. But the drug often causes a decrease in libido. If side symptoms are diagnosed, then bupropion or duloxetine can be used as a replacement.

What medications are used to treat panic attacks?

Taking medications is one of the means of combating depression. We present to your attention a list of medications for panic attacks:

• Afobazole Taken three times after meals for 3-4 weeks. It is prescribed to patients who are susceptible to depression, suspiciousness and vulnerability. The medication helps relieve feelings of fear and anxiety. It also does not adversely affect the body and the entire system as a whole. Contraindicated in pregnant women and people with sensitivity to the ingredients included in the drug;
• glycine. Taking it, you can improve your mood and normalize your sleep. The drug will also help improve brain performance. It is used as a pill for panic attacks;
• atarax. The medicine treats allergic diseases and neuroses. It has contraindications and side effects, such as vomiting, decreased blood pressure and a feeling of fatigue. Consult your doctor before use;
• phenazepam. This drug is prescribed for panic attacks and obsessive states. It is also used to treat phobias. But the medication has a number of side effects: drowsiness, a person gets tired faster, a sore throat, diarrhea or constipation, and anemia may appear. It should be taken strictly according to the prescription 2-3 times a day according to a doctor’s prescription;
• grandaxin. The product helps the human body cope with stress. It is used for depressive and depressed states, neuroses. However, when taking it, reactions such as nausea, mild toothache, lethargy and aggressiveness may occur. It is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding or pregnant.

Symptoms and signs of anxiety in adults

Among the most common symptoms are the following:

1. The person remains tense all the time
2. Feeling of chills and general physical malaise
3. A constant test of excitement
4. Panic attacks
5. Lack of ability to cope with your own anxiety.

Separately, there are physical aspects that manifest themselves in the form of intense headaches, stiffness in the shoulders and muscles.

Due to constant anxiety, each person begins to experience an independent struggle with his own “I”. The most common fear is a quick death, sweating increases, and the heartbeat becomes much faster.

Manifestations of depression and stress

The main manifestations of stress are anxiety and restlessness. A person is constantly worried, often without adequate reason, “over trifles.” Easily fatigue, sleep disturbance (restless sleep, waking up early before the alarm, daytime drowsiness), irritability are added. It is not uncommon to experience panic attacks, which are characterized by sudden attacks of anxiety and fear.

Only an experienced psychotherapist can make an accurate diagnosis. It is important to determine the type of depression, because each option has its own treatment regimen.

The main symptoms of depression are the so-called depressive triad, which includes:

• low mood, depression, depression;
• mental retardation - lethargy, passivity, taciturnity, lack of emotions, loss of appetite, lack of initiative; thoughts around the same worries, often unfounded feelings of guilt, pessimism;
• motor retardation - severe weakness, a feeling of powerlessness, a person strives to take one position and may not move for days - for example, lying in bed, constantly looking at the ceiling. Some people, on the contrary, do not find a place for themselves - they walk around the room anxiously, wring their hands, and cry.

One of the symptoms that significantly reduces the quality of life of a patient with depression is sleep disturbance. It is characterized by the inability to fall asleep for a long time and short, superficial sleep that does not bring a feeling of rest. Insomnia, stress, depression are manifestations of mental illness and problems in the nervous system. Sleep disturbance should alert you and become a reason to consult a specialist.

Important

Sleep disturbances - insomnia, early awakening - these are often the first symptoms of incipient depression. It’s better to get treatment right away, because then it becomes more and more difficult to work, you don’t want to leave the house, thoughts of suicide come.

Symptoms of stress and depression are often subtle. A person may deny for a long time or not notice that stress is taking away more and more strength from him. Depression and fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating are perceived as the norm; a person does not remember that it used to be different. Rest and a change of environment, a diet rich in vitamins will only help along with the main treatment - psychotherapy and medication support.

Treatments for Anxiety

The main method of treatment is psychotherapy accompanied by an experienced psychologist or psychotherapist. In some cases, simple reassurance is enough for the patient to reduce anxiety. If this does not help the person, then medications are prescribed to help restore the patient’s normal condition.

Group treatment for anxiety

The group method of combating therapy is one of the most popular. It is important to note that it has been successfully practiced for many years in the USA and Western Europe. Before taking part in such an event, many people think about how effective it is and what exactly they have to do.

Typically, group therapy based on psychoanalysis is used to treat anxiety. During classes, people actively communicate with each other and understand the experiences. A psychologist at such an event only accompanies the process and tries not to interfere with it unless absolutely necessary. The main idea of ​​therapy is the opportunity for each person to see from the outside their own experiences, reactions to emerging events, as well as interactions with other people.

Taken together, group therapy, along with other conventional treatments, produces excellent results and long-lasting positive improvements.

Neuroleptics

When trying to classify antipsychotics, scientists primarily rely on their chemical structure:

• aliphatic phenothiazines - drugs whose antipsychotic activity is weakly expressed, they are aimed at sedation (calm down, help to sleep);
• butyrophenones (popular haloperidol) are powerful antipsychotics that have almost no sedative effect, they stop hallucinations and delusions;
• dibenzazepines have mild side effects, are better combined with other drugs, but have almost no sedative effect, and are aimed at relieving psychotic manifestations;
• Phenothiazine derivatives relieve pain and are prescribed for damaged blood vessels and thrombophilitis.

Neuroleptics or antipsychotics are atypical or typical, long-acting or non-long-acting. Typical antipsychotics are outdated drugs that do an excellent job of relieving psychotic symptoms, but have a high likelihood of side effects. Atypical is a modern version of antipsychotics that reduces the risk of side effects to a minimum. Long-acting antipsychotics have a long-lasting effect, their effect is noticeable for 20-30 days. They are not taken daily.

Neuroleptics eliminate severe fear, anxiety, agitation, and improve sleep. They are used for severe psychotic depression, the dosage is low. Neuroleptics are prescribed more often to patients with psychoses combined with psychomotor agitation. Less commonly used for apathy and lethargy.

Prescribing antipsychotics to children is a controversial issue in psychiatry. There is a lack of evidence-based medicine on this issue. Therefore, antipsychotics are prescribed to pediatric patients, but rarely, with caution and in small dosages.