The treatment of anxiety

Eliminating anxiety is extremely rewarding work. When the brain and body are no longer in “fight or flight” anxious mode, an incredible amount of energy is freed up, energy that can be used to laugh, play, create, work, love, and simply enjoy life.

In very acute cases, and with the patient’s accord of course, it might be beneficial to introduce the patient to some form of relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness, or hypnotherapy.

The setup of hypnotherapy is fairly simple: the patient, in a reclined position, closes his eyes and lets the therapist’s soothing voice and skilled manoeuvres transport him elsewhere, to a place that is anxiety-free. The neuroscientific reasoning behind this is straightforward- in order to drive anxious thoughts out of the brain, we must saturate the synapses by filling the brain with positive suggestions. Thus the patient can allow himself to calm down and get over the immediate crisis.

This part of therapy is very relaxing and fun; and the results are incredibly quick. In my own practice I have often been astounded by the speed at which anxiety is tamed in only one or two hypnotherapy or mindfulness sessions, as opposed to traditional talk-therapy.

The therapist will not only administer these techniques (i.e. relaxation, mindfulness techniques and/or hypnosis) to the patient, but will teach him how to do these techniques on her own, at home, so he is independent and does not need the therapist, and can thus gain control over the anxiety attack if and when it may arise. In many cases, having a sword to slay the monster with, and knowing how to use the sword, metaphorically speaking, is enough to keep the monster at bay.

Once the immediate crisis is over, a more psychoanalytical, or psychodynamic approach takes place. In plain English this means= we just talk. In the safe setting of a therapist’s office that is perceived as a strong and trustworthy cocoon, we can gradually begin to explore the underlying roots of anxiety. How quickly this is done depends on the skill and experience of the therapist, but most importantly on the rapport between therapist and patient. There must be an intuitive feeling of safety, understanding and trust.

I firmly believe that in order to heal our deepest wounds, talk therapy is more than enough, and remains the best remedy to date. Yet, even though we may get an intellectual grasp of the causes of our anxiety in two or three sessions, getting to the point where we are truly anxiety-free emotionally and physiologically may take a little longer.
The roots of anxiety may go back to an earlier traumatic experience, but often originate in childhood.

I often tell my patients: “Only children are scared. Adults don’t suffer from anxiety.” Adults assess a situation, and make choices. A child often reaches a point where he is painfully aware of the menacing world all around, and the future which is at best uncertain. An adult is tall and strong. Adults must learn to handle disappointments in life, and let go of unrealistic expectations, but an adult is in control. An adult knows that every action is a choice, and that every action has its consequence. An adult sleeps well, has a healthy appetite, and is full of lust for life, looking forward to every hour of every new day.

Yet, the journey from being a child to being fully an adult is a lifelong journey, and biological age is no indication of maturity. This is excellent news, because it means we can learn new skills at any age. After successful completion of therapy, we should get to a point where we consider anxiety as our best friend- a kind of barometer or signal that tells us what to watch out for, when to slow down, and how best to trust our intuition and ultimately ourselves. The first turning point in therapy comes when the patient says: “Huh. I never saw things that way before.” Yet the real triumph comes when he says: “Wow. Had I not been so exhausted and pushed up against the wall by all this anxiety, I would’ve never asked for help, and would’ve never realised how strong I really was. I have the confidence to really go after my dreams now.” And the huge beaming smile on their faces is the therapist’s best reward.