Anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder, is a daily reality for many people.
If you deal with it, you know how draining this feeling can be, invading your thoughts and affecting your well-being.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, nearly one billion people — including 14% of the world's adolescents — were living with a mental disorder. In Brazil alone, approximately 9.3% of Brazilians suffer from pathological anxiety, according to WHO.
The good news is that Are there scientifically proven methods to manage anxiety in a more effective and lasting way.
By finishing this article, you'll be clear about the options that might work best for you. Remember: all of the treatments we discuss here are based on solid evidence, ensuring that what you learn can, in fact, make a difference.
What are the most common symptoms?
Have you ever felt that burden of constant worry, difficulty relaxing, or even physical symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath?
These are signs that you may be dealing with an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is a natural response to stressful situations, but when it becomes persistent and begins to interfere with your daily life, it's time to seek help.
According to Albert Einstein Hospital, anxiety symptoms may include excessive worry, difficulty sleeping, irritability, concentration problems, muscle tension, body aches, and even changes in bowel function.
If you identify with these signs, know that there are effective, science-based solutions.
What does science say about anxiety treatments?
If you're looking for a unique and quick solution to anxiety, this article may not be for you.
That's because science shows that there is no “magic cure” — instead, successful treatment is often multidisciplinary.
Studies, such as the one published in Bioscience Journal (2023), indicate that integrated treatments - which combine therapy, lifestyle adjustments and, in some cases, medication - are more effective in providing lasting relief and even the fastest medical discharge.
Discover 7 scientifically proven methods to treat anxiety
Here are some options to discuss with your doctor, who can help the two of you develop a personalized treatment plan together.
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most studied and effective approaches to treating anxiety. It helps identify and alter negative thinking patterns, replacing them with a more constructive and realistic mindset.
If you've ever felt trapped by negative thoughts, you know how exhausting this can be. CBT works just that, helping you break those thought cycles.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders indicated that, after 16 CBT sessions, patients experienced a marked reduction in avoidance behaviors and negative emotions.
This means that, in addition to coping better with their emotions, patients started to avoid less uncomfortable situations, which also helped to reduce depression.
2. Mindfulness and meditation
Have you ever found yourself with your mind racing from one thought to another, without rest?
O Mindfulness can help calm this “mental race”, allowing you to live in the present moment without judging your thoughts.
Recent studies, as published in JAMA Psychiatry, show that the Mindfulness may be as effective as medications for anxiety.
After eight weeks of practice, participants who performed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) had a reduction in symptoms similar to those taking escitalopram, a common anxiety medication.
3. Regular physical exercise
Another proven ally in combating anxiety is physical exercise. Activities such as walking, running, or yoga help release endorphins, which have a direct effect on relieving anxiety and improving mood.
In addition, exercise improves sleep quality, essential for anxiety sufferers.
That's what they reinforce These scientific reviews: regular physical activity reduces the need for medication, while improving quality of life.
4. Anxiety medication (when needed)
For some people, anxiety symptoms can be so severe that medication is necessary.
With a doctor's guidance, anxiolytics or antidepressants can help regulate neurotransmitters and provide symptom relief.
However, it is critical to combine medications with therapies, such as CBT, for a more effective and sustainable approach.
Always remember to consult a healthcare professional before starting any drug treatment.
5. CBD: A Modern Approach
O cannabidiol (CBD) has shown promise in treating anxiety.
USP studies demonstrate that CBD, particularly in doses of 600 mg, can significantly reduce anxiety levels, especially in people with social phobia.
Although the results are encouraging, CBD should be used with medical advice because, despite its benefits, anxiety treatment must be personalized for each person.
Click here to talk to a doctor who specializes in CBD, answer all your questions and find out if this medication approach is right for you.
6. Healthy lifestyle
Quality sleep
If you've ever spent sleepless nights, you know how a lack of sleep can worsen anxiety.
Studies prove that improving the quality of sleep has a direct positive impact on reducing anxiety levels, as sleep allows your brain to rest and process the events of the day, and when it is impaired, anxiety tends to worsen.
Balanced diet
Your diet may influence your mental state more than you think.
This review, for example, found that diet quality can considerably affect the general clinical condition of patients with anxiety.
Micronutrient supplementation such as zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, C, D, E and B complex, as well as the inclusion of source foods containing tryptophan and omega 3, demonstrated a beneficial response in the profile of anxiety and depression.
7. Occupational Therapy
Have you ever heard of Occupational Therapy? This therapeutic modality is a very effective approach. This is because during the sessions, the professional will help you develop practical skills to manage stress and improve your quality of life.
In addition to offering support for dealing with anxiety, Occupational Therapy it is also a preventive strategy, helping to reorganize habits and routines that decrease the chances of relapses.
In addition to offering support to address the relationship between mental health and the roles you play in life and the imbalance between activities and your abilities, Occupational Therapy is also a preventive strategy, helping to reorganize habits and routines that decrease the chances of relapses.
Júnia J. Rjeille Cordeiro, member of the expert board of Yinflow.Life and responsible for the body of occupational therapists on the telehealth platform, states: “Occupational Therapy not only assists in stress management, but also in internal regulation, promoting the adjustment between life's challenges, the skills and resources necessary to engage in a balanced way in everything you want, like and need, generating the state of flow - that is, making life flow”.
To better understand the benefits of Occupational Therapy, click here.
Get started right now
Treating anxiety goes beyond just reducing symptoms. It's about adopting a multidisciplinary and personalized approach that promotes a balance between mind and body. By seeking integrative professionals, you will have support for a more complete and lasting treatment.
Consult the doctors of Yinflow.Life and start the path to a more balanced life, free from anxiety.
