How therapy treats anxiety and stress disorders

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When anxiety is linked to a medical condition or substance use, treatment typically focuses on addressing the underlying cause. However, for other types of anxiety disorders, there are three main therapeutic approaches: psychotherapy, medication, and complementary treatments.

Psychotherapy - particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, or insight-oriented therapy - plays a key role in helping people manage anxiety. Each of these approaches involves working with a mental health professional to understand the root causes of anxiety and learn strategies to control symptoms. Therapy can take place in various settings, from doctors' offices to schools, and it is most effective when you feel a strong connection with your therapist.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT, the leading form of psychotherapy for anxiety, aims to correct ingrained patterns of negative thoughts and behaviors. As the name suggests, the treatment has two parts. Cognitive therapy helps people change patterns of thinking that prevent them from overcoming their fears. Behavioral therapy works to change their reactions in situations that trigger anxiety. People with social anxiety disorder, for example, may assume that others will inevitably regard what they say as stupid. This is negative thinking. As a result, these people may avoid being with or talking to others. This is an example of negative behavior. The goal of CBT is to break this chain of thoughts and reactions.

Exposure therapy

Exposure and response prevention, a type of exposure therapy used to treat anxiety, gradually and increasingly exposes you to the object of your anxiety until the fear subsides. Under the guidance of a therapist, you first imagine and then confront your fears.

Studies show that a series of eight to 12 sessions of exposure therapy yields significant, long-lasting results: symptoms improve in 60% to 80% of people, and the benefits continue for two to six years. Today, virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is being explored as a way of treating PTSD, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.

Insight-oriented psychotherapy

This form of traditional "talk" therapy delves into how life events, desires, and past and current relationships affect your feelings, lead to discomfort, and contribute to your anxiety. During treatment, you and your therapist will discover the unconscious reasons behind your anxiety. Together, you'll explore how unresolved conflicts from your past may contribute to your present distress. The goal is to increase your self-awareness, as well as your acceptance of certain feelings or thoughts that may otherwise create discomfort or internal conflict.

This is the supplied newsletter’s dated educational content, not individual medical advice. The quoted study percentages and durations are claims in the dated source, not a guarantee of results. Treatment should be planned with a qualified mental health professional; do not change medicines without clinical advice.

Earlier published wording (archived for history)

The earlier wording below is retained for history and is not the corrected source translation above.

Everyone feels worried or anxious from time to time. But when those feelings persist - especially if they are unusually intense or out of proportion to the actual problem - a generalized anxiety disorder may be behind them.

Psychotherapy, above all cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy and insight-oriented therapy, plays a central role in managing anxiety. Each approach means working with a mental health professional to understand what drives the anxiety and to learn ways of controlling the symptoms. Sessions can happen in many settings, from clinics to schools, and the work goes best when you feel a genuine connection with your therapist.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is the leading form of psychotherapy for anxiety, and it targets entrenched patterns of negative thinking and behavior. It has two components, as the name implies. The cognitive part helps people change the thinking habits that keep them from overcoming their fears; the behavioral part changes how they react in situations that set off anxiety. Someone with social anxiety disorder, for instance, might assume others will inevitably find whatever they say stupid - that is the negative thought - and so avoids meeting or talking with people, which is the negative behavior. CBT works to break that chain of thought and reaction.

Exposure therapy

Exposure and response prevention, a form of exposure therapy for anxiety, brings you into gradually increasing contact with the thing you fear until the fear fades. With a therapist guiding the process, you first picture and then actually confront your fears.

Studies find that a course of eight to 12 sessions delivers significant, durable results: symptoms improve in 60% to 80% of people, with benefits lasting two to six years. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is now being studied for PTSD, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

Insight-oriented psychotherapy

This traditional talk therapy explores how life events, desires, and relationships past and present shape your feelings, create discomfort and feed anxiety. Over the course of treatment, you and your therapist uncover the unconscious reasons behind what you feel and examine how unresolved conflicts from earlier in life may be driving current distress. The aim is greater self-awareness and acceptance of feelings or thoughts that might otherwise cause discomfort or inner conflict.