If you have found yourself struggling with an anxiety disorder, you would have likely experienced various other negative mental feelings such as worry, fear, panic, and possibly several other distressing emotions.
Anxiety is a perfectly normal, healthy emotion that is an expected part of our lives. It allows us to steer clear of dangerous situations; however, it can often go hand in hand with substance abuse and other forms of mental illnesses such as depression. According to the National Institution of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety disorders now affect more Americans than any other mental illness; 18% of adults within America suffer from mild to severe anxiety.
Anxiety disorders of all severities and other mental health issues are manageable within many rehab facilities, with a medical professional will encourage specific therapy treatments alongside possible medications. The majority of individuals who suffer from anxiety can reduce or eliminate symptoms after continuous therapy sessions over a period of weeks or months. It has been recognized that many individuals notice significant improvements to their mental health after a couple of sessions. Deciding to take the step forward and begin receiving treatment for an anxiety disorder is a monumental step towards living the life you want.
Anxiety and Anxiety Treatment Centers
Anxiety can present itself in various ways for those among us who suffer from a mental health disorder. While some individuals may experience or feel a sense of constant dread no matter the situation, others will become physically and mentally paralyzed.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder where the symptoms can become so overwhelming for the individual that you find it challenging and tiring to function through daily life. Unfortunately, most individuals diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder will also have one or more co-occurring disorders, significant stress, or a history of trauma that often occurs in the early years of life. Our residential rehab centers here at Shoreline Recovery Center will provide the safest environment to address your anxiety disorder’s multifaceted nature.
Before you have even arrived at one of our recovery centers, our admissions staff would have begun gathering various forms of information about you as a person and your anxiety to ensure we understand the severity. This information, combined with the results of the evaluation that your treatment center team will conduct, this collated information will help the staff at our treatment center determine the best course of action for you.
The types of anxiety disorders and treatments
Suppose you are to seek help for your anxiety disorder at our Shoreline Recovery Center. In that case, we will first perform various evaluations of your mental state, which will allow us to understand the extent of your disorder and needs thoroughly. Our psychological examinations will help us understand any trauma you may have been through either as a child, which would be considered a co-occurring mental disorder, or present trauma that may be a significant correlation to the severity of your anxiety. We will also ask you to have a medical evaluation to determine whether you are currently depending on any medication or have previously depended on medication that may be a contributing factor to your mental health issue. Once we know the fullest extent of your anxiety disorder and personal issues, various treatments will be available to help you manage your condition.
At Shoreline Recovery Center, we offer a range of therapy treatments that have effectively reduce the effect of anxiety, one of the types of therapy we offer are:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This specific therapy is widely used throughout America for individuals who suffer from all forms of anxiety. Research has shown cognitive behavior therapy to be significantly effective with other disorders that may go hand in hand with anxiety, such as:
- Social anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Depression
- Phobias
- Generalized anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Cognitive behavior therapy will specifically address the negative patterns and distorted way individuals visualize themselves and their world. Therapy treatment will challenge the individual’s thoughts and thought patterns, otherwise known as cognitive restructuring. Your negative thoughts and thinking patterns are gradually replaced with more uplifting, positive, and realistic thoughts.
Group therapy
Group therapy can often help individuals connect with others struggling with similar problems and challenges in life. Group therapy allows you to work on yourself in a social environment allowing you to learn, heal and grow. It is highly encouraged for individuals to form support groups/friends outside of the therapy sessions to help them throughout the day further.
Exposure therapy
As the name suggests, this therapy involved you being exposed to situations, environments, and objects that cause you to fear. Evidence has shown that repeated exposure will positively help you feel more in control of the problem, your anxiety will gradually fade over time.
This therapy is targeted to individuals who fear physical objects, situations, or environments; for example, an individual who is afraid to drive over a bridge can benefit significantly from this therapy. Constant exposure, either visually or physically, to the situation will encourage the individual to feel more confident in the situation.
Complementary therapies
As you and your medical professionals explore the most effective therapy for you, it can help individuals experiment with complementary therapies designed to bring their overall stress levels down. These therapies can include:
- Relaxation techniques
- Exercise
- Biofeedback
- Hypnosis
Medication
Medication may be used either at the beginning or in conjunction with a therapy session. The medication can range from Xanax to Klonopin or Valium; however, these medications can become addictive if abused, so doctors would carefully monitor and adjust the dosage if necessary. This medication can provide immediate relief for the individual if they find themselves overwhelmed by their anxious feelings.
How to ensure anxiety therapy works for you?
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix when it comes to anxiety disorders. Often, they are paired with other forms of mental illnesses such as depression. Overcoming anxiety will take a lot of time, patience, commitment, and perseverance. The therapies used are to encourage the individual to face their fears rather than avoid them; for the first couple of times after treatment, you may feel slightly worse off before you get into a better place. You must be open with your therapist and stick to your treatment to ensure you have the best chance of overcoming your disorder.
The anxiety treatments we offer here at Shoreline Recovery Center are highly structured; you must be willing to attend therapy sessions and work on overcoming your anxiety to see long-term success. Shoreline Recovery Center provides treatment for co-occurring disorders, and we understand the importance of catering treatment to a person’s specific needs. Please call our office today to learn more about the programs we offer.
