Ready to release the hold anxiety has on your life? The Silver Creek Recovery Center offers compassionate, evidence-based care at our anxiety treatment center. Recover in home-like comfort with peers sharing similar struggles.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. For people with anxiety disorders, stress is more common and more severe. Having an anxiety disorder can turn everyday tasks and routines into major challenges. It can impact relationships and careers and make it harder to find enjoyment in life. A mental health treatment program can help control the most severe symptoms, so each individual can focus on long-term coping skills that will ensure recovery.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness. According to studies, around 19% of American adults suffer from various types of anxiety disorders every year. And an estimated 31% will experience an anxiety disorder at some time in their lives.
The most common physical symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:
- Sweating
- Blushing
- Trembling voice
- Shaking hands
- Shortness of breath (or the sensation of it)
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pains
- Neck or facial pain
- Tension headaches
- Stomach discomfort
- Muscle aches and/or tension
- Dry mouth
- Brain freeze (an inability to think or speak)
- A desperate urge to flee
What do Anxiety Symptoms Look Like?
The most common behavioral symptoms of anxiety include:
- Restlessness, irritability and agitation
- Inability to remain calm
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- Inability to meet responsibilities at home, work or school
- Exaggerated startle reflex
- Usage of drugs or alcohol to self-medicate the symptoms
Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety is a stress reaction, but it’s about more than just feeling stressed. Anxiety symptoms mimic the “fight or flight” response, a physiological response that is triggered when we’re in danger. For someone with an anxiety disorder, that response is triggered much more easily and the response is stronger. They have strong anxiety reactions to things that don’t bother most people.
The exact reasons why this happens aren’t well understood. The answer is likely to be a mixture of biological and other reasons.
- Some people may be genetically wired to have a strong fight or flight response.
- Childhood traumas, traumatic events or repeated exposure to stress may predispose someone to increased anxiety.
- Lack of coping skills may make it harder to deal with stress.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are several different types of anxiety disorders. The object of the anxiety can take many forms, but in each case, a key feature is that people find it hard to control their worry.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)- People with GAD worry constantly about things that most people aren’t concerned about. For instance, some people obsess over their health, their finances or the safety of themselves or family members.
Panic Disorder- This disorder causes panic attacks—episodes of extreme distress that cause both a physical and an emotional reaction. For some people, specific things or events can trigger a panic attack. For others, there’s no obvious cause.
Social Anxiety Disorder- Also called social phobia, this disorder makes people feel uncomfortable in social situations. The fear of being watched and judged—even in casual situations—makes people with social anxiety avoid social events as much as possible.
Phobias- A phobia is a deep and irrational fear of a thing or situation. Depending on the object of the specific phobia, they can be highly disabling. For instance, while fear of snakes might not be an issue for most people, a fear of dogs can be a major problem.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)- This form of anxiety is usually triggered by a terrifying event, which the person either personally experienced or witnessed. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)- People with OCD may have obsessive and/or compulsive thoughts and urges, which manifest as repetitive behaviors. These may include counting, checking, hoarding, cleaning or putting things in a specific order.
Treatment for Anxiety
Anxiety is treated with therapy techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Some people also benefit from antidepressant or anxiety medication.
Residential Anxiety Treatment
Not everyone with an anxiety disorder needs inpatient or residential treatment. However, it’s helpful for someone with a co-occurring mental health disorder (such as major depression or borderline personality) or a substance addiction. A Residential program can provide a place to focus on recovery while getting help for anxiety and other issues.
Residential treatment programs provide a structured setting where each day includes therapy, group sessions, and activities that support recovery. Some programs offer activities and outings so you can practice recovery skills in a real-world environment.
Outpatient Anxiety Treatment
Outpatient programs allow people to get focused treatment even when they’re not able to commit to a residential program. Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) involve spending several hours a day at a treatment center while continuing to live at home. The schedule is structured similarly to a Residential program but offers more flexibility.
Individual Therapy
Therapy is the cornerstone of anxiety treatment. In individual therapy sessions, you can learn about yourself, and how you came to develop an anxiety disorder. You’ll learn how to better manage stress, and how to break the patterns of thought and belief that contribute to anxiety symptoms.
Medication
An imbalance in neurotransmitters—brain chemicals—can contribute to anxiety as well as other mental health issues. Improved medication management to find the correct medication can help correct this imbalance and provide relief from your symptoms.
Support Groups and Group Therapy
The idea of attending a support group can be intimidating, but the sessions of a group therapy program can be rewarding. Anxiety is an isolating disorder. It can make you feel as though there’s nowhere to turn and that nobody understands. Having a safe place to share with people who do understand can make a big difference in your outlook.
Stress Management Techniques
Part of anxiety treatment is about learning how to manage the symptoms. For this, it’s helpful to learn techniques such as meditation and mindfulness. These techniques are useful because they help you calm your mind, rather than focusing on the things that worry you.
Co-Occurring Disorders
People with mental health problems have a higher risk of other problems such as drug abuse and eating disorders. Getting help for co-occurring disorders is vital. If these issues are ignored, they can trigger a relapse of anxiety. Addiction and other mental health disorders will become more serious over time if they’re not addressed.
Why Choose The Silver Creek Recovery Center for Anxiety Treatment?
At The Silver Creek Recovery Center, we treat anxiety from a whole-person perspective. We consider the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll that an anxiety disorder can take.
A Healing Natural Setting
The Silver Creek Recovery Center treatment centers feel more like a home than a medical center or residential treatment facility. You’ll be living in a bungalow or cottage-style home, with an ensuite bathroom. You may also have the option to upgrade to a private room. Treatment and social areas are comfortable and practical. And the grounds offer soothing views of natural beauty, with quiet spaces for self-reflection and spiritual connection.
A Customized Treatment Plan
When you come to The Silver Creek Recovery Center to start treatment, you’ll have a full psychological assessment. We’ll examine your anxiety issues and determine if you have any co-occurring disorders. We’ll also look at whether there are any underlying issues, such as trauma. After that, we’ll create a mental health treatment plan that’s tailored to your needs and preferences.
Your treatment plan includes therapy plus support activities. A treatment plan may involve:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Psychiatric appointments
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Relaxation techniques
- Art and music therapy
Support for Co-Occurring Disorders
The Silver Creek Recovery Center provides levels of care for a wide range of mental health issues. When you arrive at The Silver Creek Recovery Center, we assess you for co-occurring disorders that may complicate your recovery. The treatment plan we create for you tackles those issues as well as your anxiety.
Aftercare Planning and Support
From day one, you’ll start to learn healthy coping skills and techniques for anxiety management. Continuing care practices will help you long after you complete Residential treatment. We’ll also make sure you have resources in place to support you when you return home.
Aftercare planning may include:
- Therapy appointments
- Support group sessions
- Medication management
- Resources for anxiety management
Learn to Live the Life You Want
Life-changing anxiety treatment is a phone call away. At The Silver Creek Recovery Center, we offer time and space away from the stresses of life, so you can focus on yourself.