Anxiety Treatment at Discovery Mood & Anxiety
Anxiety is something everyone feels from time to time.
But constant anxiety? It’s exhausting, especially when there’s no real cause for it. The endless feelings of worry, fear and terror interfere with daily life. Left untreated, it can lead to substance abuse and serious long-term health issues.
Like other mood and anxiety disorders, anxiety is miserable to live with. However, it’s also treatable. With the right help, you can stop being ruled by anxiety and live a life where you’re in charge of your emotions.
Discovery Mood & Anxiety provides expert, evidence-based care for generalized anxiety disorder and more. We’ll help you take your life back.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion involving feelings of fear, worry, and apprehension about a situation interpreted as dangerous. In general, everybody feels anxiety from time to time. It can result from something as mild as getting on a roller coaster to more serious situations like major surgery or going into combat.
But what happens when a person feels anxious all the time, especially when there’s no apparent reason?
This is when anxiety turns into what’s known as an anxiety disorder. Unlike normal anxiety, anxiety disorders don’t go away. Instead, they persist, making daily functioning difficult and potentially causing medical complications.
What Causes Anxiety?
Answering this question means distinguishing between anxiety and anxiety disorders. Ordinary anxiety has many different causes: deadlines, fears about certain situations…the stressors that cause people to feel anxiety can be countless. Remember, ordinary anxiety tends to fade once the stressful situation is over.
Anxiety disorders also have many different causes, but they’re somewhat different from ordinary anxiety. Some of the factors that contribute to anxiety disorders include:
Biological Causes
Like other types of mental health disorders, there are multiple biological factors that can cause anxiety disorders:
- Genetics: If you have a parent or another close relative who struggles with anxiety, you may be at risk for an anxiety disorder.
- Brain Chemistry: Chemical imbalances involving GABA, dopamine, and serotonin can result in anxiety disorders.
- Structures in the Brain: Brain structures can contribute to anxiety, such as an overactive amygdala, which contains the brain’s fear center.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors can play a large role in causing anxiety:
- Life Stress: Stress from work, relationships, money, health, and other areas can cause anxiety disorders, particularly if it’s ongoing.
- Traumatic Events: Trauma can cause anxiety disorders as well as other issues. Panic attacks are often responses to trauma.
- Substance Use: Alcohol and drugs often make stress worse, especially stimulants like meth or ADHD meds.
- Social Media: Social media connects us…but also exposes us to real-time war footage, videos of suffering, crime footage and other things that make us feel stressed out and worried.
Personal and Medical Issues
Certain personality traits and medical issues play a role in anxiety:
- Chronic Health Issues: Diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain and more often cause long-term anxiety.
- Personality Traits: Neurotic personalities are often anxious personalities. Also, perfectionists are often at risk of anxiety disorders due to fear of being judged or making mistakes. Finally, having poor coping skills can create or intensify anxiety.
- Side Effects: Some prescription medications can cause symptoms that resemble those of anxiety disorders.
How Common Is Anxiety?
Pretty much everyone feels anxiety from time to time. Chronic anxiety, the type caused by anxiety disorders, is a different story.
According to NIMH, anxiety disorders are relatively common. Their data shows that just over 19% of US adults struggle with an anxiety disorder each year, and that 31% of US adults deal with an anxiety disorder at least once in their lives. Women seem to be at a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders as well.
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Physical anxiety symptoms include:
- A rapid, racing or pounding heartbeat
- Feeling dizzy, or like you’re going to faint
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired and tense
- Sweating, chills, or tremors
- Digestive problems like an upset stomach or feeling sick
- Trouble sleeping
Emotional Symptoms of Anxiety
Emotional anxiety symptoms include:
- Intense feelings of nervousness, danger or doom
- Problems concentrating or thinking clearly
- Being irritable
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Long-lasting feelings of fear or worry that aren’t easy to control
Behavioral Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety symptoms can also affect your behaviors, too:
- Social withdrawal
- Panic attacks: Overwhelming and frightening feelings of danger
- Compulsive behaviors and intrusive thoughts if you’re dealing with OCD
- Avoidance of certain places, situations, or things if you’re struggling with phobias
How Is Anxiety Diagnosed?
Like other mental health disorders, anxiety disorders are diagnosed carefully – only a professional can accurately diagnose you with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or another form of anxiety.
The first step to diagnosing anxiety is a physical exam. Many medical conditions, like thyroid problems and heart conditions, can cause anxiety. Also, doctors usually inquire about what medications you may be using to rule out any side effects.
If there’s no physical cause for anxiety, you’re usually sent to a psychiatrist who works with you to develop a treatment plan. They’ll help you safely explore the roots of your anxiety and find new, healthy coping mechanisms that really work.
How Is Anxiety Treated?
There’s not really a cure yet for anxiety and anxiety disorders. However, with the right help, anxiety can be managed, helping you live a life where you’re not feeling like you’re under siege constantly. At Discovery Mood & Anxiety, our programs involve:
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, is an effective way to help people safely explore the roots of their conditions and gain a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. It involves having a confidential talk with a trained healthcare professional who helps you develop a treatment plan.
Types of psychotherapy in use at Discovery Mood & Anxiety include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps you understand negative and harmful thoughts and behaviors. These thoughts and behaviors often contribute to anxiety.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Similar to CBT, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of talk therapy that’s useful for people who feel strong emotions. DBT will help you master your emotions, putting you back in charge instead of your anxiety.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helps you roll with life’s punches, seeing your stressors realistically and not the frightening, overwhelming things they often appear as.
Group Therapy
Group therapy can sound intimidating, but it isn’t. Being in a group session isn’t about being put under a spotlight in front of a group of people. It’s more about sharing your struggles (and successes) with people who know exactly what you’re going through.
Plus, group sessions allow you to work together with people on a shared goal of beating anxiety.
Measurement-Based Care
Anxiety treatment only works as well as the program does. Our unique, measurement-based care approach helps our programs meet your needs and grow with you while you’re under our care.
We carefully examine 27 different wellness indicators, including your physical and mental health. This helps us gain a complete picture of your health…and the best way to help you. This approach also helps our programs grow with you as you progress in care, making sure your needs are met throughout your time with us.
Treating anxiety disorders can be a complex process but it’s always worth it. We’ll help you beat the endless grind of anxiety and create a life where you’re back in charge of your life.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a class of mental health disorders revolving around feelings of intense anxiety. Often, these feelings aren’t caused by anything in particular or happen as an outsized reaction to a situation that doesn’t warrant panic.
Anxiety disorders include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder, better known as OCD
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Phobias – intense, irrational fears of certain situations, activities, or objects
Anxiety disorders can be devastating to live with, but they’re also treatable. Let’s explore these disorders in greater detail.
What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health disorder featuring prolonged and intense fear and worry about normal situations, even when there’s no reason for worry. Often, these feelings are out of proportion to the situation being worried about. These sensations of worry and fear can be so intense that they make daily functioning all but impossible.
Genuine crises, such as the loss of a loved one, can also trigger GAD. However, the anxiety can last for months and even years, long after the crisis has passed.
The chief difference between GAD and anxiety is how long GAD lasts. Symptoms of GAD are felt for most days over a period lasting several months.
What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a form of anxiety disorder that consists of disturbing, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and pressures to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to reduce the anxiety caused by compulsions.
Obsessions tend to be somewhat personal, but can include:
- Fear of germs or exposure to viruses like COVID
- A need for order
- Intrusive thoughts about taboo subjects or violence
- Fears of being harmed
Compulsions can be highly personal as well. Everybody with OCD copes with the related stress differently, but there are some relatively common compulsive behaviors, such as:
- Excessive hand washing
- Tapping on objects
- Counting or repeating certain words
- Repeatedly checking locks, switches and more
What Is Panic Disorder?
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that involves unexpected and recurring episodes of intense fear, which cause intense physical symptoms – even when there’s nothing to be afraid of. These episodes are better known as panic attacks.
Panic attacks can be incredibly stressful. In some cases, the symptoms of panic attacks can resemble those of serious medical issues, like heart attacks. Also, because these come out of nowhere, the thought of having one is enough to cause considerable anxiety.
What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is an anxiety disorder that involves intense fears of being embarrassed and judged in social situations. This is a particularly isolating anxiety disorder, and one that can cause problems at work, school, and in relationships.
People with SAD often avoid social situations, even fun ones like parties. Social events cause intense anxiety and worry before, during, and after they’re over.
What Are Phobias?
Phobias are a form of anxiety disorder that revolves around intense and irrational fears of certain:
- Objects (like needles)
- Environments (like water)
- Situations (like flying)
- Animals (like spiders)
And more.
These fears are often extremely intense, causing severe emotional and physical reactions. People with phobias often go to great lengths to avoid the subject of their anxiety. Phobias often develop in childhood, too.
Finally, phobias are relatively common: the National Institute of Mental Health says that 12.5% of US adults struggle with phobias at least once in their lives.
How Can I Help a Loved One with Anxiety?
Watching someone you love struggle with anxiety is never easy. Anxiety can be devastating, leaving your loved one constantly worried, afraid, and nervous with no apparent cause.
As hopeless as this feels, it isn’t – you can use some compassionate and effective ways to help your loved one realize that they can be helped:
- Listen Carefully: Telling someone with anxiety that they need to just relax or that they’re overreacting doesn’t work. Instead, validate their emotions even if you don’t understand them.
- Educate Yourself: Learning about anxiety disorders will help you understand your loved one…and make you less anxious as well.
- Build a Safe Space: This expression can sound cliched, but it isn’t. By letting your loved one know they can talk to you about what they’re experiencing without judgment or fear, they’ll feel safe, less anxious…and more receptive to getting help.
- Suggest Professional Help: If they’re open to it, suggest they attend treatment. Also, offer to help them find more resources and go with them to treatment sessions and meetings.
- Keep Your Cup Full: Remember to take care of yourself, too. You can’t help someone else if you’re struggling. Make sure you eat nourishing food and get plenty of sleep.
What Happens if Anxiety isn’t Treated?
Put simply, anxiety gets worse if left untreated. Its symptoms become increasingly disruptive and more intense. It can turn into other mental health disorders like depression, too.
Worse, chronic anxiety seems to change brain structure, affecting memory, decision-making, and concentration. Anxiety can also make a person engage in substance use for relief.
Finally, there’s suicidal ideation – untreated anxiety makes people feel hopeless, which in turn can increase the risk of self-harm.
Fortunately, anxiety is treatable. At Discovery Mood & Anxiety, we help our patients:
- Explore the roots of their anxiety in a safe environment
- Manage their symptoms
- Learn about themselves and the way they see the world
- Live a life that’s free from the drain of anxiety
Their story can be yours, too.
Discovery Mood & Anxiety: Your Premiere Destination for Anxiety Treatment
Fear. Worry. Dread. If you’re struggling with anxiety, you know how all these emotions feel, especially when they just don’t go away. Your anxiety is robbing you of life experiences, opportunities, and the joy of living.
We’ll help you get all of it back.
Our measurement-based approach to anxiety care helps us meet your needs holistically, treating you in both mind and body. Plus, you’ll have access to Discovery 365™, our exclusive, next-generation post-treatment program that’ll be your partner after you leave our program.
Because nothing is as important to us as the rest of your life.
At Discovery, we offer effective care for:
Take the Mental Health Quiz
Are you unsure if you or a loved one needs support to overcome a mental health disorder?
Take this short and anonymous quiz to see if getting help is the right step.
Clinically Reviewed by
Matthew Ruble, MD
Treatment Can Start Now
Our safe and compassionate treatment program gives you the tools you need to manage a mental health disorder. Get in touch with us and start your journey to a fulfilling life.
Your Journey to Mental Wellness Starts Today
Take the first step toward lasting mental health management with Discovery. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and verify your insurance coverage.