Anxiety disorders are debilitating, and people who experience these feel like they are suffocating with panic. The intense fear anxiety produces significantly impacts a person’s day-to-day life and can cause total isolation from family and friends. When people with an anxiety disorder seek treatment, they must find specialized help. Finding the right anxiety disorder treatment program can help people address the underlying issues and give them the tools and confidence to better manage their feelings and live a happier life.
If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, this article will outline the practical approaches for treating anxiety disorders. Dealing with anxiety can make you feel helpless, but The Berman Center can help you! Our outpatient mental health treatment programs are extensively researched and tested, and our experienced staff will create a treatment plan perfectly tailored to meet your specific needs. Call The Berman Center today and break free from anxiety disorders.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Simply defined, anxiety disorders create intense fear and panic in people who experience them. An anxiety disorder goes beyond just “feeling anxious”; it is all-consuming, and sufferers frequently experience intense, excessive, and persistent fear daily. Numerous disorders fall under the social anxiety umbrella. Below are the most well-known anxiety disorders listed by Mayo Clinic:
- Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder in which people fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause panic and make them feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance and is difficult to control
- Panic Disorder: involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). People with panic disorders feel a strong sense of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid heartbeat
- Separation Anxiety Disorder: a childhood disorder characterized by excessive anxiety for the child’s developmental level and related to separation from parents or others with parental roles.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: involves high levels of anxiety, fear, and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.
What Are Effective Approaches for Treating Anxiety Disorders?
Much like other mental illnesses and substance abuse issues, anxiety disorder treatment must utilize a multi-faceted approach. These approaches must be evidence-based and extensively tested. The following are effective approaches for treating anxiety disorders found in nearly every treatment facility.
Medications
Medication management is a crucial part of the treatment of anxiety disorders. The use of medications such as Paxil, Lexapro, and Prozac is effective when combined with other therapeutic interventions. Since these medications are extremely powerful, they must be administered and monitored by experienced treatment staff.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Another effective way to treat anxiety disorders is through cognitive-behavioral therapy. This form of therapy helps clients uncover the thought patterns and behaviors that keep them stuck. Once uncovered, the therapist will work with the client to develop healthy coping skills to change those thought patterns.
Art and Music Therapy
Art and music therapy is another effective approach to treating anxiety disorders. The act of creating or listening to any expressive art has a natural soothing effect. These therapies also allow people to uncover challenging and unclear thoughts and better understand themselves.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
A form of CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy helps clients engage in mindfulness while coming to grips with their anxiety and understanding they are experiencing anxiety.
Is Anxiety Controlling Your Life? Call The Berman Center Today!
Is your life being consumed by an anxiety disorder? If so, it can be easy to give up and feel there is no hope for help. The Berman Center understands those feelings all too well, and we are committed to providing the best mental health programming and support in Southeast Georgia. Our evidence-based therapy services allow you to work through your issues in a safe and supportive environment. Make today the day you face your anxiety disorder head-on and win! Call The Berman Center and get the tools to transform your life.
