What is Anxiety?
Anxiety might refer to a wide range of experiences, from a regular reaction to stress factors to an intense and persistent psychological concern. While people have become more aware of anxiety in recent years, the signs and symptoms aren’t always immediately apparent. Each year, almost 40 million American adults are affected by the condition.
While there’s some debate over the significance of anxiety in our lives, at some point it can become an overwhelming factor that requires attention. As we mentioned, a significant number of people will experience or currently experience an intense anxiety that could benefit from therapy or medical attention.
What is an Anxiety Disorder?
An anxiety disorder is when an individual experiences anxiety above and beyond what would be considered normal, healthy levels. Usually accompanied by constant thoughts of worry, sadness, nervousness, or a lack of mental clarity, an anxiety order can cause difficult emotional states when there’s no direct cause or perhaps no proportional cause to the anxious feelings being created. Anxiety disorders and how the impact an individual can vary greatly, both in terms of how the disorder makes them feel and in terms of what might trigger their anxious episodes.
When somebody has an anxiety disorder, it may become disruptive in their life. They may lose interest in social activities or prefer to avoid otherwise regular situations for fear of the anxiety that it may cause. The degree of impact may vary as well, from a simple avoidance of certain experiences or activities, to full blown panic attacks when exposed to a complicating factor.
Additionally, anxiety disorders may extend to physical symptoms. It’s not uncommon to see symptoms such as nausea, an increase in blood pressure, sweating, fatigue, or even more severe issues. Anxiety may appear as a series of large, impactful reactions, or it could function as an underlying chronic issue. It’s important to be aware of the potential symptoms and experience that might signal an anxiety disorder in yourself or others.
Anxiety Disorder Therapy
ADHD Wellness Center is one of the leading offices in Houston providing therapy for anxiety disorders. Dr. Dawn Brown is a renowned psychiatrist with a proven track record for helping children and adults facing ADHD and other mental health concerns. At ADHD Wellness Center, anxiety disorders are treated on a case by case basis, employing the treatment and therapy that best suits the individual patient’s lifestyle and personal needs.
One of the most common treatment methods for an anxiety disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. It’s a useful means of identifying anxiety triggers and behavioral patterns, which can offer clarity for the patient struggling with anxiety as well as help your care provider develop effective and meaningful methods to address your mental health concerns.
CBT aims to work quickly, prioritizing ways to avoid, recognize, and work through stress, anxiety, and other experiences that may contribute to a full anxiety disorder. For some examples of steps included in a typical CBT process, see here:
- Identify and address your emotions
- Prevent one from avoiding situations which would earlier cause anxiety
- Help treat your illness when medicines aren’t the best options
- Identify stressful situations and learn how to cope with them
- Find outlets to drain negative emotions and learn effective techniques to manage emotions
- Find better ways to communicate when conflicts arise
- Learn how to cope with situations dealing with grief or loss
- Slowly overcome traumas that affected a person’s life
While each patient will have distinct needs and treatment plans, there are several aspects of ADHD Wellness Center which remain consistent across all experiences. The main goal for Dr. Dawn and the ADHD Wellness Center is to preserve mental wellness and destigmatize mental health, both through mental health wellness initiatives and individual patient care. If you or someone you know is having trouble with an anxiety disorder, schedule an appointment today and begin moving towards a better future.
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