Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress. In average doses, anxiety can be beneficial to our overall well-being. However, chronic or persistent anxiety is detrimental to our mental and physical health. It is estimated that nearly 40 million Americans suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. Common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and various phobias. If you or someone you love experiences extreme anxiety that has lasted for six months or longer and is interfering with daily life, professional anxiety treatment can help.
Rose Hill Center offers comprehensive residential mental health treatment for a variety of anxiety disorders. Call us at 866.367.0220 to learn how our services can help get to the root of your anxiety and teach you coping skills to manage your symptoms.
Recognizing Anxiety Attack Symptoms
Many people use the terms panic attack and anxiety attack interchangeably, but they are two different conditions. Panic attacks have a sudden onset and create an intense or overwhelming sense of fear. They are often triggered by external stressors but can also appear to come out of nowhere. Physical symptoms can include a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea. Anxiety attacks tend to come on gradually and are usually triggered by the anticipation of a stressful event. Anxiety attacks are characterized by excessive worry or fear. Symptoms of anxiety attacks can vary widely from person to person. Often, an anxiety attack can bring on a panic attack.
There are several major distinctions between anxiety attacks and panic attacks. Anxiety attacks involve restlessness, apprehension, worry, and distress, while panic attacks do not. Additionally, panic attacks can include a fear of dying or losing control and a sense of detachment, while anxiety attacks do not. However, the two conditions do share numerous common symptoms, including:
- Chest pain
- Dry mouth and tightness of the throat
- Sweating, chills, or hot flashes
- Stomach pain and nausea
- Headache
- Numbness or tingling sensation
With so many common symptoms, it is easy to be confused about whether you are experiencing a panic attack or an anxiety attack. In general, anxiety attacks can range from mild to severe, while panic attacks are almost always intense or severe. During a panic attack, our natural fight-or-flight response takes over, which may lead to you avoiding particular places or situations for fear of having another attack.
Learning How to Calm Anxiety
While experts don’t know the exact causes of anxiety disorders, inherited traits, exposure to trauma, underlying medical issues, extreme stress, and substance use disorders can all be contributors. The severity of your anxiety and how it impacts your daily functioning will determine the course of treatment for your anxiety disorder.
For people with mild anxiety, lifestyle changes can be very effective at managing symptoms. Lifestyle changes include getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising, practicing yoga, meditation, and avoiding alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes.
For moderate to severe anxiety, seeking treatment is often the best option. Treatment for anxiety disorders includes medication and psychotherapy. Some of the therapies available for adult mental health treatment at Rose Hill Center include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Medication management therapy
- Trauma-informed therapy
- Individual counseling
- Lifestyle management
Although anxiety does not usually go away altogether, there is effective treatment available. In addition, you can learn how to manage your symptoms so that they no longer negatively impact your daily functioning. At Rose Hill Center, you will learn the coping skills needed to calm your anxiety before it takes control.
Contact Rose Hill Center To Learn More About Anxiety Treatment
On our 400-acre campus in Holly, Michigan, Rose Hill Center offers comprehensive, evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders. Residential treatment for anxiety provides the opportunity for you to focus on treatment without the stressors of daily life. When you are ready to take back control of your life by seeking professional treatment for your anxiety, call us at 866.367.0220.
