If you’ve been diagnosed with any type of anxiety disorder, you’re likely very familiar with symptoms such as restlessness, being easily exhausted, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, sleeping problems, and more. Anxiety can cause a lot of distress, even interfering with aspects of daily life – such as with school, work, family, or social relationships. If your anxiety disorder has gone untreated for an extended period of time, you may have learned to somehow “cope” with your disorder; when left untreated, many individuals turn to substance use or self-harm, thinking that doing either of these will help dampen or get rid of unwanted symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms don’t go away without the right conditions, which often include support and treatment.
If you have an anxiety disorder, you’ve likely experienced one (or more) of the following:
- The impending doom associated with a particular thought, person, place, event, or anything else that occurs. From this you may experience heart palpitations, sweaty palms, racing thoughts, shortness of breath, upset stomach, diarrhea and more.
- Disruption in your daily life. Anxiety often causes us to lose our train of thought because we’re incessantly worrying about something else. Having to ask someone to repeat themselves or not being able to easily complete an assignment gets frustrating, and makes things worse sometimes.
- The feeling that “things will never get better”. The good news is that they do – but at times, it can feel as though the world is just caving in on you.
- Feeling as though you’re the only one experiencing these things. Everyone else seems to carry on with their lives just fine – you may even wonder, “How do they manage to do it? Is something wrong with me?”
- Wanting to do something about the symptoms you’re experiencing but not knowing what to do, or coping in an unhealthy way that actually makes the situation worse. Substance abuse and self-harm are common methods people try to ward off unwanted symptoms – but the reality is that you need to seek treatment so that you can develop the tools you need to move past this.
Treatment for anxiety disorder may involve medication and therapy (both individual and group). Therapy often utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people change their thought processes towards more positive, productive ways of thinking. If you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, it’s important that you seek help from a reputable treatment center.
Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed mental health and substance abuse recovery center. If you are ready to seek treatment to develop the tools you need to overcome life’s obstacles and be on the road towards happiness, health, and well-being, call us today at 888-958-7511 for a consultation. It’s never too late, and there are people here ready to help you.
