Living with an unmanaged anxiety disorder can feel unsettling. When a person has severe anxiety symptoms, they may constantly feel worried or on edge. The negative effects of an anxiety disorder can significantly interfere with various aspects of one’s life. Fortunately, holistic care at Avalon Malibu can help. Combining psychotherapy with massage therapy at Avalon Malibu can support someone in moving forward toward healing. These treatments can create a more optimal recovery outcome and increase one’s chance of a high quality of life.
What Is an Anxiety Disorder?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), occasionally worrying about finances, health, or family issues is normal. However, anxiety disorders typically involve intense worry and fear that is often not temporary. A wide body of research has proposed that both environmental and genetic factors lead to the development of anxiety disorders.
Generalized risk factors include feeling shy, distressed, or nervous in new environments, as well as having a history of exposure to intense stressors or negative environmental situations. Some individuals who develop anxiety disorders have a family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions. It is common for the effects of anxiety to progress and persist over time. Different types of anxiety disorder include the following:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Phobia-related disorders
How Does Living With an Anxiety Disorder Feel?
Living with anxiety disorders can be different for everyone, but most share a few common symptoms. The effects of any anxiety disorder can feel deeply consuming. Some individuals may become so fixated on a specific problem or consistently worry about something that may or may not happen. When an individual puts all of their focus on the potential outcome, they may neglect the present moment details. As this happens, the individual may experience additional problems.
For example, an individual consumed by their anxiety may fail to meet their top priorities. They may find a decline in their academic or work performance. Some individuals may experience problems maintaining healthy relationships. Common anxiety disorder symptoms that are known to negatively impact an individual’s life include the following:
- Feeling on edge, restless, or wound up
- Having challenges concentrating
- Finding it difficult to control one’s worries
- Experiencing insomnia
- Having a pounding or racing heart
- Experiencing chest pain
- Having trembling or tingling sensations
- Profusely sweating
- Feeling impending doom
- Blushing in social settings
- Feeling self-conscious
- Fearing judgment
- Avoiding certain environments
The Value of Moving Forward With Massage Therapy: What Is Massage Therapy?
Manipulation of deep muscle and connective tissue can be referred to as massage therapy. There are a variety of techniques and massage treatments that licensed massage therapists may use to promote relaxation and physical well-being. Massage therapy can help release toxins and enhance overall functionality within an individual’s body. Using relaxation techniques can help people with moving forward toward overall health and well-being. The benefits of massage therapy include the following:
- Reduced stress
- Improved circulation
- Uplifted mood
- Pain relief
- Improved sleep
- Enhanced ability to focus
- An overall better recovery process
The Value of Moving Forward With Massage Therapy: The Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
According to a clinical trial published in the journal Depression and Anxiety, 5.2% of individuals with anxiety disorders use massage therapy. This makes it the fourth most commonly used complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapy for anxiety after imagery, relaxation, and spiritual healing. Although massage therapy is one of the most popular alternative medical CAM treatments or complementary services for anxiety disorder, studies have indicated that the practice is not superior to standard methods of care.
However, in this recent study, participants did report clinically important improvements. This was likely due to some advantageous yet generalized relaxation response to care. Based on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), participants involved in a 12-week treatment period experienced a significant anxiety reduction. They also presented evident improvement at their 26-week follow-up, showing that they were successfully moving forward with life.
The Value of Moving Forward With Massage Therapy: The Benefits of Integrating Psychotherapy With Massage Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
Knowing that massage therapy alone may not be as effective as standard treatment options, combining psychotherapy with holistic care can be beneficial for mental health. This combination can further enhance one’s ability to overcome the effects of their anxiety disorder. Integrated care can work to improve patient outcomes and enhance communication with chosen providers. Combined treatments, especially holistic care, can provide a whole-person approach. Individual or group psychotherapy can provide tools and strategies for managing anxiety disorder symptoms. On the other hand, massage therapy can address the individual’s mind, body, and soul while promoting overall relaxation.
Moving Forward With Massage Therapy at Avalon Malibu for Anxiety Disorders
At Avalon Malibu, the team believes that the issues that clients face do not define who they are. The goal is to impart healthy ways of living that encourage life-affirming choices for the future of each individual who visits this luxurious treatment setting.
Massage therapy at Avalon Malibu is facilitated either manually or with mechanical aids. This massage therapy treatment program is used to restore health to tissues and helps remove toxins while making the body more flexible and adaptable. Massage therapy treatment modalities offered at Avalon Malibu to help people move forward into a state of well-being include the following:
- Swedish massage
- Remedial massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Sports massage
- Thai massage
- Hot stone massage
Here at Avalon Malibu, our licensed and trained professional massage therapists use the progressive and proven treatment of massage therapy. Our treatment program involves working on the body with varying pressure that is at times structured and other times unstructured. We understand it can be challenging to manage the effects of anxiety disorder. Our process involves stationary or moving massage techniques and may vary the motion and vibration for ongoing benefit. Our therapists are highly trained in cutting-edge techniques and modalities to help our clients gain better focus and the ability to create a better quality of life. Call Avalon Malibu at (844) 857-5992 for more information on our massage therapy treatment program.
