Anxiety has become a significant problem for many, and it can be challenging to determine when a person needs residential anxiety treatment. At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we specialize in treating mental health disorders in Atlanta, Georgia. Whether a person needs outpatient therapy or residential treatment, we are here to help people struggling with anxiety disorders.
Signs Someone Needs Anxiety Treatment
While feeling anxious is a normal response that all people have at times, frequent anxiety can be concerning. There are shared experiences of anxiety in common situations, such as job interviews, taking a flight for the first time, and public speaking. However, many people in the general population struggle with an anxiety disorder. Telling the difference between normal stress responses and chronic anxiety can be tricky for the untrained eye. Despite this, there are clinical signs of an anxiety disorder that differ from everyday worries.
Behavioral Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
Although this is not an all-inclusive list of behaviors related to an anxiety disorder, many symptoms on this list are commonly shared among those who struggle with anxiety regularly. Since every person has different challenges and circumstances, these symptoms will vary.
Persistent Feelings of Nervousness
A person with an anxiety disorder may have intense fear about a situation that lasts for six months or more. This is often a worry that is not in proportion to the impact of the problem. Also, people with an anxiety disorder may instead have persistent worry over everyday situations. In this instance, nervousness will preoccupy a person’s mind during a significant portion of their day. Anxiety begins to take over someone’s time, whether a person spends all morning worrying, several hours per night, or in frequent increments throughout the day.
Constant Overthinking
While overthinking can be a common behavior, an increase in this habit may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety-induced overthinking is often accompanied by a person thinking about all the possible worst-case outcomes and worrying about them. These situations may occur with everyday plans or occasional stressors that aren’t very impactful. Although it is customary to worry about stressful situations, those with an anxiety disorder may obsess over illogical and unlikely worst-case scenarios.
Avoiding Regular Activities
Additionally, anxiety disorders may cause people to avoid regular activities because they tend to induce anxiety. These can be activities such as driving, having phone conversations, certain chores, or any daily activity. Understandably, this is one of the ways that an anxiety disorder can disrupt a person’s productivity, happiness, and life in general.
Voicing Concerns About Anxiety
Some who struggle with anxiety may express this subtly or directly to a trusted confidant. Family should take this seriously because it takes courage for someone to speak about this. In addition, the problem may have been going on for a while by the time it was mentioned. Most won’t realize that anxiety has become a problem until the disorder is more apparent and disruptive.
Since unwarranted feelings of shame cause people to hold back on asking for help, they might not say much about their struggles. As a result, the family should ask clarifying questions and encourage openness to address the situation. Depending on the severity of the anxiety disorder, a person might need residential anxiety treatment or partial hospitalization.
Physical Signs of An Anxiety Disorder
Not everyone with an anxiety disorder will exhibit physical symptoms, but it is common for some of these to occur. Often, a person may not realize that these physical symptoms are related to anxiety at all. Therefore, family physicians can be incredibly helpful in pointing out the correlation between physical symptoms and anxiety. However, it is important to be aware of physical health and address symptoms to rule out other illnesses.
Trouble Sleeping
People often think of insomnia as being unable to fall asleep at all, but the pattern can vary significantly for each person. For example, someone with an anxiety disorder may experience trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking entirely too early. The key is to recognize a disruption in normal sleep patterns with accompanying feelings of nervousness.
Stomach and Digestion Issues
People with anxiety-induced digestive issues may experience stomach problems during or directly after a stressful event. In recent years, the medical community has uncovered many connections between psychological and digestive issues. What was once a rarely considered link is now a frequent possibility that doctors examine when a patient reports stomach problems. As with any other physical symptoms, a doctor will first want to rule out a physical cause.
Other Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
A person with an anxiety disorder may also experience profuse sweating, rapid heart rate, fatigue, and muscle aches. Since everyone is different, physical symptoms can manifest quite differently among people with chronic anxiety. For anyone experiencing physical symptoms suspected to be related to anxiety disorder, the first step is to consult a physician.
Main Types of Anxiety Disorders
The National Institute of Mental Health categorizes anxiety disorders under five umbrella terms, which have subcategories and specific conditions. These include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive tension and chronic anxiety.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder with frequent unwanted thoughts and the compulsivity to repeat certain behaviors.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a traumatic experience. A person experiences stress triggered by exposure to similar events, memories of the incident, or recurrent thoughts about the trauma.
- Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms of distress. Since a panic disorder can disrupt a person’s life and make them feel miserable, some benefit from residential anxiety treatment for this disorder.
- Phobia disorders, including social anxiety, are disorders characterized by an intense fear of or aversion to specific objects or situations. For example, with a social anxiety disorder, a person has extreme self-consciousness and fears everyday social situations.
Our Treatment for Anxiety Disorders
The main treatment methods for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medications. Each can have a significant impact on a person who has been struggling with untreated anxiety. At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we provide cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a highly effective, evidence-based form of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. Our CBT is available in a variety of forms to give our clients options that fit their needs.
Additionally, we work with our clients to prescribe the most effective medications for treating their specific anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, our facility provides different levels of care depending on individual needs. These include residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient programs.
What is Residential Anxiety Treatment in Atlanta, GA Like?
At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we provide residential treatment for anxiety in a comforting and welcoming environment. Our clients are here voluntarily for treatment. Therefore, they have the autonomy to decide how they want to approach their care. The residential program is the best level of care for those leaving a hospital or an acute care facility. With residential care, the average length of stay is four to six weeks before entering into PHP or IOP. As a part of our residential anxiety treatment, our clients attend approximately eight hours of therapeutic sessions and psychiatric care daily.
In addition to medication management and behavioral therapies, we offer holistic practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. Since we value comfort and evidence-based treatment, we strive to create a healing atmosphere with skilled care. Also, clients can take advantage of our complementary therapies during residential treatment.
Experience Our Quality Anxiety Treatment in Atlanta, GA
At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we know that anxiety disorders can disrupt people’s lives and leave them feeling defeated. That’s why our compassionate team is highly skilled in treating anxiety. In our mental health treatment programs, we advocate for our clients to regain control of their lives. If you or a loved one are battling an anxiety disorder, we can help. Contact us to start recovery today.
