Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders plague millions of Americans each year,
making anxiety disorders one of the many illnesses for
which people seek professional treatment. While most
people experience some type of work or stress-related
anxiety throughout their lives, people with anxiety
disorders have a constant sense of embarrassing anxiety
that makes living life almost impossible. These anxiety
disorders, if left untreated, progress in a similar
manner to any chronic illness and have symptoms that
must be treated by medical professionals if any progress
is to be made at all.
Anxiety disorders come in all shapes
and forms and include some of the following: panic disorders,
phobias, social anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Anxiety disorder often take over a person's thoughts
and cause him/her to worry excessively and have extreme
amounts of tension even when there is no particular
cause or these kinds of feelings.
 |
Need Immediate Help with Addiction? Please contact us and we'll be sure to assist you or a loved one
and begin your journey to a new freedom. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
SAMHSA works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and mental health services. Includes links to community programs, information resources, events and articles. |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
A person suffering from an anxiety
may be unable to relax even when fairly comfortable
and to talk to people, even people with whom he/she
is close. People with anxiety disorder often have co-occurring
sleeping problems as a result of their anxiety and find
it difficult to read, work, and concentrate because
their mind is filled with anxious, fearful thoughts.
People with untreated anxiety disorders are usually
unable to have significant, successful relationships
in their lives because they are too busy thinking all
the time. Many times they also push away the people
they are closest with because they are too uncomfortable
in their own skin.
Current research is examining the
exact causes and conditions of anxiety disorders. So
far brain imaging has show that two structures, the
amygdala (a structure deep within the brain) and the
hippocampus play roles in the shaping of anxiety disorders.
The hippocampus is responsible for storing memories
and for many people with PTSD this structure is overly
active, triggering painful memories and causing anxiety.
Although these disorders seem serious
and even paralyzing, there are treatments that make
anxiety disorders less painful and effective treatment
can let a anxiety-ridden person live a normal life.
Treatments for anxiety disorders include intensive therapy,
support groups and, most commonly, medication.
Some anxiety-disordered people become
so disturbed by their disorders that they turn to self-medication
and substance abuse as an alternative to legitimate
treatment. In cases such as these, self-medication,
most commonly leading to drug abuse, just creates one
more problem instead of solving anything at all.
Anxiety disorders are serious and
they must be treated in order to live a normal life.
Drugs and alcohol and self-medication only mask the
problems but do not solve them. Remember these disorders
are chronic and progressive. If you or someone you love
suffers from an anxiety disorder there is help. At Treatment
Referral we offer referrals to a wide array of programs
including programs that focus on mental disorders and
anxiety.
Please feel free to call us for referrals
and ask questions, we are here to help.
1-800-375-4577. |