Feeling overwhelmed, nervous, or fearful most of the time is a sign of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety when out-of-control can be disabling. Many people abuse substances to self-medicate the debilitating pain these disorder causes, as an attempt to live a normal life. That is why drug and alcohol rehabs test for dual diagnosis. Then they can enroll clients in residential anxiety treatment centers when right.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
There are four groups of anxiety disorders. Each group causes the person suffering excessive stress, making it difficult to lead a normal life.
General Anxiety Disorder: When a person suffers from general anxiety, he or she worries excessively despite lack of reason for worry. He or she may worry constantly about finances despite having a great job with savings for emergencies and excess money each month available for spending.
Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is a terror that overcomes the person with no warning. It happens repeatedly and causes chest pain, sweating, and fatigue. Many people report it feels like having a heart attack.
Phobias: Phobias are intense fears to everyday situations that cause inability to act. Someone may be afraid of riding in a car despite never having been in an accident. He or she may avoid riding in cars, making travel to work difficult. Or may not work at all because of an inability to commute.
Social Anxiety Disorder: This disorder is a fear of interacting with others in a normal situation. The person suffering from social anxiety may fear being judged or making a mistake, causing embarrassment.
Each of these disorders can be disabling when left untreated. If you or a loved one shows signs of an anxiety disorder, contact a residential anxiety treatment center. When talking with an admissions counselor, tell him or her if you have been using substances to self-medicate.
Self-Medication of Anxiety Disorders
Often a person suffering with anxiety disorders does not realize he or she is suffering with a mental disorder. Instead, he or she may think nothing is seriously wrong and abuse substances as a way of “taking to edge off” a difficult situation. These people are two to three times more likely to abuse substances during their lifetime than most people struggling with everyday worry.
In fact, 20 percent of people diagnosed with substance abuse disorders are diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders too. Conversely, 20 percent of Americans diagnosed with anxiety disorders are also diagnosed with substance abuse disorders.
But abusing substances will make an anxiety disorder worse. The good news is that residential anxiety treatment centers can help those suffering decrease the effects of anxiety disorders and keep sobriety.
Residential Anxiety Treatment Centers Can Help
Again, if you or a loved one are suffering with an anxiety disorder, seek help in residential anxiety treatment centers. Be honest about any substance use to self-medicate the pain of anxiety. This will help counselors treat both disorders and set you on the path to emotional and physical freedom.
Call Aion Recovery at 888-811-2879. Addiction specialists will assess your symptoms over the phone and help you find the right treatment. Call today!
Recent comments