One of the mental health concerns that commonly co-occur with addiction is anxiety. About 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from an anxiety disorder and many more deal with situational anxiety due to day-to-day stressors. For those whose lives are constantly stressful, for example, people with housing insecurity, caring for an ill or disabled family member, or in an abusive relationship, situational anxiety can be as detrimental and relentless as an anxiety disorder. About 20% of those diagnosed with an anxiety disorder also have a substance use disorder (SUD). Finding a rehab center that offers co-occurring disorders treatment is important.
For those dealing with high anxiety and substance abuse, having access to care that can address anxiety along with addiction is important. To learn more about an anxiety treatment program in Nashville, reach out to Apex Recovery. We can answer your questions about our anxiety treatment center, how we address co-occurring disorders, and how to take the first steps toward recovery.
Types of Anxiety
Many people mistake anxiety for simple worry or stress. Everyone experiences worry and stress, and situations in life that can cause anxiety symptoms. But only those with an anxiety disorder understand what it is like to feel anxiety for no clear reason. It is often impossible to discern a trigger for the anxiety or panic—because there is none, or it is so atypical that its relationship to anxiety symptoms is mysterious. People with anxiety disorders feel that their anxiety controls them.
When you experience anxiety, it feels like there is a threat—so your body reacts with the fight, flight, or freeze hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. For those who are actually under threat or immersed in high-stress living situations, anxiety symptoms are the same. Anxiety often leads to substance abuse as people seek to mute their symptoms. Anxiety is treatable and manageable without putting yourself at risk for addiction.
Some forms of anxiety include:
- Social anxiety
- Panic disorder
- Generalized anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Separation anxiety
- Agoraphobia and other phobias
If you experience signs of anxiety and have turned to drugs or alcohol to cope, consider an anxiety therapy program.
Anxiety Treatment Program for Co-Occurring Disorders
With a dual diagnosis of anxiety and an SUD, the two conditions must be treated together in a coordinated approach. Effective treatment of anxiety can help replace negative behaviors with positive coping mechanisms.
- Medical detox – Withdrawal is highly stressful when it is done outside a professional detox center. The fearful anticipation of withdrawal triggers anxiety and the symptoms of withdrawal involve a great deal of stress when not mitigated by safe medications. In a medical detox setting, physicians will ease your withdrawal symptoms so your anxiety does not spike.
- Medication – There are medications used to treat anxiety that are highly addictive. For someone with co-occurring addiction, some medications are safer as they are less addictive. Medications like propranolol (a beta blocker) and clonidine (a central alpha agonist) can ease withdrawal-induced anxiety as well as ongoing anxiety symptoms.
- Behavioral therapy – One of the most effective behavioral therapies for anxiety is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Therapies like CBT will help you develop coping mechanisms to handle stressors and understand what triggers your anxiety. Learning to reframe your thinking and harmful beliefs about yourself through behavioral therapy allows you to understand that a life without substances is possible.
You can receive dual diagnosis treatment for anxiety and addiction at Apex Recovery Nashville’s anxiety treatment center.
Get Started with Apex Recovery Nashville’s Anxiety Treatment Program
At Apex Recovery, our values include a focus on family-centered, comprehensive, and individualized treatment offered in a safe, trigger-free environment. You are our highest priority. We treat co-occurring disorders such as anxiety and addiction using evidence-based therapies provided by professional and caring clinicians.
Learn more about our anxiety treatment program. Call 615.703.4639 today or use our online form to connect with our team.