Anxiety Treatment
Compass Health Center’s treatment teams provide comprehensive, patient-centered mental health care and crisis support to children, adolescents, young adults, and adults suffering from Anxiety Disorders. With individualized programming, it is Compass's priority to help participants build the skills necessary to flourish in their daily lives.
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What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an overwhelming feeling of unease characterized by fears and worries that range from mild to severe. Anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress and danger. This particular response of the brain is a basic emotion that is already present in infancy and childhood. For some, Anxiety is a temporary feeling that comes and goes. For others, having feelings of Anxiety and constant worrying can last for months, leading to an impairment in your life.
Anxiety Disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States, affecting over 18% of the population each year. While treatable, only 36.9% of individuals suffering seek professional help. Although Anxiety is common and natural, it doesn’t need to control your life.
The most common types of Anxiety Disorders include:
- Agoraphobia
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- And others
Common Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety Disorders are characterized by symptoms that can be as short as a couple of minutes or much longer. A person may have one intense symptom or a series of smaller ones. Some of the most common to look for are:
- Rumination, or overanalyzing negative thoughts and feelings
- Feeling restless, tense, and nervous
- A sense of impending doom, panic, or danger
- Increased heart rate
- Hyperventilation (breathing rapidly)
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling
- An overwhelming feeling of weakness or tiredness
- Trouble concentrating
- Trouble thinking about anything other than the present worry
- Difficulty controlling the present worry
- Trouble sleeping
- Gastrointestinal or other physical problems
- A strong urge to avoid the thing causing the present worry
- And others
Effects of Anxiety on Your Life
The effects of Anxiety can have a debilitating impact, ranging from procrastination to the inability to function in your daily life.
How Anxiety impacts an individual varies. For example, a person suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder might feel nervous around other people, causing them to overthink and worry. A person suffering from recurring Panic Disorders may show signs of excessive sweating and a rapid heart rate in stressful situations.
Other effects of Anxiety are the inability to perform daily tasks or to be fully present in the current situation. Anxiety makes everything seem worse than it actually is. People with an Anxiety Disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for Psychiatric Disorders than those without debilitating Anxiety.
When to Seek Treatment for Anxiety
Everyone feels anxious at various times, but Anxiety can impair some people’s ability to function. It is important to seek professional help and treatment for Anxiety once these feelings become too overwhelming to handle, or if you are feeling Anxiety for months on end.
Only a licensed medical professional can diagnose Anxiety Disorders. Here is a checklist to help you determine if you need to see a doctor for Anxiety treatment:
- You feel like you spend too much time worrying, and worry is disrupting your work, personal relationships, and/or other significant parts of your life
- Your fears are upsetting to a point that your distress is difficult to control
- You feel that you are getting depressed because of your worries
- You have trouble controlling your alcohol or drug consumption
- You have other mental health concerns
- You think that your Anxiety is related to a physical health problem
The intensity of these symptoms can range from a passing feeling to a loss of control. These worries will not vanish on their own and can even get worse if you don’t seek treatment for Anxiety.
While there is no proven way to predict when Anxiety Disorders will start to show, there are certain ways to prevent its symptoms from affecting your quality of life. Activities such as staying active, creating a hobby, and avoiding alcohol and substances can help ease symptoms of Anxiety. Like other mental health concerns, seeking treatment for Anxiety Disorders during the early stage improves outcomes.
Anxiety in Children and Teens
According to the CDC, Anxiety Disorders are one of the most common mental health concerns in children aged 2 to 17. Over seven percent of children (approximately 4.4 million) in the United States have been diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder. Childhood and adolescence are core risk phases for the development of Anxiety symptoms that may range from transient and mild to full-blown disorder.
Research shows that when Anxiety Disorders are untreated in children, the affected child is more likely to perform poorly in school, miss out on social experiences, and engage in substance abuse. Anxiety Disorders in children co-occur with other mental health concerns, such as Depression and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Anxiety in teens can lead to other worrying situations, such as refusal to attend school and substance abuse. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the prevalence of Anxiety Disorders among female adolescents (38%) is higher than for males (26.1%). Of adolescents diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder, 8.3% had severe impairment.
Anxiety in Adults and Young Adults
An estimated 31.1% of adults (40 million+) in the United States experience Anxiety Disorders at some point in their lives. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (AADA), millions of adults experience the various types of Anxiety Disorders:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 6.8 million adults
- Panic Disorder affects 6 million adults
- Social Anxiety Disorder affects 15.1 million adults
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects 2.2 million adults
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 7.7 million adults
In the United States, an estimated 15 to 20% of young adults experience debilitating Anxiety. Fear of negative evaluation, social distress, insecurities about weight and appearance, and peer pressure are some of the most common triggers of Anxiety in this age group. Feelings of uneasiness can become extreme in some cases, especially in an age group where perceptions of body image are heightened.
Young adults develop a sense of independence that relies more on peers than on parents, as well as a heightened brain reward system that increases sensitivity. This is what drives young adults to be highly emotional and sensitive to peer pressure. Throughout their twenties, young adults will continue to seek potentially pleasurable experiences without thinking of the consequences. Young adults are at a vulnerable time in their development, which explains why one in every five is affected by a type of mental illness.
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Our Success Stories
Compass saved my life! I came into Compass with suicidal ideations and no hope. After a couple of weeks of being in the program, I did not have those thoughts anymore. Compass helped me change my mindset, from a negative pattern of thoughts to a more positive and optimistic frame of mind.
Patient
My child is leaving Compass more equipped to handle her emotions, her anxiety, her depression, and the things that all trigger these. She is willing to use the skills, which is a huge change, and this is all due to how well Compass worked for her.
Parent of Child Patient
I liked how in Compass, everyone was respectful of my opinions, pronouns, and preferred name. There was no judging, and you can open up to people. I also like how I can relate to other kids. I also really appreciate learning new skills.
Patient
Compass is a godsend. An amazing program for children who are struggling and families who are seeking help and guidance. I could not imagine that she would be so much better in less than 2 months. I wish we could have found Compass without going to the ER. Thanks for all you do!
The evening IOP program challenged me in a supportive and respectful way to help change my way of thinking. Compass provided me with the tools to help deal with life situations in a healthy way.
