Anxiety and addiction are closely intertwined. Anxiety can often trigger addiction, and addiction can exacerbate anxiety. Everyone experiences anxiety occasionally, but for some people, it significantly disrupts their lives. However, an anxiety treatment program can help.
Anxiety in addiction can manifest differently, but many people dealing with both are caught in a vicious cycle. They turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their anxiety but then become anxious about their substance use. If you or someone you know need help managing anxiety and addiction, contact BlueCrest Recovery at 888.292.9652.
Managing Anxiety and Addiction
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time and experiences feelings of worry and fear about any number of things. For most people, anxiety is a fleeting, temporary emotion that goes away on its own. However, for others, it can become a chronic problem that interferes with their daily lives.
When a person starts to feel like anxiety is too much for them to handle, they might turn to substances to alleviate the anxiety. This sets the stage for the large role of anxiety in addiction.
Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder
In order for a person to successfully manage anxiety, they must understand how to recognize anxiety disorders. Symptoms of anxiety disorders can include:
- Difficulty controlling worrying
- Trouble focusing and concentrating
- Avoidance behaviors
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sensitive startle response
- Sense of impending danger
- Feelings of almost constant apprehension
- Constant nervousness
In addition, anxiety can cause physical symptoms like:
- Upset stomach
- Heart palpitations
- A fast pulse
- Sweating
- Rapid breathing
- Trembling
- Heartburn
It’s vital that a person seeks help for their anxiety before they turn to substance use to gain control. However, dual diagnosis treatment is critical if a person already has both anxiety and substance use disorders.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are different types of anxiety disorders that people can live with. The main types are:
- Social anxiety disorder
- Phobias
- Panic disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
The symptoms of these anxiety disorders can be crippling enough that a person seeks anything to relieve them. Many people who turn to substances develop substance use disorders because the effects of drugs and alcohol quickly disappear. This leads to repeat use and, eventually, addiction.
Effective Treatment for Anxiety and Addiction
There are a number of effective dual diagnosis treatment programs available, which are designed to treat both anxiety and substance use disorders. These can include medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and other methods.
People with anxiety and addiction disorders can break the cycle and lead productive, healthy lives with the right treatment, support, tools, and resources. Anxiety treatment programs provide clients with everything they need to become empowered to cope with life in healthy ways.
It’s vital to treat both anxiety and substance use at the same time for the best chance of comprehensive recovery. The underlying causes of anxiety must be identified and treated so that clients can focus on learning healthy coping mechanisms.
Anxiety disorders can be managed without drugs or alcohol. The goal of treating anxiety in an addiction therapy program is to learn and implement fulfilling coping skills to replace substance use.
Champion Anxiety and Substance Use Treatment with BlueCrest Recovery
Some of the best types of anxiety treatment programs include partial care programs and intensive outpatient programs. The best one for every person depends on their unique situation.
Since there is no such thing as an effective one-size-fits-all treatment, the best program is one that uses a personalized treatment plan for each client. If you or a loved one suffers from an anxiety disorder and needs help to break free of substance use, contact our compassionate professionals at BlueCrest Recovery at 888.292.9652.
