Anxiety can range in intensity, with some people experiencing mild discomfort and others having full-blown panic attacks. If you have ever had an anxiety attack, you likely tried to find ways to prevent another. Many people choose to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to relieve anxiety symptoms. This puts people with anxiety at a higher risk for addiction, so anxiety treatment programs are crucial. Whether you already struggle with anxiety and substance abuse or you have just started dabbling with self-medication, reaching out for help from a dual diagnosis treatment program can be the solution for anxiety and addiction recovery.
At Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston, we understand how quickly anxiety and substance abuse can lead you down a dangerous path. We are here to help you stop this destructive pattern with the help of caring professionals, behavioral and holistic therapies, and endless support. Call us today at 866.516.8356 to learn how our dual diagnosis treatment program can help you achieve a life free from anxiety and substance abuse.
How Anxiety and Substance Abuse Relate
Everyone feels anxiety in response to temporary stress or worry from time to time. On the other hand, anxiety disorders are characterized by a continuous feeling of fear or nervousness, often without specific reasons. Some common anxiety symptoms are:
- Increased heart rate
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Feeling weak or faint
- Obsessive thoughts, rumination
- Digestive discomfort
- Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety can be rather disruptive to your life, depending on the severity of your symptoms. Some people who use avoidance to prevent exposure to their anxiety triggers may find that their world becomes much smaller. They are limited to where they can go, who they can be around, or what they can do without setting off their anxiety symptoms.
In the interest of expanding their world and finding relief from anxiety, many people turn to drugs or alcohol. Using sedative drugs or drinking alcohol offers a calming refuge from the endless stream of worries running through their minds. Unfortunately, self-medicating like this only leads to a worsening of anxiety down the road and the potential for addiction.
How Anxiety and Addiction Recovery Work
Anxiety and substance abuse follow the chicken and egg theory — either one can come first, and you may not always know which caused the other. That is why dual diagnosis treatment is important for recovering from addiction and co-occurring disorders like anxiety. Both conditions are treated simultaneously so that you can experience complete healing. Treating either one on its own will leave you susceptible to relapse.
Dual diagnosis treatment helps facilitate anxiety and addiction recovery with:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – This form of talk therapy helps uncover destructive thought patterns and restructure them to create healthier thoughts and beliefs.
- Trauma therapy – Anxiety is a common symptom of trauma, so addressing past traumatic events can help alleviate anxious thoughts and the urge to self-medicate.
- Group therapy – You learn healthy coping skills that can help prevent or de-escalate fearful thoughts before they snowball into a panic.
- Anti-anxiety medication – These medications can relieve anxiety symptoms by increasing serotonin in the brain, a neurotransmitter that helps with mood balance.
Addiction and anxiety treatment programs can help you stop living in a constant state of unease. In addition to the above components, many dual diagnosis treatment programs also provide holistic therapies such as yoga and meditation to help you achieve a calmer mind and body.
Learn How to Manage Anxiety with Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston’s Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program
Learning how to manage the symptoms of an anxiety disorder healthily is the key to successful anxiety and addiction recovery. Once you understand how to manage your anxiety, addiction recovery will be easier to maintain. Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston’s dual diagnosis treatment program can help you get through drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms while helping you develop healthy coping skills through behavioral and holistic therapies. Reach out to us at 866.516.8356 to learn how we can help you get your life back from anxiety and substance abuse.
