Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety is a common part of daily life. Unfortunately, prolonged stress, pressure to succeed, financial strain, and other aspects of today’s stressful world can make anxiety worse. Unfortunately, a lack of mental health education, resources, and treatment leads many people, especially young adults, to struggle with anxiety. If you or someone you love is struggling with anxiety, you are not alone.

NuLife Behavioral Health is here to help you and your loved ones regain control of your lives. Call us now at 888.568.2057 to learn more about our addiction treatment programs and get started today.  

What Is Anxiety? 

Anxiety is a physical, mental, and emotional state caused by nervous system dysregulation. The nervous system, governed by the brain, either exists in a state of regulation or dysregulation. Regulation is a state of calm in which someone feels safe, secure, and confident in their environment. Dysregulation is a state of anxiety in which someone feels unsafe, threatened, or unstable. The body’s state is a state of calm. However, when the nervous system is triggered into a fight, flight, or freeze response, the brain and body release chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol, triggered by survival instincts. Fight, flight, or freeze is an ancient natural response to danger. It helped our ancestors flee from predators and helps people today during life-threatening situations. 

Anxiety, however, does not only happen when lives are at risk. Instead, anxiety is a fight, flight, or flee response to worry about the future or ruminating about the past. This means that when someone experiences anxiety, they feel unsafe no matter how safe their surroundings are. Unfortunately, once the nervous system is dysregulated, it’s hard to calm down.

Do I Need Anxiety Treatment?

Anxiety is on the rise and is increasingly common today. Many things can trigger anxiety. For those with undiagnosed mood disorders, unprocessed trauma, and prolonged stress, anxiety is common. Anxiety can leave people in a constant state of dysregulation that leads to reactionary behavior. Anxiety can affect the whole body and make it difficult for people to live their lives. Symptoms of anxiety may include:

• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Sweating
• Shaking and tremors
• Constant worry
• Irrational fears
• Confusion
• Irrational behavior
• Anger
• Trouble concentrating
• Never feeling safe
• Sense of impending doom
• Digestive problems
• Trouble sleeping
• Exhaustion

Anxiety can come on quickly or slowly over time. It can compound as a situation escalates or after many repeated situations like a series of emails leading to the fear of job loss. During an anxiety attack, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol for survival. Prolonged anxiety and untreated anxiety can be detrimental to physical and mental health, especially if the body doesn’t process adrenaline and cortisol through physical activity. 

If you’re struggling with the above symptoms, it may be time to seek anxiety treatment. Through behavioral and alternative therapies like biofeedback, you and your loved ones can learn how to manage, treat, and live with the effects of anxiety.