Anxiety disorders are common diagnoses that we treat at The Dorm. If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety, please contact our team to learn more about how we can help.
Anxiety can be a normal part of life, but an anxiety disorder is when those feelings become more than temporary worries and begin to impact an individual’s day-to-day life. Anxiety disorders are characterized by symptoms including intense fear and worry, panic attacks, racing thoughts and difficulties concentrating. Someone suffering from an anxiety disorder can struggle with daily activities such as work, social interactions, relationships and hobbies. It can arise from a variety of different factors including trauma, major life transitions, family history, or brain chemistry and organic factors.
Young people with an anxiety disorder often struggle in various elements of their lives, including socially, in a new job, in school, and with the family. The disorder can lead to isolation from loved ones, changes in appetite, increased irritability and difficulties completing activities of daily living (ADLs).
Anxiety can also manifest in physiological ways and individuals may complain of frequent tension headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, lightheadedness and even vomiting. A signature characteristic of anxiety includes racing thought patterns, which can leave individuals feeling inferior and worried that others are negatively judging them. Another common symptom is an intense feeling of “impending doom.”
While the above symptoms are a general representation of “anxiety,” there are a variety of anxiety disorders that manifest in different ways:
Since mood disorders vary from person to person, an intensive, integrated, holistic and comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan is integral to successful treatment.
AT THE DORM, OUR INTEGRATED APPROACH TO TREATING INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS INCLUDES:
We provide psychoeducation at both the group, individual, and family levels. Oftentimes, families, friends, and even individuals themselves can feel lost and have very little knowledge of what an anxiety disorder looks like, and how to get and give support. Education serves to support, validate and empower clients and their families.
People struggling with anxiety symptoms can isolate themselves from others, struggle in social situations, or have low self-esteem. Our teams recognize the healing power of being part of a supportive community but are also empathetic to the challenges that this may pose for individuals diagnosed with anxiety. That’s why we provide social skills training at both the individual and group levels. Social skills therapists work to engage in a strong alliance with the client and provide clients with support as they challenge themselves to engage in daily community socialization initiatives and groups.
We provide individual and group CBT and DBT as well as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). These therapies focus on helping individuals who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders to modify negative thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses associated with anxiety as well as guide exposures to triggers to help overcome instances of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals will learn to communicate in words instead of behavior, to develop emotional regulation skills enabling them to tolerate previously overwhelming feelings, to learn adaptive functioning (to better navigate life’s varying demands and shifting environments), and to have an enhanced understanding of themselves and their motivations leading to more adaptive and healthy life choices.
Depending on need, we offer family and parent therapy for young adult clients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Familial-based psychological counseling helps family members process the emotional impact of having a loved one diagnosed with anxiety and explores the ways in which they can best support them. Education is provided around the benefits and risks of medication, symptoms and the meaning of symptoms and how to communicate and lay effective and loving boundaries.
Individuals who are diagnosed with anxiety sometimes struggle with maintaining basic activities of daily living (ADL’s). Cooking, cleaning, the sleep/wake cycle, medication compliance, personal hygiene and budgeting are often compromised. At The Dorm, we provide comprehensive individual and group-based life skills training both in the home and at the Clubhouse.
Medication often plays a key role in the treatment of anxiety and The Dorm will work closely with outside treating psychiatrists to help ensure medication is being utilized effectively and optimally.
We strongly believe in the power of alternative and holistic approaches in treatment. Yoga, meditation, mindfulness and various forms of exercise are offered at both the individual and group levels. These holistic treatments are shown to help with symptom management and stress relief in individuals diagnosed with anxiety and other mood disorders.
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(877) 996-2326
Speak with one of our expert clinicians: (877) 996-2326
Call Us: (877) 996-2326
