When people think about treatment for anxiety, they don't often think of individual therapy. Instead, many people think of medication or even just using mindfulness techniques. These are all valid and helpful ways to manage anxiety; however, what is most important is seeking out and receiving individual therapy. Mental health care facilities, like Pathways Wellness Center, utilize individual therapy as part of their main treatment program. This is a core type of therapy found in nearly every mental health care facility, and you would be hard-pressed to find one that doesn't offer it.
Individual therapy is when someone works with a mental health care professional, known as a therapist or psychologist, one on one. Psychologists are therapists that can diagnose and treat mental health disorders and illnesses. However, different types of therapists can perform different kinds of therapy. All psychologists can be called therapists, but not all therapists are psychologists. Most often, a client will receive psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. This means talking with your therapist to get to the root of your mental health problems and teaching you how to cope with them.
Psychotherapy also includes the teaching of life skills to maintain a healthy mind and body. There are other kinds of therapy besides psychotherapy, such as art therapy or neurofeedback therapy. Regardless of the type of therapy, all therapists are professionals who are certified to treat their clients.
When you are in therapy, you have complete privacy and safety. It is against the law for any therapist to tell anyone what is said in therapy sessions unless you give express permission. The only exception is if someone is a direct danger to themselves or others. You usually begin individual therapy by discussing your goals in therapy and going over your rights as a client.
When someone has anxiety, it means that their nervous system is overreacting. Our nervous system controls how we deal with threats, by either preparing to flee or fight. This is known as the “flight-or-fight” response. Anxiety usually develops because of a traumatizing event and can become a lifelong issue. Sometimes people have a traumatic brain injury, or other event, that can cause them to develop an anxiety disorder. Symptoms of such can be both physical and mental and, in severe cases, prevent someone from enjoying their lives.
As mentioned, medication is sometimes used to control the physical symptoms of an anxiety disorder, so the person struggling with it can relax during their treatment. The usual treatment used for this is individual therapy, where the client can discuss the root of their anxiety in a safe environment.
For example, someone may have lived through a house fire and lost their home. They may struggle with the sound or sight of fire, sometimes having flashbacks to the traumatizing event. This can cause them to avoid places where there is fire and refuse to allow lit candles and other sources of flame around their new home. They may stay up all night, afraid to sleep in case a fire breaks out again. This is trauma, which is a form of anxiety.
To help this person, they would use individual therapy to discuss the events of the house fire and their feelings. The therapist would use their skills to guide their client to find empowerment and accept what has happened. They can then learn healthy coping skills to allow them to sleep without the fear of fire. The client also gets comfort and understanding from their therapist that they may not have gotten from friends and family.
Anxiety can stick with someone for a lifetime, but someone can learn how to manage it. Once someone can live a normal life again, they are in recovery. Some mental health disorders cannot be cured but, instead, be managed. Anxiety is one of these disorders. With the skills a client learns and the comfort they get from individual therapy, they can achieve recovery.
There are many types of anxiety disorders that a person can be diagnosed with. In general, there are some commonly shared symptoms, such as:
If you or a loved one experiences these symptoms for more than two weeks, or they get persistently worse, it's time to reach out for help. Start by looking up mental health care facilities in your area. Most of these facilities have a website that lists contact information. This can be phone numbers, email addresses, web forms, and chat features. Choose what makes you the most comfortable, and then reach out.
Not all mental health care facilities treat anxiety disorders because some are specialized in specific disorders. For example, Pathways Wellness Center mostly treats addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. One of these disorders is anxiety, including its various forms, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is because sometimes people will be tempted to self-medicate to cope with an anxiety disorder, often leading to substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction. When you contact your local mental health care facilities, be sure to ask if they treat anxiety. If they don't, they can help you find one that does.
It takes hard work, but anyone can recover from their anxiety with the right support, tools, and care. Don't wait if you need help; call today.
Anxiety can often make people feel as though they are not in control of their lives. They deal with constant fear and panic, worried about what is around each corner. Here at Pathways Wellness Center in Azusa and Glendora, California, we understand that most of the anxiety comes from a place of pain and trauma. Our clients can enjoy a calm, serene environment so they can focus on their recovery, free from stress. We employ compassionate and qualified mental health care professionals who can guide those who are struggling into taking back control of their life. If you or someone you love is living with persistent fear and panic, call (888) 771-0966 today.
