Anxiety Treatment

“If it’s out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind too.” – Ivan Nuru

No one asks to be plagued by anxiety. Yet many are living with constant fears and worries that are never-ending. Maybe you have seen it firsthand in a son or daughter – the fear keeping them from thriving in school. Or maybe you are here for yourself – the excessive worries leaving you stranded in your own home.

No matter what brought you here, you are not alone in seeking help for anxiety. A survey from 2022 showed that 36.8% of adult Texans experienced symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. This was higher than the national average by almost 5%.

Reflections Lifestyle Center was created to connect adolescents and adults to mental health care within our Texas communities. Our anxiety disorder program welcomes all who come through our doors to a non-judgmental, healing environment.

Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions that cause intense fear, worry, and nervousness when there is no perceived danger. They often cause a reaction to a trigger and can interfere with daily life, making it difficult to maintain school or work performance. Without treatment, the symptoms of anxiety will worsen over time, furthering mental health complications.

At Reflections Lifestyle Center, our world-class, Harvard-educated team provides quality anxiety disorder care in a comfortable and welcoming environment. We understand how the complexities of anxiety affect each individual differently. You will receive individual therapy as well as specific treatment options tailored to your goals.

Treating anxiety typically involves a combination of therapy, medication, and skill-building classes. At Reflections Lifestyle Center, we provide quality care for adults and adolescents through partial hospitalization programming (PHP), intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and outpatient services.

For adults, PHP consists of daily attendance in treatment, with day, evening, and virtual options available. You will receive individual and group therapies while also meeting with your care team to discuss possible medications. The goal is to provide anxiety disorder treatment in a flexible setting so you do not have to uproot your life for high-standard care. IOP and outpatient services offer similar treatments less frequently. Your care team will provide an assessment that will help them determine which program you will enter.

Adolescent PHP and IOP consist of daily, in-person attendance to treatment at our facility. Your teen will receive individual therapy as well as group therapy with peers of similar ages. We understand the importance of school, which is why we provide Chromebooks and a highly recommended 2-hour study hall each day.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, and anxiety, PTSD is debilitating when left untreated. Though PTSD is commonly associated with combat veterans, it can happen to anyone – teens and adults included.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in today’s society, with over 19% of U.S. adults ages 18 and older affected each year. This breaks down into approximately 6.8 million living with generalized anxiety disorder, 6 million with panic disorder, 15 million with social anxiety disorder, and over 19 million with specific phobias. Anxiety disorders are often seen to co-occur with other mental health conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.

In February of 2021, over 43% of Texans reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Of these residents, 26.4% did not receive any mental health care. This was due to cost and lack of providers in the area. Reflections Lifestyle Center saw the need for quality mental health care for our Texas adult and adolescent residents, which is why we offer care options for ages 10 up to 65.

Anxiety disorders cause a combination of symptoms affecting the person physically and psychologically. These symptoms may begin without warning signs, though they can build as fear intensifies. Common physical signs include:

• Racing heartbeat
• Muscle aches and pains without explanation
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Nausea and stomach cramps

Psychological symptoms will also appear with the physical symptoms and include:

• Uncontrollable feelings of worry, fear, and panic
• Inability to concentrate
• Repetitive, intrusive thoughts
• Feelings of doom or that death is near

The severity of these symptoms will vary depending on the type of anxiety and how intense the trigger is. For example, someone with mild claustrophobia may feel uneasy taking an elevator and feel nervous. Someone with severe claustrophobia will take every measure to avoid the elevator. If they are forced to take the elevator, the above symptoms will be much more apparent than in the person with mild claustrophobia.

Anxiety attacks, while not classified as a medical diagnosis, are episodes marked by intense fear and stress that trigger both physical and emotional reactions. These episodes may arise in response to specific triggers such as a person, place, object, situation, or sound linked to fear. It’s important to note that anxiety attacks differ from panic attacks, which are typically connected to panic disorder. The duration of an anxiety attack can vary, as it often develops gradually and may persist for an extended period.

When it comes to mental health conditions, there is no one specific cause behind them. This is true for anxiety disorders as well, though a combination of factors has been linked to increasing the risk of development. Genetics have been known to be connected as having a family member with anxiety or any mental health condition raises the odds of having an anxiety disorder yourself.

Another connection of causing anxiety disorders is having a poor stress response. This is typically seen from a young age, especially when living in a chaotic environment. Our brains are developing during adolescence, and negatively addressing and coping with stress early in life solidifies these will continue into adulthood.

When diagnosing anxiety disorders, professionals will look at every aspect of your history and symptoms. This includes assessments utilizing The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) to determine if an anxiety disorder criterion is met. Your care team at Reflections will also assess your physical health to ensure an underlying physical condition is not causing your symptoms.

Mental health conditions are complex, and your providers may not have a definitive diagnosis after one visit. We will be able to guide you on different options to help manage your symptoms while they continue observation and assessment. At Reflections Lifestyle Center, our team is with you every part of the way, providing quality care and confirming you receive a proper diagnosis.