At Crownview Psychiatric Institute, we understand the many ways that anxiety can disrupt a person’s life. We have used these insights to develop a dynamic program that offers both immediate and long-term benefits to adults who have been experiencing particularly acute symptoms of anxiety disorders and co-occurring mental health concerns.

Our anxiety treatment for adults combines a customized array of evidence-based therapies and adjunct services with comprehensive wraparound support.

  • During therapy or when receiving adjunct services, clients learn how to manage their symptoms, with the goal of becoming empowered to regain control of their thoughts and behaviors.
  • The life skills and work skills components of treatment help clients improve their ability to function independently and within their families and communities.
  • Each client’s case manager ensures that we are meeting the full scope of their unique needs and preparing them for long-term success.

What Is Anxiety?

In everyday conversation, people often use the word anxiety as a synonym for nervousness or concern. When they do so, they are describing a common emotion that almost everyone will experience at some point in their life.

However, among mental health professionals, anxiety has a different meaning.

In clinical terms, anxiety refers to excessive worry or overwhelming fear that is severe enough to undermine a person’s ability to live a productive and satisfying life. This type of anxiety can be a symptom of several mental health disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People who have GAD may experience persistent fear and extreme worry that is unrelated to any current or future circumstances. They also often struggle with headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, and other physical effects.

Acute symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can prevent a person from pursuing a fulfilling career, forming healthy relationships, and otherwise realizing their true potential.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by overwhelming fear of humiliating oneself or being judged negatively by others.

When placed in situations such as meeting new people, eating in a restaurant, or giving a presentation, people who have social anxiety disorder may develop a racing heart rate, nausea, dizziness, and a sense of being unable to catch their breath.

Agoraphobia

The symptoms of agoraphobia can occur when a person is in a location where they feel they may become trapped or be unable to get help. For some people, this involves being among a crowd or in confined spaces such as elevators. Others may have an intense fear of being on public transportation or in wide open spaces such as parking lots.

The physical symptoms of agoraphobia are similar to those of social anxiety disorder.

Selective Mutism

The dominant feature of selective mutism is that it renders a person unable to speak in certain social situations. Selective mutism is not just extreme shyness. When people who have this condition are placed into situations such as meeting someone new or having to associate with classmates, they may find it literally impossible to speak, to move, or even to alter their facial expressions.

This disorder typically occurs in children – but if a child does not receive proper treatment, the symptoms can persist into adulthood.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

People who have separation anxiety disorder will experience extreme distress related to the thought of being away from home or apart from someone who is important to them. Symptoms can also include irrational fear that the loved one will die.

As with selective mutism, separation anxiety disorder typically occurs in children, but teenagers and adults can also develop this disorder. Some experts believe that untreated separation anxiety disorder in children or adolescents can manifest as panic disorder in adults.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder causes the rapid onset of overwhelming fear, accompanied by physical symptoms that can cause a person to believe that they are dying. Symptoms of panic disorder can include elevated body temperature, heavy perspiration, racing heart rate, chest pain, lightheadedness, and the sense of choking or being suffocated.

There is typically no pattern to the frequency and duration of the symptoms of panic disorder. They can occur at random times, with no apparent external trigger.

Warning Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety

As described in the previous section, anxiety disorders can cause physical and emotional suffering. Regardless which type of anxiety disorder a person has, their symptoms will usually share the following characteristics:

  • They will be either disconnected from or disproportionate to any real or perceived threat.
  • They will be sources of considerable distress.
  • They will impair the individual’s ability to function and/or cause them to make significant behavioral changes.

Depending on the nature and severity of a person’s struggles with anxiety, they may exhibit warning signs such as the following:

  • Withdrawing from family and friends
  • Failing to meet personal and professional responsibilities
  • Frequently developing headaches, stomach aches, and other physical pain without an obvious cause
  • Finding it difficult or impossible to focus or concentrate
  • Experiencing significant swings in mood and energy level
  • Making drastic changes in their behaviors or daily routine
  • Reacting with extreme anger, sadness, or fear in seemingly mundane or ordinary circumstances
  • Refusing to meet new people, participate in social activities, or even leave their house

Effects of Untreated Anxiety

When a person with an anxiety disorder doesn’t get the help they need, the symptoms they have been experiencing can have a profound negative impact on virtually all areas of their life. Here are just a few examples of the many potential effects of untreated anxiety:

  • Problems forming and maintaining healthy relationships
  • Substandard performance in school or at work
  • Difficulty finding and keeping a job
  • Inability to establish financial independence
  • Substance use as a means of self-medication
  • Development or worsening of co-occurring mental health concerns
  • Withdrawal and isolation
  • Thoughts of self-harm and/or suicide

How We Can Help: Treatment Options for Anxiety

At Crownview Psychiatric Institute, we are committed to providing a truly personalized experience for each person who is entrusted to our care. Each client’s customized treatment plan will reflect a thorough assessment of their history, needs, and goals.

In general, treatment for anxiety disorders at our center typically includes a combination of medication, education, and psychotherapy. Our approach is guided by the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders.

The following are examples of the many elements that may be included in a client’s anxiety treatment plan at Crownview:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
  • Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
  • Eye movement desensitization & reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
  • Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy
  • Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT)
  • Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
  • Music therapy
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
  • Trauma education & process groups
  • Wellness groups (breathwork, yoga, mindfulness, singing bowls, acupuncture)

In addition to participating in these and other therapeutic activities, our clients also attend educational sessions that help them develop essential life and work skills.

Community & Connection

Perhaps the most important aspect of treatment at Crownview Psychiatric Institute is the environment in which it all takes place. At our center, all therapy, education, and support services occur in an atmosphere of compassion, connection, and community.

Most of the people who receive care at Crownview have struggled to find a place in society where they feel both accepted and respected. The day they arrive at our center, new clients become valued members of a vibrant community. Here, they can live and learn in the company of others who have had similar challenges and who are working toward common goals. Every step of the way, they can benefit from the guidance of our dedicated treatment professionals and the support of their peers.

No matter how a person has been affected by anxiety or other mental health concerns, our team is committed to meeting them where they are today, then providing the focused care that will empower them to achieve to their greatest potential.

Learn More Today

If severe symptoms of anxiety have prevented someone you care about from living the life they deserve, Crownview Psychiatric Institute may have the solutions you have been seeking. To learn more about our programs and services, or to get a more detailed understanding of how we can help your loved one, please contact us at your earliest convenience.