AnxietyClinics.com has been designed as an informational resource for all things related to anxiety. Here you may find specialists in your area who are able to treat anxiety conditions as well as anxiety information and treatment options.
All of us have experienced anxiety at some point in our lives. Whether we’re late for an appointment, going on a blind date, or preparing for battle, the feeling is the same; a feeling in your body of intense anticipation. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase, you begin breathing more rapidly and you begin to sweat. This is a normal response to threatening situations, designed to heighten our senses and prepare us to either run or fight. Unfortunately for us, our brains do not make a very large distinguish between life threatening events and the rigors of daily life, both elicit the same defensive mechanism which culminates into a feeling of anxiety. These feelings are normal to experience occasionally and may come and go based on the circumstances you find yourself dealing with.
Anxiety becomes problematic when your level of anxiety is elevated beyond what would be considered normal for the particular events you are dealing with. Everyone has a baseline level of anxiety. This is the level of anxiety they experience in the absence of any definable stressor. For some this level is very low, so low that it is not even perceivable. For others the baseline level of anxiety is slightly elevated and tuned for action. When anxiety becomes too intense or is elicited by events which do not warrant the level of anxiety being produced it may cause someone to seek anxiety treatment. Whether or not your level of anxiety warrants treatment is a question of how much it is affecting your life, your interactions with others, and your happiness. Anxiety treatment may be needed if any of these three things are adversely affected.
Anxiety disorders are not uncommon and most people will experience some form of anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Seeking treatment can greatly improve the lives of anxiety sufferers. Common anxiety disorders include: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - Panic Disorder - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Phobias - Social Anxiety Disorder - Depersonalization
Our Anxiety Treatment Directory
Our directory is organized by city and state and is searchable from the left of every page of the site. Specialists are ordered by date joined. All specialists listed in our directory are able to treat anxiety and anxiety related disorders, as well as other conditions. We recommend contacting your specialist of choice directly to inquire about their full scope of practice.
Insurance For The Treatment Of Anxiety
It is important to check with your healthcare provider regarding mental health coverage as each carrier has different policies when it comes to mental health. In september of 2007 the United States senate unanimously passed the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007, which would insure that insurance companies provide equal coverage for both mental and physical illnesses; however, this bill has yet to be enacted. In the meantime it is important to check with your mental health practioner as well as insurance carrier regarding insurance policies.
What to expect from your treatment
Anxiety disorders are believed to be caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors. Most are treatable with professional aid. Depending on the severity of the disorder, treatment plans can vary for each individual. Treatments are generally customized for each patient because it is not abnormal for a sufferer to have more than one diagnosis. Although each situation is unique, the same common practices and combinations of techniques are used as a guideline in the majority of treatments.
Cognitive Therapy
Learning to separate realistic and unrealistic thoughts. By doing so, the therapist and patient are working together in an attempt to alter unwanted and alarming thoughts.
Behavior Therapy
Learning to cope with difficult situations. The goal in behavioral therapy is to ultimately reduce unwanted behavior.
Relaxation
Practices such as exercise and breathing retraining help the patient gain the ability to utilize coping mechanisms for the stressors that contribute to their anxiety.
Medication
When used in addition to other forms of treatment, medication can be a short or long term option to help ease severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can be more beneficial.
How we help you
In today's society, increasingly more primary care physicians are identifying anxiety disorder symptoms and are prescribing medications to help ease them. We are here to match you with a professional in your area who can help with all aspects of your treatment in order to insure the most thorough recovery. Our goal is to place you with a therapist whom you feel comfortable talking to. Allow us to quickly bridge the gap between your hurt and the road to recovery.
