Anxiety Disorder
At Liberty Bay Recovery in Portland, Maine, we understand that there are many inherent difficulties in attempting to make a change for the better. It is for this reason that we strive to offer an environment that feels completely safe and secure. Those who suffer from addiction often face significant fears relating to the process of dealing with withdrawal. These fears create a great deal of anxiety and may even prevent some from seeking the proper treatment at an anxiety treatment center. We provide a wealth of resources to ensure that the path to recovery is as comfortable as possible.
We are able to prescribe and refill medication for anxiety and depression. For any other mental health concerns, we refer out. Certainly, more severe mental health concerns may arise after you have some time clean and sober. If these traits emerge, or they were not disclosed during admission, we do our best to find outside psychiatric help at an anxiety treatment center while you are receiving treatment.
Anxiety is a common human emotion, but many individuals react to the presence of anxiety in very different ways. Some see anxiety over an exam or presentation as motivation to better prepare in advance to relieve the anxiety they may experience at the moment. Others find it much more difficult to manage this anxiety and experience negative effects on their health that are only exacerbated by the use of alcohol. The irony of this is that while alcohol may seem to provide a temporary respite from anxiety, the use of alcohol will ultimately serve to enhance the feelings of anxiety experienced by the user.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety has many definitions and affects people in a wide variety of ways. However, the simplest way to define it is as a general feeling of worry or concern about a certain upcoming event or about an outcome that has not yet been determined. The level of anxiety experienced can vary widely, and there are certain individuals who are overwhelmed by their feelings of anxiety to the point where it becomes disruptive.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Individuals who suffer from general anxiety disorder (GAD) are often significantly affected by their anxiety. The effects of GAD on an individual may interfere with their daily lives and cause problems with interpersonal relationships. Sufferers of this disorder are often quite good at finding things to be anxious about. This ultimately causes them to struggle to find happiness and satisfaction in everyday life.
There are a number of symptoms associated with anxiety, which include the following:
- Fearing impending or certain doom
- Experiencing headaches and migraines
- A feeling of persistent fatigue and exhaustion
- Difficulty sleeping
- Problems with the ability to concentrate
- Having a tendency to exaggerate the circumstances of a particular event
- Experiencing gastrointestinal issues and nausea
- A feeling of muscle tension
- Feeling prone to fight
- Not feeling able to relax
- A general feeling of annoyance or depression
- A need to use the bathroom frequently
- Experiencing physical symptoms such as trembling when nervous
- Having a tendency to break out in a cold sweat when anxious
Panic Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder has the potential to become a panic disorder if it is not properly treated. This disorder can lead to an individual experiencing panic attacks that make it very difficult to function on an everyday basis.
Panic disorder symptoms that are commonly experienced include the following:
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness
- Tightness in the chest that may seem like a heart attack
- Feeling the need to vomit
- Uncontrollable shaking or trembling
- Hot flashes
- Having an “out-of-body” experience or feeling detached from reality
- Numbness throughout the body
- Heart palpitations
- The feeling that the individual is losing their mind or going insane
Anyone experiencing these symptoms should reach out to an anxiety treatment center Portland Maine trusts.
Anxiety and Alcohol
Alcohol has the ability to interfere significantly with an individual’s life and their ability to enjoy it. Individuals experiencing anxiety may come to rely on or depend on alcohol for relief as an attempt to self-medicate. While some people feel that the alcohol is of help at first, ultimately the consumption of alcohol will only exacerbate the issues associated with anxiety.
Alcohol abuse makes it three times as likely that anxiety sufferers will eventually turn to substance abuse when compared to those without issues relating to anxiety. It should be clear that alcohol or substance abuse is not a solution and can lead to some very undesirable outcomes that include the following:
- The use of alcohol and other substances only results in additional life challenges that must be overcome. This leads to more drinking and abuse in order to relieve the additional anxiety that is present.
- The vicious cycle that results from this pattern of abuse can throw an individual into a downward spiral that quickly causes their life to deteriorate.
- Self-medicating with alcohol or other substances inevitably leads to physical and mental dependence, causing a dual diagnosis of anxiety and addiction.
Alcohol-Induced Anxiety
Even those who have no history of anxiety may ultimately find themselves saddled with such issues due to their alcohol abuse. It is often the case that alcohol dependence is the cause for the onset of panic attacks. It is because of this fact that alcohol should be regarded as a toxin, as it behaves in a way that wreaks total havoc on the body and only serves to increase the anxiety an individual experiences as they use more alcohol in an attempt to relieve that very same anxiety. Only help from an anxiety treatment center Portland Maine trusts can break this cycle.
Anxiety Caused by Withdrawing from Alcohol
Withdrawal from alcohol and other substances may certainly result in increased feelings of anxiety. Once alcohol has become something that an individual depends on, many of these individuals feel the effects of anxiety if they have not yet had their first drink of the day. This is also the case if an individual is trying to avoid alcohol, as the difficulty of abstaining from alcohol may also induce feelings of anxiety. Unfortunately, many of those who are dependent on alcohol find temporary relief in turning to alcohol to alleviate the effects of withdrawal, but this is nothing more than a fleeting solution. In order to most effectively manage the anxiety, it is best for those dependent on alcohol to give it up altogether. An anxiety treatment center Portland Maine relies on can help with this.
Reach Out Today
The effects of alcohol addiction are far-reaching, and there is undoubtedly a significant negative impact on the lives of the friends and family of the individual dealing with this issue. However, rehab can help break the never-ending cycle of addiction and end the destructive behaviors alcohol dependence causes.
Liberty Bay Recovery in Portland, Maine is here to help. Without the proper treatment from an anxiety treatment center, anxiety and alcohol abuse can and will utterly destroy your life. We accept coverage from a variety of insurance providers, including the following:
We also provide a number of affordable options for individuals who wish to use a self-pay option.
An Addiction and Anxiety Treatment Center Portland Maine Trusts
Liberty Bay Recovery is here for the individuals and families that have experienced the ill effects of addiction and anxiety and are in need of help. Our professionals are always happy to answer any questions that you may have and can provide recommendations on how best to proceed with treatment. We are proud to serve the Portland, Maine community and to provide help to those who need it, so please feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience by calling 855-607-8758.
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