Anxiety is commonly associated with feelings of helplessness. Fear and the constant analyzing of life and its circumstances, even choosing to stop engaging with activities and people, are all common with anxiety. People struggling with anxiety can feel like they can’t control their feelings and emotions.

Anxiety is pervasive. One in four people in the US has some form of anxiety. But very few people with anxiety disorders actually get mental health treatment for anxiety.

One reason? People think you should toughen up. Or you should “Just calm down and stop being so dramatic.” Maybe you have heard them too? “You’re too sensitive.” “It’s all in your head.”

Whatever it is you have heard or even said, anxiety stigma exists. And it is important to confront it.

When there is an anxiety disorder stigma, it can make matters worse. If being singled out and made to feel abnormal triggers panic attacks, the fear of being stigmatized can create a cycle of anxiety that perpetuates increasingly worse, intense feelings.

What Is Anxiety Disorder Stigma?

First, we should take a second to understand what stigmatization is. A stigma is something that people perceive as a mark of shame. Stigmas, as they relate to mental health, are generally categorized in three ways:

1.  Social Stigmas:These social norms cause individuals to discriminate against those they feel are disgraceful in some capacity. This can be split into two categories:

• Actual: What people actually believe about a disorder
• Perceived: What a person believes others think about their disorders

2.  Structural Stigmas:These are the social norms as they relate to systems of power, the actual laws, rules, and regulations that may affect the day-to-day lives of stigmatized groups. These are generally the leading factors that deny stigmatized individuals and groups the services, resources, and opportunities they may need.
3.  Self Stigmas:Relating to Perceived Social Stigmas, this is the negative self-awareness that stigmatized individuals may have about themselves, the person’s own beliefs in how their disorder is a sign of their failures rather than a consequence of a treatable disorder.

Consequences of Anxiety Disorder Stigma

Even though there are numerous treatments and therapies for anxiety, and despite anxiety being one of the most common psychological disorders, only around 36% of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment.

This is likely due to the high rate of individuals with the Perceived Stigma that anxiety disorders don’t exist. Many individuals perceive anxiety as a personal weakness, something they must ‘deal with’ as opposed to something that must be treated.

This is particularly troublesome when people with anxiety disorders are 6 times as likely to be hospitalized than those without anxiety for psychiatric disorders. Untreated anxiety can also be a pipeline to depression and increases the likelihood of suicidal thoughts. Those with anxiety who suffer from stigmatization are likely to perceive themselves as weak and suffer from low-self esteem, doubt, and internalized shame.

The Importance of Anxiety Education

Anxiety is the most common psychiatric disorder and is treatable through therapy and medication. Still, as long as stigmas against anxiety disorders exist, people will continue to feel isolated and ashamed and won’t seek readily available help that is out there.

Common Treatments of Anxiety Disorders:

1. Exercise: Regular exercise is an effective way to manage anxiety. It helps reduce stress and releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing anxiety.
2. Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery, can help you manage anxiety by reducing tension and promoting relaxation.
3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors contributing to anxiety. It’s a highly effective treatment for anxiety and can be done in an outpatient mental health program.
4. Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is a type of talk therapy that involves meeting with a mental health professional to discuss your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It can be an effective way to treat anxiety because it helps you identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors contributing to your anxiety.

Getting Help for Anxiety in Newport Beach

It is important that people understand that suffering from an anxiety disorder is not a sign of weakness or a personal failure but rather a mental health issue that is not only common but treatable. The more people are educated on the facts of anxiety disorders, the more likely we are to see an increase in treatment and an improvement in the overall quality of people’s lives.

Lido Wellness Center offers a complete treatment program for anxiety disorders in Newport Beach. If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, it’s important to remember that help is available.

The first step is understanding that anxiety is a common and treatable mental health issue. Don’t let the stigma surrounding anxiety prevent you from seeking the treatment you need. The next step is to seek help from a mental health professional who can provide the support and guidance you need to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

At Lido Wellness Center in Newport Beach, we offer a full treatment program for anxiety disorders. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one confront the stigma of anxiety and begin the journey toward healing and recovery.

Understanding the Differences Between Angst and Anxiety

Anxiety and angst problems may be challenging to deal with. Understanding the differences between the two and their specific traits and how they emerge in people is helpful for anyone looking for mental health wellness.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a state of concern, trepidation, or uneasiness frequently brought on by an impending event or a situation whose conclusion is unclear. People have an emotional reaction when they feel in danger or endangered. Physical symptoms, such as a racing heartbeat, sweating, shaking, or trouble breathing, are frequently present.

 What Is Angst?

Angst is a strong sense of dread or fear that is often unfocused and related to how others are feeling or how the world is generally doing. Anger is a persistent emotional state when people think something horrible is about to happen without apparent cause, unlike worry, which typically has tangible reasons.

Common Causes and Triggers of Angst and Anxiety

While causes of angst and anxiety can vary widely, some common triggers include:

Fear or Surprise: Unexpected events or situations can cause fear and panic, leading to angst or anxiety.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Alcohol use disorder can trigger angst, anxiety, and depression. It can occur when there is an increase in drinking, frequency, or any combination of these. Drinking can change people’s moods and thoughts, leading to feelings of apprehension and worry.

Trust and Comfort: Issues of trusting or comforting can be challenging and lead to feelings of frustration, confusion, and doubt that can become overwhelming.

Connection or Belonging: Experiences of not fitting in socially or feeling part of a group can be difficult and evoke a feeling of not belonging.

Competitiveness or Passion: Angst and anxiety can result if life feels out of control or the passion or drive to do something great is unmet.

 Potential Consequences of Unmanaged Angst or Anxiety

Without proper management, angst and anxiety can have far-reaching consequences on physical and mental health, work performance, relationships, and overall quality of life. People with unmanaged anxiety can have difficulty concentrating, sleeping, socializing, or simply enjoying daily activities. These issues can lead to physical problems such as chronic fatigue, headaches, and digestive issues.

Untreated mental health conditions can result in unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, thoughts of suicide, and poor quality of life.

Practical Strategies for Managing Angst or Anxiety

There are several practical strategies and techniques individuals can use to manage angst and anxiety. These include:

Mindfulness Practices: Mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga help to reduce stress and increase awareness of thoughts and emotions.

Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques: Cognitive-Behavioral techniques can help to manage anxious thoughts, such as questioning assumptions or reframing negative thoughts.

Self-Care Activities: Self-care activities such as massage, journaling, listening to music, or spending time in nature can help to reduce stress and cultivate a sense of calm.

Physical Activities: Physical activities such as walking, running, swimming, or biking can help to reduce stress, ease tension, and improve mental clarity.

Nutritional Habits: Eating nutritious, balanced meals and avoiding unhealthy foods and drinks can help to regulate moods and energy levels.

 Seeking Professional Help

While there are several practical strategies individuals can use to manage angst or anxiety, there may be times when professional help is needed. Therapy options like individual counseling, group therapy, or medication management can help to identify and manage symptoms. If you or someone you know is struggling with clinically significant levels of anxiety, please reach out for help.

Sarah had always been a shy person, but as she grew older, her shyness turned into something much more intense. She found herself avoiding social situations at all costs, skipping family gatherings and even turning down invitations to hang out with her closest friends if they were going out to see other people.

She would worry for days before an event, imagining all the ways she could embarrass herself or say something wrong. This is the beginnings of social anxiety disorder. It might seem like an intense shyness to some, but it can be a debilitating disorder creates isolation and loneliness.

Sarah has symptoms of social anxiety.

On the other hand, meet John. John was always a bit of a worrier, but in recent years, his worries had gotten out of control. He found himself constantly overthinking everything—from his health to his job to the state of the world. He had trouble sleeping, had frequent panic attacks, and John was constantly in a state of neurosis.

John has symptoms of generalized anxiety.

Beyond Feeling Nervous

While some anxiety is normal in people, it is when you have constant and overwhelming emotions that they are characterized as anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders affect 19.1% of people in the U.S. according to this report. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are two anxiety disorders. Social anxiety disorder often makes people feel self-conscious, anxious, and they may experience physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, and an increased heart rate when they are in or about to be in a social situation.

Generalized anxiety disorder occurs when you are constantly worried about everything including health, money, relationship, lifestyle, education, or even things that are not under your control.

Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder

If you are anxious to the degree that it is affecting your life in a negative way in any kind of social situation whether, at work or a social engagement, you may well have SAD.

Symptoms of social anxiety disorder include fear of meeting people, fear of embarrassment and ridicule, blanking out, not registering anything mentally, and more. These can manifest as physical symptoms like sweating, rapid heartbeat (even palpitations), blushing, feeling breathless, and others.

Any kind of social situation may be a trigger for social anxiety disorder. Whenever you are meeting anyone you may feel anxious about talking, eating, or even your appearance in front of them.

Understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder

When you feel unreasonable fear and anxiety about things that you may not even have any control over, and this feeling is constant, that is likely generalized anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include persistent worry about everything, unable to relax and being constantly on an edge, muscle tension, sweating, sleep disturbances, a feeling of panic, aches, pains, and the like.

Triggers for generalized anxiety disorder include health, medical, financial, work, and other issues that may or may not be real since the worry is disproportionate to the actual issues.

Differences between Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The main difference between SAD and GAD is the focus of the anxiety. Social anxiety disorder is characterized by fear in such places as public speaking, meeting new people, or being observed by others. In contrast, generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worry and anxiety about a wide range of everyday situations, including health, finances, work, and relationships.

The other big difference is in the way they are treated. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy is often used to treat both disorders, but the focus of the therapy may be different. In SAD, the focus may be on improving social skills and reducing avoidance behaviors, while in GAD, the focus may be on identifying and changing negative thought patterns.

Getting Help for Anxiety Disorders

No matter what, anxiety disorders are tough to live with. They will disrupt your life and could lead to isolation and depression. If you are experiencing excessive worry, fear, panic, avoidance behaviors, and physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or heart palpitations, it may be a good idea to reach out for help. Mental heath issues don’t typically just go away. But, with help, they can be managed to the point where they have little ability to cause harm.

Remember, getting help for anxiety disorders is a process, and it may take time to find the right treatment for you. If you want to talk to someone about GAD or SAD, call Lido Wellness Center in Newport Beach today. Our mental health services in Newport Beach are designed to help individuals with anxiety and other disorders that affect millions of people across the country.

Life is easy for some and hard for others. Most of the time, life tries to put you through some unhealthy course designed to prevent you from living the life of your dreams, which in turn brings about anxiety.

As common as the word is, it is important to understand what it means. Anxiety is simply the overwhelming worry of future realities. When such worries join hands with fear, they create anxious thoughts and feelings which is not good for you or your loved one. When this becomes your consistent mood, it has a way of affecting your health to the extent that the only solution will be to seek therapy in an effective anxiety treatment program.

However, you must be circumspect enough to choose a results-oriented anxiety treatment center if you live in Newport Beach.

What does it feel like to have anxiety?

When you consistently tend to be anxious, everything makes you uncomfortable. This is not limited to being tense, uneasy, and having fearful thoughts of something bad looming. Your anxious state often manifests in deep worry and insomnia. This is followed by physical ailments like nausea, diarrhea, and muscle tension.

You indirectly invite serious health issues like rapid heart rate, palpitations, chest pain, and other cardiovascular concerns when you ignore anxiety. There is also the possibility of your anxiety increasing your blood pressure.

Symptoms of anxiety and distinction with stress

Some of the symptoms of anxiety are; excessive worry, restlessness, confusion, irritability, panic attack, insomnia, etc. Although these symptoms may be similar to that of stress, anxiety is different from stress. The major difference is that if you are diagnosed with anxiety, your excessive worries do not disappear even when the triggers are non-existent.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT CENTER

Many treatment centers today offer anxiety disorder treatment using different programs and approaches. However, only a few utilize evidence-based practices or have experienced medical professionals to cater for their patients. Listed below are factors when considered will help you choose the right anxiety treatment center in Newport Beach;

Ensure the center provides individualized treatment plans.

Anxiety disorder treatment is most effective when personalized. Since each person’s anxiety disorder is personal, each client should have individualized treatment that suits their symptoms. Your duty is to find a medical center in Newport Beach that offers specific anxiety and depression treatment.

The center must provide CBT & ERP Therapy.

The major question to answer before choosing an anxiety treatment center is, do they provide CBT & ERP therapy? If a center says they specialize in treating anxiety disorders, they must provide accurate exposure and response prevention therapy tailored to individual clients’ needs.

Do the staff approach anxiety treatment with integrated care?

The mental health center of your choice must adhere to international best practices and have in place a multi-disciplinary team that has the client’s best interest at heart. You deserve to be exposed to medical representative(s) of high repute, armed with vital information in the area of your mental conditions or need.

Do they offer detox treatment programs too?

Anxiety disorders can be complicated, which informs why the center of your choice should offer detoxification treatment programs as well, in case your specific anxiety disorder requires that.

These helpful tips are what you need to make the right decision. Call us to learn more about our mental health treatment services.