Anxiety and panic are two common health issues that can cause an “attack” that makes life very difficult for an affected individual. Therefore, it is essential to understand the triggers of an anxiety attack and how they affect a person’s health. Just as importantly, it is crucial to know how an anxiety attack may worsen addiction. Read on to learn more about the common triggers of an anxiety attack and how anxiety treatment can help you overcome addiction.
Common Triggers of an Anxiety Attack
Anxiety attacks are a common problem for people who have one or more anxiety disorders. Often, they occur when a person has a high level of anxiety about a situation. This can include a fight at work, problems with a loved one, or even the current fear caused by the coronavirus pandemic. These types of disorders can also occur in people without a generalized anxiety issue if their stress gets high enough.
Typically, the triggers of an anxiety attack include factors such as health problems, conflict at work, a sudden change in financial health, sickness, a drop in the stock market, and much more. All of these triggers can cause a person to fall into a troubled state. As a consequence, they may experience many symptoms of anxiety. For example, their breathing will skyrocket, they may get dizzy, thinking will be hard, and they may suffer physical harm. Unfortunately, this problem may also affect a person’s risk of addiction and the depth of their substance use.
How Anxiety Attacks Affect Addiction
Now that you understand the triggers of an anxiety attack, it is crucial to know how this could cause or worsen an addiction. First of all, anxiety is a common trigger for substance use. Many people use depressants, such as alcohol or marijuana to relax their minds. Unfortunately, this type of damage can make an anxiety attack worse by:
- Causing higher levels of anxiety in a person’s life
- Treating the symptoms but not the underlying disorder
- Affecting a person’s mental chemical balance in adverse ways
- Triggering a fear of legal retribution
- Starting personal issues in a person’s life due to their addiction
In a sense, an anxiety attack can create a cycle of abuse that is hard to escape. For example, a person may experience high anxiety about withdrawal when they quit, which might trigger an anxiety attack. Or they may let their underlying psychological problems degrade to the point where high-quality rehab treatment and specialized help may be necessary. It is important to understand how you can manage these triggers and how rehab can help you get the treatment you need to overcome both anxiety and addiction.
Ways to Manage These Triggers
There are a number of ways to help manage the triggers of an anxiety attack. Stopping an anxiety attack requires a person to:
- Practice deep and relaxing breathing
- Try meditation therapy and redirection
- Understand your triggers of an anxiety attack
- Close your eyes to avoid overstimulation
- Get anxiety medication, if needed
- Relax in a hot tub or a swimming pool
- Exercise with a light walk or a simple sport
Many people who experience these anxiety attacks may turn to benzos to manage their symptoms. When used properly, these substances are very beneficial but must be used carefully. Those who are addicted to other substances may want to avoid them.
Managing Anxiety Starts Now
It’s important to ask your physician how best to manage your specific symptoms in treatment and everyday life; however, there are a few key practices you can introduce into your routine to ease the effects of your anxiety disorder and live a happier, more comfortable life. The mental health and addiction professionals at Crestview Recovery understand how anxiety may have its grip on your well-being.
What Happens During Social Anxiety Treatment?
In an anxiety treatment program, you will learn the skills you need to manage your anxiety symptoms so that you can stay comfortable in social situations. For many people, this involves a combination of medication, education, and talk therapy. In addition, cognitive-behavioral therapy is often used to treat anxiety and can be very effective when used in both individual and group settings. Some therapists also use exposure therapy to treat social anxiety. This approach allows people to practice social interactions in a safe setting with guidance from the therapist.
Spending so much time without seeing other people or even holding simple conversations can cause people to develop social anxiety as life returns to its normal rhythm.
Take Control of Your Anxiety at Crestview Recovery
If you need help managing triggers of an anxiety attack and addiction, please call 866.262.0531 today. At Crestview Recovery, you will receive access to a myriad of treatments, including dual-diagnosis programs, that can help these issues. Start by verifying your insurance to get started today.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
