Anxiety can feel debilitating, but thankfully it responds well to treatment. Our experienced and empathetic clinicians provide personalized care to people struggling with anxiety, offering therapeutic support, specialized coping skills, and medication management when necessary.
New Directions Mental Health offers comprehensive treatments for children, teens, adults, couples, and families, so no one has to face anxiety alone. Call us at 724.374.7414 or fill out a brief form to learn more about our anxiety treatment services in Pittsburgh, Monroeville, Wexford, Greensburg, and across Pennsylvania.
Signs & Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder
Everyone feels stressed out or anxious from time to time, but if you experience a regular feeling of worry or impending danger, physical symptoms like increased heart rate, or have trouble sleeping, this could be a sign of an anxiety disorder. For some people, certain things or situations can cause anxiety and even panic attacks, leading to avoidance that can significantly impact their quality of life.
Here are common symptoms of anxiety to watch out for:
- Feeling restless, tense, or nervous
- A regular sense of panic, doom, or impending danger
- An increased heart rate
- Rapid or shallow breathing
- Feeling overly tired or weak
- Trouble concentrating due to feelings of worry
- Frequent digestive issues
- Avoiding things or situations that trigger anxiety
Types of Anxiety
Anxiety can take on many forms, manifesting differently based on the underlying causes or triggers. Experts have organized anxiety into the following categories:
- Generalized anxiety: Excessive worrying accompanied by chronic physiological reactions such as muscle tension, fatigue, and sleep disturbance.
- Panic disorder: Marked by sudden, typically short, episodes of intense fear that often occur without an apparent cause (panic attacks). This could include physical reactions such as accelerated heart rate, sweating or chills, trembling, and nausea.
- Agoraphobia: The fear of having a panic attack without being able to escape the situation.
- PTSD: Intense fear reactions connected to memories of, or exposure to, reminders of a traumatic event.
- Social anxiety: Intense fear of embarrassment or humiliation in social situations, often leading to avoidance.
- Phobias: Fear of a specific object or situation that is usually out of proportion to the actual danger posed.
Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety can be linked to underlying causes like medical concerns, genetics, or having experienced trauma. Additionally, a buildup of too much stress with no relief can lead to the development of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety can be caused by one or a combination of these factors:
- Genetics: People who have a direct relative with anxiety are more likely to develop it themselves.
- A medical issue: Thyroid problems, diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, and withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs can all contribute to anxiety.
- Experiencing trauma: Children who experience trauma are more likely to develop an anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime. Adults can also develop anxiety after experiencing a traumatic event.
- Another mental health disorder: Those who already have a condition like depression have a higher likelihood of developing anxiety as well.
- Stress: A stressful event or the buildup of stress over time can lead to anxiety as a response.
Treatments for Anxiety
Therapy for Anxiety
Our therapists are highly trained to meet you wherever you’re at and help you find a path forward. Anxiety therapy often starts with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people see the connections between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT is usually part of a comprehensive, eclectic therapeutic approach. Our therapists can help you better understand any underlying causes to your anxiety and develop skills to mindfully cope with your symptoms.Medication for Anxiety
Our psychiatric providers can determine whether medication could help alleviate some of your anxiety symptoms. Antianxiety medications like SSRIs and SNRIs work to boost certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, which are responsible for regulating mood and energy. For certain panic symptoms or performance anxiety, our clinicians might prescribe other anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines or beta blockers. Our psychiatric providers look at each client’s whole health and work with their therapist to monitor symptoms and ensure any prescribed medications are working as planned.Lifestyle Changes for Anxiety
Your treatment team might suggest a few lifestyle adjustments that could help regulate your anxiety symptoms. Increasing your physical activity, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and getting enough sleep can all stabilize mood and decrease anxiety levels. Your therapist might also help set goals for building more social connections, decreasing your screen time, and focusing more of your attention on life-giving hobbies. Our providers are on your team, and want you to find sustainable ways to support yourself.What’s the Outlook for People with Anxiety?
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition worldwide, but unfortunately, only one in four people with anxiety actually receive the treatment they need. The good news is that treatment for anxiety works: The American Psychological Association states that about 75% of those who sought therapy found it significantly reduced their symptoms. Even if your symptoms aren’t debilitating, reaching out for help sooner rather than later can keep your anxiety from spiraling.The Benefits of Getting Anxiety Treatment from New Directions
At New Directions Mental Health, our therapists utilize a comprehensive approach to help each client overcome anxiety. You and your care team will collaborate, keeping an open dialogue about which treatments are working and what could still be improved. Remember that we are here to serve you, so you should always feel comfortable sharing if you need a change. We tailor anxiety treatment to the specific needs of each client’s situation using some combination of the following strategies:- Learn relaxation, assertiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation skills
- Development of healthy lifestyle changes
- Learn effective ways of thinking about yourself, your relationships with others, and events in your life
- Resolution of painful emotional experiences linked to traumatic events
- Ongoing medication management
Contact New Directions Mental Health for Anxiety Treatment in Pennsylvania
If you live in Pennsylvania and you’re struggling with anxiety, New Directions Mental Health is ready to help. Our team of empathetic clinicians can offer you a range of evidence-based treatments to help reduce anxiety symptoms and build a brighter future. Our compassionate team is available to provide therapy, medication management, and other approaches customized to clients of all ages and backgrounds.
Take a step towards your mental health and well-being today by contacting us at 724.374.7414 or scheduling your first appointment.
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