Psychotherapists and psychiatrists have come to understand the crippling effects caused by anxiety disorder. It is a disorder that affects body, mind, emotions, and spirit. A person may appear competent and capable, while hiding his / her own inner hell through excessive activity, achievements, or endless chatter.
Other times, it is more visible and can severely damage relationships with other people and ourselves. To the person with the anxiety disorder, it may have been there for so many years that it feels "normal".
For an addict, it may be what drove them into their addiction or it is what haunts them after they are sober.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Is the constant, exaggerated, worrisome thoughts and tension about everyday routine life events and activities. Usually anticipating the worst although there is little reason to expect it. For many, the elevated anxiety of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is accompanied by physical symptoms such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, irritability, irritable bowel syndrome, or frequent and severe headaches often leading to attempts of suicide.
Excessive anxiety and worry: Described as "dreadful thoughts about the future or excessive guilt about some past event", the mind cannot stay in "present time". It anticipates "worst case scenarios" which are frightening to the mind, body, emotions, and spirit. To defend itself against these dreadful possible outcomes, the mind then begins manufacturing plans and projections. Each anticipated plan and back up plan prompts the next dreaded events and necessary plans. Before long, the mind is producing a pyramid of fear. These thoughts are always negative and pessimistic. The person feels overwhelmed and powerless.
Difficult to control the worry: The thoughts and worries only intensify when we attempt to control them. A vicious cycle ensues, where the original anxiety and worries are compounded by anxiety and worry about not being able to stop it. There is nothing worse than not being able to sleep and staring at the clock, hour after hour, exhausted by the racing mind, worried about the lack of sleep, trying hard to go back to sleep and quiet the mind.
Anxiety can become severe that it becomes a full-blown panic attack. In these instances, the anxiety can cause symptoms that feel like a heart attack: Left untreated, anxiety disorders can manifest into attempts to escape. Below are two.
Addictive Disorders: The compulsive/excessive use of alcohol, drugs, spending, gambling, sex, chaotic codependent relationships, controlling, "busyness", workaholism, perfectionism, sleeping pills, exercise, sugar, nicotine, caffeine are mood altering behaviors with disastrous consequences aimed at escaping anxiety.
Depressive Disorders: The Depressive Disorder is an attempt to "shut down" the body, mind, and emotions so they will not feel the anguish of the anxiety disorder.
Oceanside Malibu utilizes the following modalities for stabilizing residents with anxiety disorder who are attempting to transition back into society:
Aerobic activities like running, power walking, step classes, bike riding and spinning classes, racket sports, roller blade build endurance and stamina, blow out toxins, and release endorphins - chemicals that produce a feeling of well being and elevated mood.
Weight work builds muscles, strength, and self-confidence, burns fat, and redefines the look of the body. When you are strong in body, you feel stronger in your mind, emotions, and spirit.
A healthy diet is maintained to combat anxiety. Our chef prepares food that minimize your intake of sugar, fried foods, refined white flour, caffeine, and fast foods, Unhealthy eating can produce "quick highs, followed by low energy" and empty nutritional value. A body filled with anxiety is only harmed by these foods. To combat anxiety, we choose natural grains and legumes, eat more chicken and fish, and decrease red meats to give your body better nutrition and lower cholesterol.
Bodywork. We offer therapeutic massage and acupuncture. These treatments soften muscles and body armoring, release tension and toxins, re-circulate the flow of energy ("chi"), and release endorphins that organically treat anxiety.
Quiet time: Many people are aware of the blessings and insight they experience while being in nature. Oceanside Malibu is located directly on the ocean. The view and the sound of the ocean are therapeutic for anxiety.
Oceanside will support you as you conquer your anxiety disorder and enjoy your life. We are meant to have abundance in every area of our lives. For more details call 818.917.7239.
