Mental illness can take a severe toll on a person’s life. There are various subtypes of mental health disorders, one category includes mood and anxiety disorders. Mood disorders refer to all types of depression and bipolar disorders, while anxiety disorders include conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, phobias, and others. These conditions often occur simultaneously and are therefore often paired in treatment. Our mood and anxiety treatment centers offer various treatment programs for these disorders that could help you or a loved one change your life for the better.

What Are the 6 Types of Anxiety Disorders?

Anxiety is an umbrella term for several types of anxiety disorders. An anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder in which a person may respond to certain situations with fear and dread. Although it is a mental illness, anxiety can also present itself in physical symptoms.

As we previously mentioned, it is normal to experience anxiety occasionally. You may feel anxious or nervous when you have a problem at work, an upcoming interview, an exam, or a major decision to make. In some cases, anxiety can be beneficial, as it is the body's natural fight or flight response to protect it from “threats.” However, an anxiety disorder goes beyond the regular nervousness and fear you may experience in extreme situations.

There are six types of anxiety disorders:

Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing or when help might not be available in the event of a panic attack. Some agoraphobics will not leave their houses for periods lasting months and sometimes for years. The fear linked to agoraphobia is usually disproportionate to the situation itself.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Also known as GAD, this type of anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent and excessive worry that interferes with day-to-day responsibilities. This ongoing worry may be accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness, rapid breathing, feeling on edge, and fatigue.
Panic Disorder: This is a form of anxiety that is primarily marked by panic attacks. These are situations where the person experiences overwhelming physical and psychological distress. Panic attacks are characterized by symptoms like palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and others.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: A person with a separation anxiety disorder is extremely fearful or anxious about separating from the people they are attached to. This feeling of attachment is beyond what is appropriate for the person’s age and can last up to four weeks in children and six months in adults.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Previously called social phobia, a person with social anxiety disorder experiences anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected, or judged in social settings.
Specific Phobias: A specific phobia refers to an excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that is generally not harmful. People with this condition usually know their fear is excessive but are not able to overcome their symptoms on their own.

What Are Mood Disorders?

People with mood disorders experience a general emotional state or mood that’s distorted or inconsistent with their circumstances and interferes with their ability to function. Individuals diagnosed with these disorders may experience extreme sadness, emptiness, or irritability, or may go through periods of depression alternating with excessive happiness (mania).

Common types of mood disorders include:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or depression: Depression refers to prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness.
Bipolar Disorder: Previously known as manic depression or bipolar affective disorder, this is a form of depression characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): This is a form of depression associated with fewer hours of daylight, most common in people who live in far northern and southern latitudes, from late fall to early spring.
Cyclothymic Disorder: This mood disorder causes emotional ups and downs that are less extreme than bipolar disorder.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: This disorder causes mood changes and irritability that occur during the premenstrual phase of a woman's cycle and dissipate when the menstrual cycle begins.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): This is a long-term (chronic) form of major depressive disorder.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: This is a chronic, severe, and persistent disorder characterized by irritability in children that often includes frequent temper outbursts inconsistent with the child's developmental age.
Depression Related to Medical Illness: This refers to a persistent depressed mood and a significant loss of pleasure in most or all activities that are directly linked to the physical effects of another medical condition.
Depression Induced by Substance Use or Medication: This refers to depression symptoms that develop during or soon after substance abuse or substance withdrawal or after exposure to a medication.

Our center for treating anxiety and mood disorders offers depression and bipolar disorder treatment to ensure help is available for as many people as possible. We understand that these disorders don’t all occur the same way and instead fall on a spectrum, which is why we create individualized treatment programs for clients that meet their needs.

Questions about our Facilities or Programs?

Our admissions coordinators are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have as you consider whether treatment at Banyan is right for you or your loved one.

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Anxiety Red Flags and Warning Signs

A mix of genetic and environmental factors can increase a person’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder. You might be at a higher risk if you have or had:

Certain personality traits, such as shyness or feelings of discomfort with, and avoiding, unfamiliar people, situations, or places
History of trauma either in childhood or adulthood
Family history of anxiety or other mental health disorders
Certain physical conditions, such as thyroid problems and heart arrhythmias

Various red flags may indicate the presence or development of an anxiety disorder. These may include:

Avoiding a person, place, or thing due to anxiety, especially if it’s a common responsibility
The need for constant reassurance from others
Physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches, dizziness, and racing heart
The level of worry surpasses or is more excessive than the situation deserves
Sleep problems related to anxiety
Refusing help or feeling overwhelmed when help is provided
Continually avoiding stressful situations
Experiencing distress when things don’t go “right” or perfectionistic habits
These symptoms become more severe and bleed into all areas of a person’s life

The specific signs of anxiety depend greatly on the type of disorder. While someone with a separation anxiety disorder may not feel uncomfortable in an elevator, someone with agoraphobia will likely become distressed in the same situation. If you feel as if your anxiety or that of a loved one is getting out of control, our anxiety treatment center can help.

Symptoms of Anxiety

While the signs of addiction are largely dependent on the substance being abused, anxiety symptoms are different. Individuals with these conditions are often under severe distress. Depending on the severity of their condition, they may be easily triggered by certain situations or people.

The most common of these symptoms include:

Sweating
Chest pains
Nervousness
Feeling of Unease
Stomach Pain
Uncontrollable Shaking
Hot Flashes
Dizziness
Paranoia
Rapid Heart Rate
Trouble Regulating Breathing

In most dual diagnosis cases, the person’s substance abuse stems from their attempts to self-medicate and cope with the symptoms of their mental illness. Rather than receive addiction treatment or mental health help, they try to alleviate the side effects of their condition with drinking or drug abuse. For many people who struggle with panic, anxiety disorders and substance abuse, quitting drugs or alcohol can potentially worsen symptoms of mental illness. In these cases, the best thing the individual can do is get anxiety/panic disorders and addiction treatment at one of our rehab facilities.

Is There a Correlation Between Anxiety and Addiction?

Yes, there is a well-established correlation between anxiety and addiction. Individuals experiencing anxiety disorders are at an increased risk of developing substance use disorders, and vice versa.

Several factors contribute to the complex relationship between anxiety and addiction:

Self-Medication:
- Some people with anxiety may turn to substances to self-medicate and alleviate their symptoms temporarily.
- Drugs or alcohol can provide a short-term sense of relief from anxiety, contributing to the development of a substance use disorder.
Neurobiological Factors:
- Anxiety and addiction share common neurobiological pathways, particularly those involving neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
- Changes in these neurotransmitter systems can contribute to both anxiety disorders and the reinforcing effects of addictive substances.
Genetic Predisposition:
- There is evidence of a genetic predisposition to both anxiety and addiction, suggesting a shared genetic vulnerability.
- Individuals with a family history of either condition may be more susceptible to developing both anxiety and addiction.
Environmental Stressors:
- Stressful life events and environmental factors can contribute to the development of both anxiety disorders and substance use disorders.
- Chronic stress may exacerbate anxiety symptoms and increase the likelihood of turning to substances for relief.
Common Underlying Factors:
- Underlying factors such as trauma, childhood adversity, or disruptions in early development may contribute to the co-occurrence of anxiety and addiction.
- Addressing these underlying factors is crucial for effective treatment.
Withdrawal and Relapse:
- The withdrawal symptoms associated with substance use can mimic or intensify symptoms of anxiety.
- Fear of withdrawal or anxiety-related triggers can contribute to the cycle of substance use and addiction.

It's essential to recognize the bidirectional nature of the relationship between anxiety and addiction. Effective treatment should address both conditions simultaneously through integrated approaches. This may include behavioral therapies, medication management, and support groups to address both the symptoms of anxiety and the challenges associated with addiction.

Integrated treatment approaches, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based interventions, have been shown to be effective in addressing both anxiety and addiction concurrently. Additionally, addressing underlying issues and stressors is crucial for breaking the cycle of co-occurring anxiety and addiction.

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What Our Anxiety Treatment Center Offers

The anxiety treatment center you choose is important, as anxiety treatment centers vary in their services and available programming. Not only are mood and anxiety disorders unique, but they occur on a wide spectrum. An effective center for mood and anxiety considers the individual’s needs and alters treatment according to what the client needs to recover and improve.

Our rehabilitation center uses many modalities to treat various forms of anxiety, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), individual therapy, and group therapy. Our facility treats various types of anxiety disorders and mental illnesses like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and others. A mood and anxiety disorders program at our nationwide treatment centers will depend greatly on the type of mood disorder but also on other factors like co-occurring disorders or past trauma. Similarly, the specific type of anxiety or mood disorder will help determine the most effective course of treatment.

Through the use of evidence-based therapy programs, our facility helps clients understand the nature of their disorders and why they experience their symptoms, as well as determine possible causes and establish effective coping strategies.

We create a plan for you with your treatment goals for anxiety in mind. For more information about our addiction and mental health treatment, contact Banyan Treatment Centers today at (855) 908-0663.