Anxiety Disorder Treatment San Luis Obispo County

Anxiety disorder is the most prevalent mental health challenge facing Americans today, with an estimated 40 million people affected each year. When anxiety symptoms worsen to the point where it negatively impacts daily life, a residential treatment program may be beneficial.

Robles Ranch Mental Health offers residential anxiety disorder treatment in San Luis Obispo County. Our robust and comprehensive treatment program is designed specifically for individuals struggling with anxiety disorder.

Learn About Anxiety Disorder

Most people at some point in time will experience a situation that induces feeling of anxiety. It is a normal human emotion state that is triggered by situations that provoke a sense of fear or worry. However, when symptoms of excessive worry, dread, or fear become debilitating or cause isolation and avoidance, it is then referred to as anxiety disorder.

Anxiety emerges when a person encounters a situation, place, or person that causes them to feel afraid, threatened, or out of control. The body responds to the triggering event by releasing the brain chemicals cortisol and adrenaline, an event called the fight, flight, or freeze response. It is an innate protective mechanism that helps humans determine if something presents a danger to them and spurs them to action.

Anxiety disorders encompass a range of subtypes that each feature dysfunctional responses to stress-inducing triggers. Each subtype has unique characteristics, but all anxiety disorders involve some common physical and emotional symptoms. These include:

• Racing heart
• Sweating
• Shallow breathing, holding the breath
• Clenched jaw
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking
• Stomach distress, diarrhea, nausea
• Feeling jumpy

Anxiety Disorders Treated at Robles Ranch

There are a variety of scenarios that have the potential to cause powerful feelings of fear, the central characteristic of anxiety disorder. Because each type of anxiety disorder has a slightly different diagnostic profile, our expert clinical team designs highly customized treatment protocols. The types of anxiety disorder treated at Robles Ranch include:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD is the most prevalent form of anxiety disorder, featuring extreme and irrational feelings of fear, dread, and worry. GAD may cause chronic somatic symptoms, impairment in daily functioning, and may negatively affect social functioning and career. Symptoms of GAD include:

• Excessive fear and worry
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Trouble concentrating
• Fatigue
• Impaired short-term memory
• Dizziness
• Sleep disruption 

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by recurring panic attacks, which are spontaneous and unpredictable events that cause symptoms that resemble a heart attack. The symptoms are so frightening that it causes the individual to be constantly on alert in anticipation of the next panic attack. Symptoms usually resolve in 10-20 minutes and include:

• Racing heart
• heart palpitations
• chest pains
• trembling
• chills
• nausea
• shortness of breath

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is characterized by obsessive fears that are followed by compulsive behaviors to help manage the fear. OCD is a cyclic disorder that starts with an irrational fear or invasive thought, which induce symptoms of intense anxiety. To mitigate this fear response, the individual will practice compulsive and repetitive behaviors or rituals. An example of OCD is having an extreme fear of germs or contamination that results in the constant hand washing rituals.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is associated with an intense fear of rejection or public humiliation, which can lead to serious impairment. Someone with social anxiety may avoid all types of social situations, gatherings, or events, including work-related events where their performance might be critiqued. This can impact career opportunities, relationships, and result in isolation and loneliness.

Specific Phobia

Specific phobia features an irrational and intense fear of a situation, place, person, or object. Examples might include the fear of heights or fear of spiders. Those who struggle with a phobia may experience such unreasonable fear that it impacts their daily lives. For example, claustrophobia is the fear of being in crowded spaces. This specific phobia has the potential to impact many aspects of daily life, such as inability to use public transportation, elevators, or visit crowded venues.

Residential Anxiety Treatment San Luis Obispo County

If anxiety is preventing you from enjoying your daily life, it may be time to seek some professional support. After you have met with the team of clinicians, a personalized care plan is created to provide a detailed pathway to mental wellness.

Anxiety disorder treatment in San Luis Obispo County involves a multi-disciplinary approach that includes the following elements:

Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy sessions help you change the thought distortions that trigger anxiety symptoms. Both individual and group therapy sessions are essential for learning healthy new thought-behavior patterns. Some types of psychotherapy include: 

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT explores thought and behavior patterns that reinforce the anxiety disorder. The CBT therapist helps you shift negative, stress-inducing thoughts towards healthy, self-affirming thoughts.
• Exposure therapy. Exposure therapy can help reduce the impact of the stress-inducing trigger for individuals struggling with specific phobia or trauma.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy. ACT helps those with social anxiety accept their feelings while guiding them toward healthier social functioning.
• Psychodynamic therapy. This type of therapy focuses on the connection between certain experiences in the early childhood years, and how these may be related to the current anxiety disorder.
• Psychodrama role playing. Psychodrama is a group therapy technique that involves role-playing. This helps participants work through stressful social situations that can be played out in a safe, supportive space.

Group therapy. Meeting in small groups with peers in recovery can provide an additional layer of support while in treatment. Participants are encouraged to share about their personal experiences with anxiety disorder while under the guidance of a therapist.

Medication. A patient may benefit from medications, such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, or antipsychotic drugs, to help manage anxiety symptoms.

Holistic Methods for Anxiety Relief

Robles Ranch Mental Health understands the strong connection that exists between mind and body. Therefore, our anxiety disorder treatment integrates holistic activities into the treatment program. Our holistic and wellness components include:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Art therapy
• Grounding techniques
• Trauma-based labyrinth
• Massage therapy
• Animal therapy
• Nutrition
• Recreation

Robles Ranch Mental Health provides residential anxiety disorder treatment in San Luis Obispo County. Reach out today to begin your journey toward healing and wellness.