Anxiety Disorder

Many people have anxiety surrounding therapy. At Avalon Malibu, we've seen how beneficial therapy can be, but we know that it's not always an easy decision to make. However, it is possible to start overcoming anxiety surrounding therapy. In this blog, we will share some of the things we do at Avalon Malibu to help.

Have you ever noticed that you’re very particular about certain things, or that you like to be in control? Do things have to be a “certain way” for you to feel at ease? If so, you may have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Millions of Americans struggle with OCD every year – and if it’s not treated early on, other problems could arise. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that involves an unhealthy cycle of obsessions (unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (repeated actions). For example, a person with OCD could find themselves needing to knock on the door a certain number of times before they wait for a person to answer it. They may also like things organized in a certain way and feel extreme anxiety if they’re not able to organize the way they need to.

Alcohol is legal in the United States for those 21 and older, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people between the ages of 12 and 20 drink about 11 percent of the alcoholic drinks the country consumes. A 2016 study in the journal Pediatrics shows that 11.5 percent of those in that age group reported a major depressive episode in 2014, up from 8.7 in 2005 — a 37 percent increase. One recent American Addiction Centers (AAC) report suggesting that the connection between the alcohol and depression is particularly tricky. The report explains that it’s logical those who suffer from depression would seek the temporary relief that a drink can provide; but it is quick to point out that abuse invariably feeds the depression. Meanwhile, it asserts, the connection between abuse and depression is “undeniable” in all age groups.

Whether you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or not, it can creep up in little moments throughout our daily life. Moments where we are suddenly asked to give a speech that we have not prepared for are often enough to send anyone into an anxiety attack. Hearing sudden sad news that was unexpected can easily leave us feeling hopeless, lost, and panicked. The following are some very real anxiety triggers that anyone may experience:

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States – approximately 40 million people aged 18 or older suffer from one. Anxiety attacks are an unfortunate yet common aspect of anxiety disorders – people often experience chest pain, chills or heat sensations, trembling, sweating, heart palpitations, fear of “going crazy”, nausea, fear of dying, and more. In 2016, Medical Today accurately defined anxiety as nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry. When we feel extremely anxious or nervous about something, our body activates its stress response, which causes the body to secrete stress hormones into the body where they travel to targeted areas that bring about physiological, psychological, and emotional changes that enhance the body’s ability to perform “fight or flight”. Our stress response triggers energy to help us deal with a threat – and the degree of our stress response is directly related to the degree of our perceived threat. This is incredibly important for us to remember because this explains why we may “suddenly” experience anxiety attacks.   Anxiety can make us feel debilitated and helpless, and can significantly impact all aspects of life. If we experience an anxiety attack, it may feel like the world is falling apart. However, anxiety attacks alone are not deadly and there are several steps that we can take if we are experiencing an anxiety attack to help relieve the symptoms: