Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a particularly difficult mental illness as people suffering from this disorder experience anxiety almost all the time. When significant distress combines with anxiousness, nervousness, muscle tension and the person cannot alleviate it, they can become so overwhelmed it becomes difficult to function.
It is also not unusual for GAD to be combined with another mental illness. These co-occurring disorders can cause the person to feel as if they have no control in their life; helpless, and hopeless about the future. They are desperate to discover a way to reclaim their life but the harder they try the worse it feels when they fail to alleviate the anxiety. This cycle is devastating.
At Abilene we understand how difficult living with generalized anxiety disorder can be. We are here to help with your difficulties, no matter how impossible they may seem. We’ll work with you to set and reach goals so you feel the future is a positive place.
If your anxiety symptoms are serious enough to impact your life, you need the security of inpatient care at Abilene Behavioral Health. Our treatment of GAD is dedicated to helping relieve your anxiety and helping you regain your life.
Why Should You Consider Treatment at Abilene?
Living in a near-constant state of anxiety can make life unmanageable, especially when the anxiety appears out of nowhere. Without the proper coping skills, you may soon feel too overwhelmed to even fight it. When life is overwhelming, your anxiety unending, it’s time to call Abilene Behavioral Health and allow us to help you.
Our dedicated treatment staff are here to teach you ways to manage your anxiety, how to cope with anxiety triggers, and allow you to return to a state of functioning in your community. We know how stressful life can be and we’re ready to walk alongside you every step of your recovery.
We firmly believe in doing right by every person who comes to us for help. We’ll spend a great deal of time getting to know you, the problems you face, and the issues anxiety has caused in your life. We’ll take the information you provide us and work with you to create a custom-made treatment plan designed just for you. Just as we’re all unique individuals, no two people experience GAD in the same manner, which is reflected in your plan of care for your stay with us.
We work tirelessly to help you regain hope that the future is a beautiful place.
Program Philosophy and Benefits
At Abilene we always consider the entire person when determining the best course of care for your anxiety disorder. You may discover that other challenges in your life are caused by GAD, and we’ll teach you ways to handle this disorder and all of the problems it’s created.
Abilene Behavioral Health is a leader in behavioral health treatment and we’re willing to do what it takes to get you on the road to recovery. Your treatment team will be composed of a number of medical professionals all dedicated to providing you with the most excellent care available. We’re constantly assessing our therapeutic techniques so that you can be assured that you’re receiving the best possible treatment for your generalized anxiety disorder.
Treatment Approaches for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
It has long been recognized that the best treatment for generalized anxiety disorder involves an inpatient setting that uses both medication management and therapies. We use a variety of treatment approaches to best fit your characteristics, the symptoms of your disorder, and you as a whole. Abilene believes the best care for GAD must treat the mind, body, and spirit.
Medication may be used at the beginning of therapy in order to decrease the overall level of anxiety and make it more likely the individual will be able to engage in therapy. Depending upon the types of co-occurring disorders you face, you may be on medication for the short term as you begin to learn more effective coping mechanisms, or you may benefit from long-term medication management. You will work with your treatment team to determine the best options for you.
Individual therapy allows you the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with a therapist to discuss your anxiety, the stresses in your life, and the ways GAD has impacted you. You’ll work through strategies for dealing with panic attacks, ways to mend broken relationships, and how best to avoid a relapse.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to address perceptions of the world as a dangerous place, a common belief among individuals with GAD. Other types of maladaptive thoughts are also addressed and you will learn to replace them with more positive, adaptive thoughts.
Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) is another therapeutic technique we employ to manage your GAD. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder experience many distressing emotions they’d like to be rid of. REBT balances acceptance of a certain amount of anxiety as normal with changes in thoughts and behaviors in order to limit the effects of triggers and develop coping strategies to maintain an acceptable level of anxiety.
At Abilene we recognize how important the support of loved ones is during recovery. We incorporate family and loved ones into the recovery process to help restore relationships through increased understanding and acceptance. During family sessions, your loved ones will have a chance to openly discuss the ways in which your mental illness has impacted them. We will connect loved ones with local support groups and therapists to allow for continued healing.
In addition to traditional therapies, we offer a number of non-traditional experiential treatments. These may include:
- Recreational programs
- Spiritual counseling
- Music therapy
- Yoga
- A.A. and N.A.
- Anger management
Continuing Care – What Comes Next
When you and your treatment team decide that you are stabilized and ready to transition to the next steps in your recovery, you will work together to create an aftercare plan that addresses your continuing therapeutic goals. Many transition from our inpatient program to our less-restrictive Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) that provide a variety types of services Monday through Friday.
If you’re ready for an even less restrictive program to continue your care, our outpatient therapy clinic has trained professionals who can help you work towards your treatment goals.
If you or someone you love are struggling with generalized anxiety disorder, we will provide you with a free, confidential consultation to help determine the next steps.