By: Lakeview Health
Your brain is doing an infinite number of jumping jacks. You feel like you have extra energy with no outlet. Excessive worry is present, but you are not sure why. And then it gets worse: You can’t focus at work, school or home. You just want to escape and hide. These are all characteristics of anxiety. You look for relief, which usually comes in a bottle, and after a while, alcohol doesn’t seem to work. You find a doctor to prescribe Xanax to take the edge off and increase the amount you take as the strength of the pill wears off over time. Eventually, you can’t function without it. Avoiding worry through substance abuse is not only ineffective but also dangerous. Instead of abusing prescription drugs or alcohol to manage your worries, consider seeking out dual diagnosis treatment for your anxiety and addiction.
Avoiding Worry Through Substance Abuse
Almost everyone who has a mental health issue finds a way to get rid of symptoms or cope. But if you have a family history of addiction, you are predisposed to choose drugs or alcohol as your vice. Some people may find that substance abuse dulls the symptoms of anxiety. In both scenarios, a pattern of dependence develops, and you begin to struggle with addiction. This becomes a dangerous game of self-medication–using drugs and alcohol to counteract symptoms of anxiety.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists anxiety symptoms as:
- Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbance
Medical detox and dual-diagnosis treatment at a drug rehab center can eliminate anxiety and substance abuse at the same time. The more you give in to your anxious symptoms, the more your anxiety will grow stronger. If you are using drugs and alcohol and have anxiety, you may have a dual diagnosis disorder. Substance abuse makes your mental health problems worse. Going to a detox and dual-diagnosis drug rehab can help stabilize your mood and help you manage your addiction.
Anxiety and Addiction Treatment with Dual Diagnosis
Treating your anxiety and addiction at the same time is your best option. They both affect one another, and an integrated approach must be used to increase your chances of success. At Lakeview Health, we know how to treat your anxiety and addiction, making you as comfortable as possible during your treatment. After the drugs have left your body, doctors will be able to treat your anxiety without addictive medications properly. At Lakeview Health, our staff specializes in working with dual diagnosis, and we effectively treat anxiety and addiction.
It’s quite common for those who struggle with an underlying mental health disorder to lack the diagnosis and treatment they need to manage their mental health. This means they remain in this cycle of avoiding worry through substance abuse. Dual diagnosis at Lakeview Health identifies and treats both issues to help break this cycle.
Addiction therapy services through Lakeview Health that can help you stop avoiding worry through substance abuse include:
These therapies teach healthy coping mechanisms for stress and worry that don’t include harmful substances.
To end avoiding worry through substance abuse, contact Lakeview Health today at [Direct]. Our team is ready to help you begin an effective dual diagnosis treatment program.
Lakeview Health is also staying diligent in updating our guidelines and protocols to keep clients and staff safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
We currently accept Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. We do not currently accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Florida Blue.
