Having a panic attack can make you feel completely out of control. When combined with a substance use disorder, a panic disorder can make you feel helpless. Enrolling in a panic disorder treatment center can help you discover more about yourself so that you can reveal underlying triggers, learn coping skills and get individualized support.
Panic Disorder Treatment Center for Individualized Care
Although millions of Americans have panic disorder, symptoms present themselves differently. Episodes may occur out of the blue and include psychological and physical symptoms, including:
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Choking sensations
- Intense fear
Panic disorder treatment must take into account the fact that symptoms are brought on by different triggers. The emotions that underlie a panic attack should be understood and processed to address the problems that occur during an acute episode.
Unfortunately, the causes and effects of a panic disorder aren’t always straightforward. Over time, individuals develop patterns of thinking and behaving that can elicit a panic attack seemingly out of nowhere. This can be scary because you can’t predict how you’re going to feel from moment to moment.
The volatility of this mental illness is what makes personalized panic disorder treatment so important. Treatment must address the mind, body, and spirit simultaneously to relieve symptoms, prevent the disorder from getting worse and create a predictable path for dealing with problems when they occur.
Panic Disorder Treatment Center And Substance Use
People who battle panic disorders are more likely to deal with other issues, such as depression, thoughts of suicide or substance use. Turning to drugs to manage or escape the erratic, intrusive thoughts or plaguing physical symptoms can make the disorder worse.
The longer you try to self-medicate, the more intense the problem may get. Avoiding professional treatment can have dramatic and devastating results.
Moreover, substance use can exacerbate a panic disorder. Many drugs alter the brain’s chemical balance. Some drugs can even shift the brain’s physical structure, making it harder for you to feel normal when you’re not taking drugs.
At the same time, some drugs produce side effects that mimic the symptoms of a panic attack. Abusing substances can also lead to malnourishment, which can exacerbate a panic disorder.
A Panic Disorder Treatment Center Should Be Holistic
It doesn’t matter whether a substance use disorder developed from a panic disorder or vice versa. A panic disorder treatment center should take into account the whole self as professionals work with patients to optimize care.
Psychotherapy is often the first line of panic disorder treatment. It can help you bring your emotions and experiences to light instead of suppressing them and storing them in your subconscious, where they’re bound to spring up in the form of panic disorder symptoms at the most inopportune times. Cognitive behavioral therapy allows clients to create positive associations with specific triggers, patterns, and behaviors that link to feelings of panic.
Medications can also help with panic disorder treatment. However, they only serve as a Band-Aid if you’re not working to uncover the trauma associated with your disorder or develop the skills to manage it.
Putting yourself into situations that require you to overcome challenges can be an active part of panic disorder treatment programs. At Red Oak Recovery, we promote overall healing with our hybrid young adult mental health programs that focus on outdoor wilderness experiences. In addition to eco-therapy and gardening, we offer:
- Nutrition therapy
- Gender-specific campuses
- Family therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Animal therapy