Stress is a normal reaction that everyone experiences in response to feeling anxious or threatened. However, we all experience it differently. Some stress is a normal part of life and cannot be avoided. Chronic stress can be debilitating and cause or exacerbate other health issues.
If you or a loved one suffers from chronic stress, a residential stress treatment program can help uncover the root causes and teach you the coping mechanisms vital to managing stress in healthy ways. Reach out to the Atlanta Center for Mental Health 833.625.0458 to learn more about anxiety treatment, how stress can impact your life, and how to manage it.
The Importance of Treatment for Stress
Not all stress is bad. Stress can be beneficial when it helps avoid accidents, improve performance, propels you to take action, or enables you to stay alert and focused in a chaotic situation. Stress should only be temporary. Severe, frequent, or prolonged stress can harm mental and physical well-being.
Doctors and psychologists have long been warning about the dangers of chronic stress. With reported rates of stress significantly on the rise over the past few years, it is now considered a public health epidemic.
Under stress, specific hormones rush into the bloodstream, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. This hormone rush can be helpful in certain situations, particularly emergencies. However, having this rush for extended periods can be dangerous. Many who experience chronic stress accept it as a regular part of daily life without understanding the implications for their health.
Long-term stress that goes untreated can lead to significant health issues, including:
- Depression and anxiety
- Abnormal heartbeat, heart disease, heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Heartburn, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome
- Headaches, muscle aches, fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Substance abuse
Under chronic stress, many turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating or undereating, inactivity, social withdrawal, smoking, drinking, and drug use to alleviate stress. These maladaptive behaviors bring their own set of problems for overall well-being. Awareness of the dangers of prolonged stress is essential to help reduce its effects.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment
Individuals with severe, ongoing, or frequent stress can develop PTSD. Having PTSD yourself or living with someone who has PTSD can be intense, overwhelming, and emotionally exhausting because triggers can be all around you. Triggers can be internal, like thoughts or feelings, or external, like smells, sounds, or objects. Consider seeking a residential PTSD treatment program if you experience the following symptoms:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares, insomnia, or other sleep disturbances
- Avoidance of people, places, or things associated with your trauma
- Hypervigilance
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Constantly feeling on edge or being easily startled
- Sudden angry outbursts
Only a professional can diagnose PTSD, so if you think you have PTSD, reach out to your doctor or mental health professional. While there is no cure for PTSD, residential mental health treatment can significantly alleviate PTSD symptoms and provide you with tools so that your life can become manageable once again.
Anxiety Treatment
The exact causes of anxiety disorders are not fully understood. However, inherited traits, trauma, extreme stress, physical health issues, and substance use disorders contribute. Anxiety treatment is determined by the severity of your symptoms and how they impact your daily functioning. The symptoms of anxiety can range from mild to severe. Medication and outpatient therapy can often treat milder anxiety symptoms. More severe anxiety usually requires residential anxiety treatment.
No matter the extent of your symptoms, there are several ways you can help manage your anxiety, such as:
- Learn to control your breathing, which will lower your heart rate
- Write down your thoughts
- Exercise
- Eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep
- Practice yoga and meditation
- Cut back on or avoid drugs, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine
- Recognize your triggers
For some, scheduling a specific time each day to think about your worries and fears is helpful. Giving yourself the time to focus on what is bothering you can help change your perspective and see things more rationally.
Acute Stress Disorder Treatment
Acute stress disorder is a mental health condition that can occur immediately following a traumatic event. Acute stress disorder can cause many psychological symptoms and develop into PTSD if left unrecognized or untreated. Acute stress disorder is a temporary mental health condition that usually resolves within a month.
Acute stress disorder treatment focuses on reducing symptoms, improving coping mechanisms, and preventing PTSD. Treatment can include a combination of the following:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is usually the first line of treatment for acute stress disorder. CBT involves changing negative thought patterns to influence changes in
- behavior.
- Mindfulness – Meditation and breathing exercises are standard mindfulness-based practices critical to treating acute stress disorder symptoms.
- Medication – Antidepressants and anticonvulsants are effective for reducing symptoms.
Acute stress disorder is not uncommon. People whose jobs expose them to trauma, such as police, firefighters, emergency personnel, servicemen and women, doctors, and nurses, are at higher risk for the disorder. Learning to recognize the signs and symptoms of acute stress disorder can allow for early intervention and treatment so that it does not develop into PTSD.
Learn to Manage Stress at Atlanta Center for Mental Health
Untreated stress can significantly affect your overall well-being, including mental, spiritual, and physical health. Contact the Atlanta Center for Mental Health at 833.625.0458 to learn about stress management treatment options.
