Anxiety and addiction very often appear hand in hand. One possible manifestation of anxiety and addiction is a panic attack. Learn what a panic attack is and what it looks like.
Anxiety and addiction is one of the most common pairings for a dual diagnosis. A dual diagnosis is when a client has been diagnosed with both addiction and at least one accompanying mental health disorder. Dual diagnoses are quite common among female clients – another reason why drug rehab for women is such a great consideration for women with addiction. Drug rehab for women is equipped to handle dual diagnoses such as anxiety and addiction with effective treatment plans to treat both mental health disorders and addiction concurrently.
Some clients develop anxiety as a result of their experiences with addiction. It may be manifested as a side effect of abuse of the substances themselves or as a result of the life events that occur as a result of addiction. Other clients may develop addictions as a response to attempting to self-medicate themselves by reaching out to substances to try to control their anxiety.
Anxiety and Addiction: What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is when a person experiences a sudden overwhelming, uncomfortable and difficult-to-manage feeling of extreme anxiety. Panic attacks can be very frightening – most especially so when the person experiencing the panic attack does not realize that it is one.
Anxiety and Addiction: What Does a Panic Attack Look Like?
Panic attacks feature such serious symptoms that they can look like a person is undergoing something more severe, such as a heart attack. This is one reason why it’s so important to get anxiety and addiction under control. Here are some of the most common symptoms of panic attacks:
- Sweating
- Nervousness
- Increased heart rate and rapid breathing
- Extreme fear
- Fear of imminent death
- Extreme stress
- Irregular breathing
- Upset stomach
- Chest pain
- Chills and shakes
- Difficulty breathing
Panic attacks typically last for about a half-hour at a time but can also occur for just seconds or even for hours.
Treatment for Anxiety and Addiction
Treatment for anxiety and addiction can get your panic attacks under control. You can learn to recognize the symptoms and discover the best ways of coping with them. It’s important that both anxiety and addiction are treated at the same time in order to effectively make progress with managing both.
If you or someone you love is having problems with alcohol abuse, chemical dependency or addiction, recovery from a drug abuse program, like the one at Destination Hope, may be the answer. Remember that recovery from addiction and alcohol abuse treatment means learning how to cope with intensely emotional situations, and identifying when you need help and support. Treatment for addiction relapse, counseling, and aftercare can help you do this, so please call us today. Destination Hope is a full-service addiction and health treatment facility in Florida for men and women who suffer from substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
