We live in a busy world filled with reasons why people feel both stress and anxiety. People try to juggle careers, family, finances, college, and other personal responsibilities, all while transitioning into a post-pandemic world. Sometimes a person feels a normal amount of stress that proves to be temporary. Others develop an anxiety disorder that requires professional anxiety treatment in Atlanta. New View Wellness created a highly effective treatment program for anxiety that helps people learn to control their symptoms. Our outpatient mental health programs leave people with time to attend therapy sessions while still taking care of their daily responsibilities.
What is Stress?
Stress and anxiety are two different things, but they can be difficult to differentiate. Stress is something everyone feels from time to time. It’s a response to a difficult or troubling experience or emotion and can affect a person emotionally, physically, and mentally. Examples of stressful situations include a challenging work situation, additional responsibilities with family, financial concerns, and relationship challenges. These stressors can be a one-time event or ongoing circumstances. Some people feel a consistent level of stress from having a busy schedule or dealing with a divorce or the loss of a loved one.
Stress can be a good thing when it motivates people to finish certain tasks and pay attention to detail. Examples include getting through exam time at college or working on a career project with a deadline. However, it becomes a problem when it becomes a never-ending sensation with no resolution.
Someone who lives with stress a majority of the time often ends up at risk of developing an anxiety disorder, including having panic attacks. They also may become depressed and find it difficult to handle their daily lives. Too much stress can cause physical maladies, including headaches, digestive system problems, and body aches.
What is Anxiety?
Like stress, anxiety can be a normal part of life. It occurs when someone experiences anxious feelings, fears, or concerns about an event or situation. The problem arises when a person finds that feeling anxiety is a constant state for them. They consistently feel on edge and not only feel anxious about ongoing issues but begin to get anxious about what might happen in the future. For many, panic attacks begin to happen. When anxiety exists on this level, it affects a person’s ability to work, attend school, enjoy social events, and try new types of activities. Similar to stress, excessive anxiety can cause physical problems.
The Difference Between Stress and Anxiety
Determining the difference between stress and anxiety can be tricky, but there are ways to tell which is which. In addition, people who experience high levels of anxiety typically also feel stressed. Conversely, a normal amount of situational stress usually does not include excessive amounts of anxiety.
Stress is triggered by external events, such as a new project at work, or learning a new task. It often has a timeline that allows a person to know an approximate start and end date. The person can function under stress without developing anxiety. Anxiety is more of an internal development. It comes about as a reaction to feeling unable to handle the stressors related to it. For many, even when the stressful event concludes, they still feel anxiety.
People usually can operate efficiently under stress, while anxiety causes many to become unable to function. Anxiety disorders often lead to a person finding it extremely difficult or impossible to handle work, school, or personal responsibilities. Even simple tasks like going shopping or talking to others can feel overwhelming. When this occurs, it’s likely the person is experiencing an anxiety disorder.
Stress is usually about an ongoing or upcoming situation. Anxiety can cause people to panic about things that have not yet happened or may never happen. The person globalizes their feelings of anxiety and worries that they cannot handle even the simplest of emotions or tasks. In fact, many people begin to live with a heightened sense of anxiety that never goes away.
How is Anxiety Treated?
Anxiety is treated using a combination of therapies that help people with anxiety disorders learn to control their symptoms. When someone begins anxiety treatment, they receive an assessment that gives the treatment team an overview of the person’s specific issues. From there, a schedule of therapy modalities is created. Common types of therapy used to treat anxiety include:
- Psychotherapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Psychiatry
- Genetic Testing
Many people respond well to taking a prescription medication that helps control their anxiety. Treatment centers recommend the best prescription medication for each person and monitor them for results. Some people only require taking a med short-term, while others benefit more from using them over a longer period of time.
Begin Treatment for Stress and Anxiety in Atlanta, GA
Do you find it difficult to cope with life because of the amount of anxiety you experience on a regular basis? With anxiety comes stress and a need to find effective treatments to relieve the symptoms of both conditions. New View Wellness in Atlanta offers intensive treatment programs for anxiety disorders that help people reclaim power over their lives. Our outpatient plans allow you to learn to control your anxiety levels with a Partial Hospitalization Program, Intensive Outpatient Program, and Outpatient rehab programs.
For more information about our anxiety treatment program, visit our admissions page today. Our friendly staff can answer your questions about how to get back in the driver’s seat and leave anxiety behind.