What Is An Anxiety Attack
Anxiety attacks are a combination of physical and mental symptoms that are intense and overwhelming. The anxiety is more than just regular nervousness. The anxiety is often a feeling of immense, impending doom that makes many people feel they’re about to die, or that everything around them is breaking down.
It creates physical symptoms that are so severe they actually mimic legitimate, serious health problems.
Those that haven’t had an anxiety attack before often have no idea that what they’re experiencing is anxiety. That’s because the symptoms of anxiety attacks and panic attacks mimic extremely serious issues, such as:
- Heart attacks and heart failure.
- Brain tumors.
Yet despite how intense these things can feel, anxiety attacks are not even remotely dangerous.
Treatment Options For Anxiety Disorders
Medication may be used at the beginning of your stay to reduce unhelpful anxiety symptoms. Some people may taper down their medication during their stay with us as they learn more adaptive coping mechanisms. Others may require more long-term medication management to treat anxiety disorders or any co-occurring mental health disorders.
Individual therapy can be very helpful for people with anxiety disorders as it allows for one-on-one time to discuss the ways in which anxiety disorders have impacted your life. Many of our therapists find that cognitive-behavioral therapy is a helpful tool for helping our clients with anxiety disorders. Through CBT, youll learn to identify and change unhealthy thought patterns so that you can learn to see the world in a healthier manner.
Group therapy can be tremendously valuable for people with anxiety disorders as often the symptoms of the disorder have led to social isolation in the persons life. Groups will allow you to interact with others struggling with similar disorders so that you can all grow, learn, and heal. Groups may focus on topics such as coping with anxiety triggers, managing stress, and co-occurring disorders.
Your Rights As A Patient
Note that the criteria and rules surrounding voluntary hospitalization differ greatly from involuntary hospitalization . In the case that you sign yourself into a hospital, you also have the right to sign yourself back out.
The exception to this rule, however, is if the hospital staff believes you are a danger to yourself or others. If you are not a danger to anyone, the hospital must release you within two to seven days of your formal request, depending on the laws in your particular state.
If you experience any problems with getting the hospital to release you, you should contact your state’s protection and advocacy agency.
While you are at the hospital, you also have the right to…
- Be completely informedabout all tests and treatments you will be receiving, including the risks and benefits
- Refuse any tests or treatments that you feel are unnecessary or unsafe
- Refuse to participate in experimental treatmentor training sessions involving students or observers
With the exception of your insurance company, no one will be told about your hospitalization without your permission.
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Can You Go To The Er For Anxiety
Yes, but if you go to a hospital, expect to wait. Unlike Village Emergency Centers, hospitals cannot guarantee no wait time. In many cases, sufferers from panic attacks or anxiety overcome their episodes long before seeing a doctor. If you start experiencing chest pains, we highly recommend going to an ER immediately since it may be a sign of other conditions.
Signs That You May Need To Seek Help With A Licensed Mental Health Services Professional To Learn How To Manage Your Anxiety Include:
- An inability to turn off thoughts, resulting in issues sleeping or getting through your day-to-day life
- Feeling fatigued or tense in the body
- Feeling like the world is moving too fast around you and you cant catch up or take a breath
- Panic attacks
- Feeling ruled by high expectations, perfectionist behaviors, or even being rigid
- Becoming socially withdrawn or isolated
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Is Anxiety An Emergency
Going to the ER for anxiety is not uncommon, but is unneeded in most situations. Typically anxiety or panic episodes only last 30 minutes and can be remedied by lying down and with rigorous breathing exercises. It is recommended to take deep and slow breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. An anxiety emergency or extreme panic attack may require an ER visit if the sufferer is unable to get it under control. Extreme cases of hyperventilation can lead to tachycardia, an occurrence where the heart is beating so fast that it is unable to properly pump blood throughout the body.
Crisis Plan Of Action
Because depression tends to be a chronic illness, it’s wise to have a plan of action should you ever need to be hospitalized again. This plan should include the following:
- Your doctor’s name and contact information
- Contact information for trusted friends, family, or support group members
- Information about other health issues you might have
- A list of all medications that you take
- A list of any allergies
- Your insurance information
- The name of the hospital where you prefer to be treated
You may also have an advance directive and medical power of attorney prepared for you if you wish to give a trusted person the authority to act on your behalf in making medical decisions. This will ensure that your will is carried out should you become too ill to make your own decisions.
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How To Help Others Cope With Hospital Anxiety
The most important thing to keep in mind when helping someone else through hospital anxiety is that they are not in control of it. To a person not dealing with anxiety, the simplest solution is to stop being anxious. For the person suffering, though, this is not an option. Theyve already thought of it.
Everyone requires slightly different care when suffering from hospital anxiety, but there are a few things that can help nearly everyone. The first is to provide a distraction. When you are waiting for care, there is nothing else to be done. During this time, its best to remind the patient of things that arent the hospital. Ask them about the rest of their day, or their favorite TV show. Play a game together on your phone. Its best to not let the hospital occupy brain space when it doesnt need to.
You can also question them about their anxiety. Again: dont directly attack the anxiety. Asking, why are you anxious? is often too confrontational, and will increase the issue. Instead, try to get them to open up through gentle questioning. Are you okay?Is something on your mind? If you can get the sufferer to admit their own anxiety, they will take over the job of getting rid of it. Often anxiety disappears once its thought about critically.
A Little Care Goes A Long Way
What Are The Symptoms Of An Anxiety Disorder
Symptoms vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder, but general symptoms include:
- Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness
- Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts
- Muscle tension
- Dizziness
The exact cause of anxiety disorders is unknown but anxiety disorders like other forms of mental illness are not the result of personal weakness, a character flaw, or poor upbringing. As scientists continue their research on mental illness, it is becoming clear that many of these disorders are caused by a combination of factors, including changes in the brain and environmental stress.
Like certain illnesses, such as , anxiety disorders may be caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Studies have shown that severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of chemicals in the brain that control mood. Other studies have shown that people with certain anxiety disorders have changes in certain brain structures that control memory or mood. In addition, studies have shown that anxiety disorders run in families, which means that they can be inherited from one or both parents, like hair or eye color. Moreover, certain environmental factors such as a trauma or significant event may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have an inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder.
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Our Centers Philosophy And Benefits
At Seven Hills Hospital, located near Las Vegas, we are devoted to providing the highest quality of care to adolescents, adults, and senior adults who are suffering from behavioral and mental health concerns, as well as chemical dependency issues. Our hospitals anxiety treatment center is designed to meet the individual needs of each of our patients who come to our treatment center through a compassionate and comprehensive approach. Led by a team of highly trained psychiatrists and mental health professionals, it is our sole mission to provide exceptional treatment and therapeutic care in a safe environment so that we can send our patients from our door onto the path to ultimate recovery after leaving our hospitals center for treatment of anxiety.
Types of Treatment Available
Is Your Panic Attack Lasting Hours
Panic attacks dont usually last longer than 20 to 30 minutes. If it feels as if your panic attack is lasting hours, this could mean that youre having more than one panic attack in a row. However, it could also mean that youre experiencing something that isnt a panic attack or that youre experiencing another condition on top of a panic attack. In this situation, you should head to the emergency room for your panic attack. Again, its better to be safe than sorry.
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Types Of Anxiety Treatment Offered At Seven Hills Hospital
When looking for anxiety treatment, you or your loved one may have been searching broadly for treatment centers near me? In the Las Vegas area, there is one clear choice. Seven Hills Hospital provides free, confidential assessments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at our convenient location near Las Vegas, Nevada. After completing a thorough assessment, one of our psychiatrists will review the evaluation in order to ensure that we will be able to provide the most appropriate level of care for the individual seeking treatment for anxiety at our hospital. Once admitted into our center for anxiety concerns, we provide each patient with his or her own individualized plan of care which will be implemented in a safe, secure, and structured environment. We have a child and adolescent unit between the ages of 5-17, an adult mental health unit, an adult substance abuse treatment unit, an adult rehabilitation unit, and a geriatric unit, all tailored to meet the specific needs of each population while receiving anxiety treatment at our hospital. We utilize a number of different therapeutic techniques on each of our units including the following:
Individual therapy: Individual counseling sessions are designed to provide patients with time to meet one-on-one with a therapist in order to work on things such as learning to regulate emotions, tolerating distress, and any other issues that they may be struggling with. Individual sessions are held on an as-needed basis.
- Recreational therapy
When Should You Be Hospitalized For Depression
I wish psychiatrists sent depressives home with instructions on when to go to the hospital similar to the ones obstetricians give to pregnant women once they reach 37 weeks of gestation: when your contractions last for a minute each and are five minutes apart, start the ignition!
It was two girlfriends who hadnt seen me all summer who convinced me to pack my bags. When Davids preschool started back in September a year and a half ago, I joined my friend Christine for dinner after Davids karate class. When she arrived home she called another friend, Joani.
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What To Do When You Have An Anxiety Attack
Anxiety attacks often need to run their course. Once they’ve started, there is very little that you can do to stop them completely. They’re a reaction that your body has that is somewhat beyond your control. They can be prevented, and their severity can be lessened, but they are very hard to stop.
Reducing its severity has to do with reacting correctly to the symptoms. Remember – the physical symptoms you experience are very real, and very disruptive. But they’re not related to any health problem, and solely a result of your anxiety. If you believe you feel an anxiety attack coming or you’re certain you’re in the middle of the one, try the following:
Drinking water may also calm the mind, and if you feel strong enough, a good jog can get your body to breathe better and use oxygen at a healthier pace.
How To Cope With Hospital Anxiety In Yourself
If you are dealing with hospital anxiety, remember to breathe. Deep breathing can go a long way in helping get rid of anxiety. If you have tried meditation before, any techniques you learned can help with hospital anxiety. Force yourself to clear your thoughts, and act in a way that will best affect your health. Remember that it is okay to be anxious, but not okay to let anxiety stop you. If you need care, it will be easier to deal with the anxiety than the pain.
You might also look for outside factors to help calm you. One popular method of coping with anxiety is music. With nearly everyone carrying a smartphone now, music is only a few clicks away. Once youve signed the paperwork and are simply waiting, putting your favorite music in your ear can go a long way. Books are another thing that help many people calm down, especially because it forces you into an active role.
If you can, you should have a friend or family member come to the hospital with you. Having someone to talk to can help relieve enormous amounts of stress. Its especially helpful if the person youre with is a good caregiver, or is able to assume the role easily. For many people, accompaniment by a partner or parent is the best option for relieving hospital anxiety. There are rare cases where the relative is more anxious than the patient, though, which is never good for hospital anxiety.
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Helping A Loved One Or Family Member Get Anxiety Treatment
Watching a family member or loved one who is suffering from the ongoing symptoms of anxiety fight through each day can be extremely devastating. You may feel at a loss as to what you can do to help your loved one when he or she no longer seems to have control over his or her own thoughts and behaviors. The best thing that you can do for him or her is to be a constant source of support, but even that can be difficult if you lack a true understanding of what anxiety is and how it can negatively impact the lives of those suffering from it. Here are some things to keep in mind as you help your loved one come to terms with the fact that treatment at a professional center or hospital or anxiety concerns is needed while remaining supportive throughout the process:
- Take time to learn about anxiety disorders and the best treatment available at a hospital or center so that you can gain an understanding of what your loved one is going through
- Refrain from saying things such as calm down or just relax or dont worry because this will likely only increase his or her anxiety remember that this is not something that he or she has control over
- Ask questions do not assume to know what your loved one needs
- Avoid being judgmental
- Do not offer to do things for your loved one because this can result in his or her beginning to feel dependent on you, which can ultimately prolong the anxiety instead of aiding in alleviating it
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