Integrated Anxiety Treatment in Florida for Lasting Mental Health and Recovery

Life with anxiety can be draining. The relentless worry, the never-ending stream of thoughts, the physical discomfort. It is exhausting in a way that is difficult to explain to those who have never experienced it. When anxiety goes untreated for long enough, many people turn to some sort of self-medication as a means to calm their minds. A few drinks before bed. Some pills to help them get through the day. Drugs that temporarily make the world less overwhelming.  If this sounds like your story, know that you’re not alone and you have options. 

Here at Agape Detox Center, we know that there is a strong connection between anxiety and addiction, and our dual diagnosis program addresses both of these issues simultaneously in a safe and supportive environment. Recovery from both is possible, and we are here to help you do it.

Anxiety is among the most common mental illnesses in the United States, affecting an estimated 19.1% of adults each year.[1] Yet it is probably the least understood. 

While everyone experiences stress or worry from time to time, an anxiety disorder involves worry and fear that is constant, excessive, and interferes with their ability to function.[2] A person’s anxiety does not just mean they are under a lot of stress. Anxiety is a chronic condition that affects almost everything a person thinks about, feels, and does throughout their day.

There are many different forms of anxiety disorders, and each type has its own unique presentation. 

Some examples include:

• • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive concern about a wide range of everyday concerns, such as school, work, and finances, which causes people to feel anxious or on edge over extended periods of time. People diagnosed with GAD also have physical symptoms such as muscle tension, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
  • Panic Disorder: Characterized by recurring panic attacks, which are sudden surges of intense fear, elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, and a sense of impending doom.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations and being judged by others that leads people to avoid social situations and interactions.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to relieve the anxiety brought on by the unwanted thoughts.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Anxiety rooted in past trauma. The primary symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.
  • Specific Phobias: Intense and irrational fear toward a particular object or situation. This fearful response leads to the avoidance of those particular objects or situations.

Anxiety disorders present differently from person to person, based on individual characteristics and the form of anxiety involved. However, below are several common signs and symptoms associated with all anxiety disorders:

Psychological symptoms

• Persistent fear and worry that is difficult to manage or control
• Racing and intrusive thoughts
• Difficulty concentrating and mind going blank
• Irritability and restlessness
• Feeling on edge or keyed up
• Fear of losing control

Physical symptoms:

• Muscle tension and headaches
• Shortness of breath and chest tightness
• Elevated heart rate and palpitations
• Sweating, trembling, and shaking
• Gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances
• Fatigue and physical exhaustion

When anxiety symptoms significantly disrupt daily functioning, relationships, and work, or when they drive the need for substances as a means of self-soothing, seeking professional assistance is warranted.

Anxiety disorders commonly co-occur with substance use disorders and are frequently addressed together in addiction treatment settings.[3] The relationship between them runs in both directions.

For many people with anxiety, substance use begins as a way to manage their symptoms — alcohol to ease social anxiety, benzodiazepines prescribed to treat panic attacks, and opioids to calm the persistent tension. While these self-treatment strategies may provide some immediate comfort, they ultimately increase the severity of the anxiety over time. Alcohol disrupts sleep and increases emotional volatility. Benzodiazepines can result in rapid tolerance followed by dependence. Even when taken as directed, some prescription anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin have a high risk of physical dependence.[4]

The reverse is also true. Substance use contributes to long-term changes in how the brain regulates neurotransmitters and hormones, resulting in either the development or worsening of anxiety disorders.[5] Stimulants produce anxiety and paranoia. Withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines results in acute rebound anxiety that can be more severe than what was there prior to drug use. Opioid withdrawal is accompanied by extreme anxiety and agitation. The neurochemical disruption of addiction leaves the anxiety system dysregulated — often for an extended period after substance use stops.

It is for this reason that treating anxiety disorders and substance use disorders independently rarely provides adequate treatment. When addiction is treated but anxiety is not, the urge to self-medicate remains, and relapse is far more likely.[6]

Seek professional help if your anxiety is negatively impacting your quality of life, your relationships, or your ability to perform your job — especially if you have been taking alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other substances to alleviate your anxiety.

Signs that anxiety and substance use may require co-occurring disorder treatment include:

• Regularly taking alcohol or drugs to calm your anxiety
• Experiencing severe anxiety during withdrawal from substances
• Avoiding social interactions and work performance because of excessive anxiety
• Finding that anxiety has worsened over time, and despite using substances to alleviate it, it has become increasingly difficult to control
• Benzodiazepines were prescribed to alleviate your anxiety and dependency developed
• Feeling unable to manage anxiety without the help of a substance

You don’t have to have a formal diagnosis to reach out for help. Our admissions team will evaluate your situation and recommend the best course of treatment for you.

At Agape Detox Center, anxiety treatment is provided within the context of our dual diagnosis program — meaning it is fully integrated into addiction treatment rather than offered separately. Our clinical team is experienced in identifying and treating co-occurring anxiety disorders alongside substance use, ensuring that both conditions are addressed from the very first day of care.

Below is how we approach treatment:

• Assessment and Diagnosis: Every client entering Agape Detox Center receives a thorough psychiatric and psychological evaluation. These evaluations help to identify co-occurring anxiety disorders, establish the relationship between the client’s anxiety and the substance they are using, and inform the development of the client’s individualized treatment plan.
• Evidence-Based Therapeutic Techniques: Our treatment for anxiety uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that have been proven effective for treating both co-occurring substance use disorders and anxiety disorders. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered one of the most effective and well-supported treatments for anxiety disorders.[7] CBT teaches clients to recognize and replace negative thinking patterns responsible for producing their anxiety and avoidant behaviors with more constructive thoughts and behaviors. 

Medication Evaluation and Management: For some clients, medication is an appropriate and necessary part of anxiety treatment. Our psychiatry team thoroughly evaluates each client and manages their medication carefully, with careful attention to avoiding medications with habit-forming properties.