Anxiety Treatment and Therapy | Denver & Golden
Your Journey Towards a Better Day
Anxiety is a natural and common human emotion characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and nervousness. While occasional anxiety is a normal part of life, excessive or persistent anxiety can interfere with daily functioning and quality of life. Beginning psychiatric care and/or therapy for anxiety is a proactive step toward improving your mental well-being. We provide compassionate and evidence-based mental health care for both adult and youth patients suffering from anxiety.
A Better Day Psychiatry offers a team of qualified professionals who specialize in evidence-based anxiety treatment in Denver, Golden, Lakewood, and throughout Colorado. Whether you’re seeking anxiety therapy in Denver or elsewhere in the state, our experienced team is dedicated to providing comprehensive care to help you overcome your anxiety and regain control of your life. Schedule with a provider today to begin your journey towards A Better Day.
About Anxitey
Facts and Symptoms in Adults and Children
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting approximately 31% of adults at some point in their lives. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Although anxiety disorders are often very treatable, more than 60% of people do not seek help.
Anxiety is also common in children and adolescents. However, the symptoms can be slightly different than in adults and can include:
- Excessive worrying
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disturbances
- Physical complaints (such as stomach aches or headaches)
- Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations
- Changes in behavior or mood
A Better Day Psychiatry works with adults, children, and adolescents and specializes in helping children and their parents reduce, understand, and overcome their anxiety.
Anxiety Types and Symptoms
There are several different types of anxiety, each with unique characteristics and symptoms.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
GAD involves chronic and excessive worry about various aspects of life, such as work, health, relationships, or finances, even when there is no apparent reason for concern. This is the most common type of anxiety.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder Is characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling, and feelings of impending doom.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD is characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts or obsessions. These lead to repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing harm.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
is characterized by excessive fear or anxiety about separation from attachment figures, such as parents or caregivers. This may result in clinginess, refusal to go to school or leave home, or nightmares about separation.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative changes in mood and cognition, and hyperarousal.
Treatment Options
Treatments for Anxiety
At A Better Day Psychiatry we work with the patient and family collaboratively to provide a tailored treatment approach. We consider our relationship with you as a partnership and believe that making treatment decisions together as a team yields the most favorable outcomes.
The initial phase of anxiety treatment involves educating you about the available treatment options and determining the most suitable approach. Treatment options may include:
Psychotheraphy
- Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy or anxiety counseling. Anxiety counseling is a highly effective treatment option. The most common form of psychotherapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT helps individuals identify and challenge maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to anxiety. In sessions, individuals learn coping skills, relaxation techniques, and strategies to manage symptoms.
- Exposure Therapy: Involves gradually and systematically exposing individuals to feared stimuli or situations in a safe and controlled manner. By confronting feared objects or situations, individuals learn to reduce anxiety and fear responses over time.
- Mindfulness-Based Therapies: Mindfulness-based approaches, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), teach individuals to cultivate present-moment awareness and acceptance. These therapies can help reduce rumination, worry, and reactivity to anxiety triggers.
Medication Options for Anxiety
You can explore medication as a potential treatment option for anxiety by discussing it with your healthcare provider to determine if it’s suitable for you. When combined with psychotherapy, medication can offer an integrated approach to managing anxiety. Antidepressants and Buspirone are the most frequently prescribed medications for anxiety disorders. When starting medication, our philosophy at A Better Day Psychiatry is to aim for the lowest effective dose for the patient. Ultimately, the decision to start medication is always up to you. If medication is deemed appropriate, you would continue receiving care through our psychiatric medication management program.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Lifestyle Modifications
- Regular exercise
- Eating a Balanced Diet
- Getting Adequate Sleep
- Managing Stress
- Social Support
- Limiting Alcohol and Substance Use
- Engaging in Meaningful Activities
Anxiety Support services
Anxiety support services offer individuals emotional support, education, and practical assistance in coping with anxiety. Examples include support groups, online communities, educational classes, and religious or spiritual support groups.
Common Causes of Anxiety
Biological Factors of Anxiety
- Genetics: Research suggests that genetic predisposition plays a role in the development of anxiety disorders. Individuals with a family history of anxiety disorders are more likely to experience anxiety themselves.
- Neurotransmitter Imbalance: Imbalances in neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are involved in mood regulation and the stress response, have been implicated in anxiety.
- Brain Structure and Function: Structural and functional abnormalities in specific brain regions, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, have been implicated in anxiety.
Environmental Factors of Anxiety
- Stressful Life Events: Exposure to significant life stressors, such as loss of a loved one, divorce, job loss, financial difficulties, or academic pressure, can trigger or exacerbate symptoms of anxiety.
- Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, or other adverse experiences can have long-lasting effects on mental health and increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders.
- Social Stressors: Social factors, such as social isolation, lack of social support, or exposure to discrimination or bullying, can contribute to feelings of anxiety and distress.
- Workplace Environment: Work-related stressors, such as high job demands and job burnout, low job control, job insecurity, workplace harassment, or conflict with coworkers or supervisors, can contribute to anxiety disorders.
- Educational Environment: Academic pressure, perfectionism, competition, and performance expectations can contribute to anxiety symptoms, particularly among teenage students.
- Cultural Factors: Cultural norms, values, and societal expectations regarding gender roles, achievement, and success can influence the experience and expression of anxiety. Stigma surrounding mental health, lack of access to culturally sensitive mental health services, and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation can also contribute to anxiety disorders.
Psychological Factors of Anxiety
- Personality Traits: Certain personality traits, particularly, perfectionism, are common among individuals with anxiety disorders. Perfectionism can contribute to feelings of pressure, self-criticism, and anxiety about failure or disapproval.
- Dysfunctional Beliefs and Assumptions: Maladaptive beliefs and assumptions about oneself, others, or the world can contribute to the development and persistence of anxiety disorders. Examples include beliefs about one’s inability to cope with stress, the need for excessive control or certainty, and fears of negative evaluation or rejection.
- Avoidance Behaviors: Avoidance behaviors, such as avoiding feared situations, places, or activities, are common among individuals with anxiety disorders. While avoidance may provide temporary relief from anxiety, it ultimately reinforces fear and prevents individuals from learning that the feared stimuli are not as dangerous as perceived.
- Cognitive Patterns: Dysfunctional cognitive patterns, such as catastrophic thinking, overestimation of a threat, and intolerance of uncertainty, can contribute to the development and persistence of anxiety.
Begin your Journey towards a better day.
Anxiety FAQs
What is the most effective way to treat anxiety?
Anxiety is most effectively treated with the combination of medications and therapy, but in many cases alternate approaches can be tried first. Lifestyle modifications such as exercising, improving sleep hygiene, socializing, and eating a balanced diet can go a long way. When that is not enough, there are both evidence based therapies such as CBT and medications that can help people overcome or at least learn to live comfortably with their anxiety.