Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorder Treatments & Therapy in North County San Diego
Social Anxiety
It is natural to be concerned about what others think of us. It is hardwired into us to want to be accepted because we are tribal beings. Being banished is painful because we need each other to survive. With social anxiety, this natural experience is heightened to the degree that it severely interferes with connecting and functioning. This can occur when meeting people for the first time or speaking in front of others. It can also be related to underlying temperament. It is possible to overcome with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), including radically open DBT, available at Centered Ground.
Phobias
Phobias are often grounded in legitimate fears about potentially dangerous situations. With that said, they are amplified to a degree that severely impairs functioning. Examples include fear of flying, seeing blood, heights, closed places, and certain kinds of animals or insects. In addition, a particular phobia specialty at Centered Ground is emetophobia, the fear of throwing up. With exposure therapy, other cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) strategies available at Centered Ground, it is possible to make peace with these fears so that you can live the life you want to the point of mastery over the fear.
Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Life can be full of unexpected, stressful events. When trauma happens, it can be hard to process. In an attempt to reduce our distress, we may start avoiding potential reminders of the trauma. Unfortunately, this can interfere with processing and lead to what is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) approaches, such as prolonged exposure, it is possible to reverse or prevent this cycle and find peace. Prolonged exposure and eye-movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) are supported by research evidence and available at Centered Ground.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Worry is natural and, to a certain extent, even helpful. If we did not worry, we may not have appropriately considered upcoming situations and thus not have adequately prepared. At the same time, worry can only go so far and can backfire. With generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), worry is excessive and significantly impacts functioning. It can also be accompanied by tension, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, your mind going blank, and sleep disturbance. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and other dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) strategies available at Centered Ground can help break this counterproductive cycle.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Perhaps we all occasionally check to make sure we did something, such as turning around and driving home to make sure we closed the garage door. Perhaps we have also washed our hands more than usual when concerned about possible illness. We all have preferences and habits, perhaps favorite numbers or quirks in how we approach life, even getting a bit stuck when we are under high stress. This is part of being human. When checking, hand washing, or counting becomes severely distressing or takes inordinate amounts of time, interfering with life, it can be symptomatic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD also involves intrusive thoughts, which can be highly disturbing. The most empirically supported treatment for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP). This therapy is available at Centered Ground, offering the possibility of gaining mastery over this extremely distressing cycle.
Panic Disorder
Imagine you are suddenly in a life-threatening situation. Your survival depends on you escaping., but you are trapped. How would you respond? Perhaps you would become flooded with heat coursing through you, blood rushing to your muscles, your heart racing to mobilize you to run away as fast as possible, shaking with adrenaline, your breath suddenly catching in your throat. Perhaps, if you are truly trapped, you may find yourself lightheaded and even then passing out, your body trying to protect you, freezing since flight or fight is not possible. Now, imagine you experience all this but are not actually in a life-threatening situation. This is a panic attack. It can come completely out of the blue or be triggered, for example, in the context of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a phobia. With panic disorder, panic attacks are recurrent, and avoidance usually develops in an attempt to prevent their occurrence; this can significantly interfere with life. Through exposure therapy, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) strategies, you can find freedom from this vicious cycle. You can be prepared with proactive measures and confidence in your mastery, no matter the level of escalation.
