Our Anxiety Treatment Center Philosophy
At PCH, we start with an understanding of why people feel anxious, when that’s a good thing, and when it becomes a problem. The feeling of anxiety is a signal from your body that something is wrong. Most often, that something wrong is a perceived threat, either real or imaginary. Take a global pandemic, for example. The threat of a virus spreading over international borders and changing the way we live is a very real, tangible one. The reality that people feel more anxious right now than they did this time last year should come as no surprise. We’re living with a new threat, dealing with new stressors, and our bodies are responding.
A perceived threat can also be a creation of the mind, and that’s when anxiety inevitably becomes counterproductive to mental well-being. You can feel anxious about real danger, but when that anxiety grows out of proportion to the threat, it likewise interferes with daily life. When that happens, the dedicated Anxiety Treatment Center at PCH offers a range of treatment modules, levels, and groups to help you or a loved one develop productive coping skills while gaining the support of our community.
The Problems With Anxiety Today
The medical diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder today promotes the idea that anxiety is a negative state of being that needs to be “fixed.” With a medical emphasis that’s lasted for decades now, the path of least resistance—treatment by sedating with benzodiazepines—causes doctors to overlook social factors, complex psychological trauma, and personal history before making a diagnosis or writing a prescription. The message? Anxiety is something you need to get rid of immediately.
What PCH Does Differently
First, we don’t regard anxiety as something you need to numb or eliminate. You need to understand it as a signal that something is wrong or out of balance. Anxiety is a natural human feeling, and it’s something you learn to cope with by developing balanced coping skills and thought patterns. We have found that most people are grossly over-medicated or mis-medicated for anxiety, and that most anti-anxiety medications are not only ineffective in the long run but highly addictive. We take a deeper look not only by helping you look inward but also emphasizing where you’re coming from and how you got here.
Our Anxiety Therapy and Anxiety Treatment Programs
Medication Management
Anxiety mis-medication often causes more problems than it solves, so our doctors start by examining what’s helping you and what isn’t. In most cases, medication is not the best approach to managing anxiety and is contraindicated.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps you develop a more positive outlook to think about life situations. You work with a therapist who takes into account your social context to set realistic goals and redirect negative thought patterns that directly lead to your anxious feelings.
Exercise, Yoga, and Breathwork
Channeling anxious energy into productive outlets such as exercise and yoga reduces chronic stress levels and stabilizes your mood. Breathwork empowers you to identify negative thought patterns and develop coping strategies through repetition.
Art Therapy
Artistic outlets offer an easy stress-reduction strategy, opening the opportunity for profound emotional and physiological healing in a safe environment.
Group Therapy
We know you can’t do it all on your own, and we don’t expect you to. You gain access to a community of people who share your struggles and have sat right where you’re sitting right now.
A More Balanced Treatment for Anxiety
At PCH, we want to know what happened to you, not what’s wrong with you. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation, and we’ll help you take the first step to a more balanced life.
Our Programs
Contact PCH Treatment Center
Understanding Social Media Effects on Mental Health
Understanding Social Media Effects on Mental Health Posted by Terry Krekorian, MD Posted on July 21, 2022 Categories: Depression, General Key Points: In less than two decades, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have...
