Untreated anxiety can have a significant negative impact on virtually all parts of a person’s life. Depending on the severity of the symptoms that a person experiences, treatment options typically range from outpatient counseling to residential treatment. But what if these options aren’t enough? Can you be hospitalized for severe anxiety?
What is Severe Anxiety?
Before we explore the question, “Can you be hospitalized for severe anxiety?” let’s take a moment to clarify what we mean when we discuss anxiety in a clinical sense.
Anxiety is a general term that can be applied to a variety of distinct conditions. In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, these conditions are referred to collectively as anxiety disorders. Common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobia.
All anxiety disorders are associated with symptoms such as excessive fear and disproportionate worry. They are differentiated primarily by what may cause a person to develop these symptoms.
Symptoms of Severe Anxiety
Depending on which type of anxiety disorder a person has developed, severe anxiety may be characterized by symptoms such as the following:
- Unwillingness to leave the house
- Debilitating fear related to meeting new people or being in certain environments
- Sensation of being choked, suffocated, or unable to catch their breath
- Chest pains that can feel like a heart attack
- Frequent headaches, stomach aches, and muscle pain
- Persistent tension and/or restlessness
- Inability to focus, concentrate, or exercise good judgment
- Pervasive sense of fatigue or exhaustion
Dangers of Severe Anxiety
Severe anxiety can negatively impact a person’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. Potential dangers of severe anxiety include the following:
- Abusing alcohol or other drugs in an attempt to escape their emotional distress
- Becoming addicted to alcohol or other drugs
- Failing in school
- Being unable to make appropriate career progress
- Having great difficulty finding and keeping a job
- Being unable to form and maintain healthy friendships
- Developing a co-occurring mental health disorder
- Suffering from physical health problems due to poor self-care or avoidance of doctors
- Withdrawing from loved ones and becoming isolated
Can You Be Hospitalized for Severe Anxiety?
Can you be hospitalized for severe anxiety? Yes, you most certainly can.
You can be hospitalized for severe anxiety if your symptoms have become so intense that you are unable to function at work, in school, or in another important area of your life. Hospitalization, which is often also referred to as inpatient treatment, is the highest level of care for people who have developed symptoms of severe anxiety.
Treatment at this level is typically a focused, short-term experience. If you are hospitalized for severe anxiety, you will likely remain in treatment for about five to 10 days – though this time frame can vary depending on the nature and intensity of your symptoms.
In addition to addressing each patient’s unique needs and goals, the general objective of hospitalization for severe anxiety is to help patients achieve stabilization so that they can return to their homes or transition to a lower level of care.
Benefits of Hospitalization for Severe Anxiety
The following are just a few examples of the benefits of being hospitalized for severe anxiety:
- You will be in a safe and highly supportive environment.
- You will be under the care of a team of experienced professionals.
- You will have access to round-the-clock monitoring and supervision.
- You can receive personalized treatment that follows a structured daily schedule.
- After completing a thorough assessment, you can also, if necessary, receive proper care for any co-occurring mental health concerns.
- You can find temporary respite from the stresses and pressures of everyday life, so that you can focus your full attention on your treatment and your health.
- You can take part in a variety of customized therapeutic interventions.
- You can develop and practice skills to help you manage your symptoms.
- You may receive prescription medication to help ease your symptoms.
When you receive inpatient care for severe anxiety at Montare Behavioral Health, you will also receive a detailed discharge plan before you transition out of treatment. This plan can connect you with the professional services and community-based resources that will support you in the weeks, months, and even years to come.
Depending on your progress with us, your discharge plan after being hospitalized for severe anxiety may include a referral to a residential, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient program. It may also provide information about support groups and other beneficial organizations.
While your hospitalization for severe anxiety may be relatively brief, the services you receive at this level of care can lead to significant improvements and prepare you to make sustained progress.
How to Effectively Treat Severe Anxiety
In addition to knowing that you can be hospitalized for severe anxiety, it can also be valuable to understand what types of services you may receive in an inpatient program.
Effective treatment for severe anxiety often involves a combination of prescription medication and therapy.
Benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are among the medications that are typically included in treatment for severe anxiety.
Therapy for severe anxiety may include both individual and group sessions. Groups may include educational, process, and skills-development sessions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which can help you replace negative thought and behavior patterns with healthier ways of thinking and acting, may be particularly beneficial.
Begin Treatment for Severe Anxiety in Los Angeles, California
If severe anxiety has disrupted your ability to live a productive life, Montare Behavioral Health is here to help. We offer customized inpatient and outpatient care at several locations in the Los Angeles area.
When you choose Montare Behavioral Health, you can rest assured that you will receive comprehensive, personalized services from a team of dedicated professionals. Please visit our Admissions page or contact us directly to learn more.
