Panic Disorder and Addiction
Maybe at first you were taking a drink to help take away that sensation
of choking or that something terrible was going to happen. Or maybe
your addiction came first, and then more and more you felt panicky even
when you weren’t sure why. And maybe now, you are ready to gain control
of these two problems.
A dual diagnosis of addiction (whether substance abuse or alcohol) and
panic disorder requires specialized treatment and rehabilitation.
Panic disorder (also called PD) is a sub-type of anxiety disorder.
After experiencing the terrible symptoms of PD you may begin to fear
having a sudden panic attack even if one doesn’t occur. This can be as
devastating emotionally as having the panic attack itself! You may feel
that you need to drink or use drugs to avoid feeling such debilitating
anxiety.
Rarely occurring alone, the dual diagnosis of addiction and PD may also
be accompanied by depression or other kinds of anxiety. Dual diagnosis treatment is the most successful way to confront and treat your
life-destroying combination of problems.
Some things you may experience if have a panic disorder:
-
Feeling short of breath
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Feeling of choking or having a lump in your throat
- Fear of dying
- Feeling light-headed or dizzy or faint
- Fear that you are “going crazy” or “losing control”
- Numbness or tingling all over
- Sweating or shaking
- Nausea, vomiting, generalized aches and pains
Contact us. Let us help. We’ll work with you to design a program suited
exactly to your dual diagnosis needs. We offer drug and alcohol
rehabilitation, in conjunction with therapies and medications to treat
the panic disorder.
Co-occurring problems require specialized ongoing management, and we are experts at providing these integrated services.
You (and your family and significant others) are integral parts of the
treatment team. You may prefer an inpatient setting or being treated as
an outpatient. We provide both kinds of rehabilitation and treatment
programs.
Common Disorders Co-occurring with Addiction
Other Resources on Co-occurring & Dual Diagnosed Disorders