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The Connection Between Anxiety and Addiction

Anxiety, as defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), is an “emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” Anxiety will manifest differently in different people. The feelings of anxiety can range from mild to severe. While fleeting anxiety is unavoidable, it is atypical for an individual to experience frequent, intense, debilitating, persistent worries and/ or fears related to everyday situations, and such anxiety could be indicative of an anxiety disorder. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) asserts: “Anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions, each having unique symptoms. However, all anxiety disorders have one thing in common: persistent, excessive fear or worry in situations that are not threatening.” According to Johns Hopkins Medicine anxiety disorders affect up to 18% of the population, making it the most common mental health condition in the United States.

Substance Use Disorder

Addiction, also known as substance use disorder (SUD), is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as a chronic, relapsing brain disorder. Substance use disorder is defined as a “complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of substance despite harmful consequence.” Habitually abusing drugs and/ or alcohol will affect the way one’s brain functions, as one’s body becomes increasingly accustomed to operating with the presence of the abused substance in its system. Since the disease compels an individual to prioritize satisfying his or her substance cravings above all else, he or she will likely experience a plethora of adverse effects, including physical complications, relationship fractures, financial strain, legal challenges, employment issues, and more. Data from 2022 presented by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, indicate that addiction affects over 20 million Americans aged 12 and over.

Anxiety and Addiction

There is a complex and bidirectional relationship between anxiety and addiction, and these two conditions often co-occur. Some individuals who suffer from severe anxiety will turn to drugs and/ or alcohol in attempt to help alleviate the discomforts of their anxiety. Self-medicating cannot only be dangerous but can also lead to a built-up tolerance, increasing one’s risk of developing SUD. Conversely, chronic substance abuse can lead to neurobiological changes in the brain, affecting areas involved in mood regulation, stress response, and decision-making. These changes can increase susceptibility to anxiety disorders. Both anxiety disorders and addiction can have genetic and environmental risk factors. These factors can overlap, making some individuals more vulnerable to developing both conditions. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that people diagnosed with substance use disorder are twice as likely to suffer from an anxiety disorder than the general population.

Treatment In Calabasas

Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.

The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.

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How to Manage Anxiety in a High-Stress Job

Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” It is a complex response to real or perceived threats that can involve cognitive, physical, and behavioral changes. It is an unavoidable feeling that every human will undoubtedly experience throughout one’s life. Jobs typically play a significant role in people’s lives, and it is natural to feel anxious about them from time to time, particularly when workplace pressures are especially high. According to Mental Health America’s 2021 Mind the Workplace report, nearly 83% of respondents felt emotionally drained from their work, and about 9 in 10 workers, which is equal to 85%, reported that job stress affected their mental health. Workplace anxiety generally develops in response to stress at work and can present in and outside of the workplace environment. Although some amount of stress and anxiety is to be expected when working in a high-stress employment environment, the symptoms of anxiety can be unpleasant. The U.S. News & World Report offers various strategies to help decrease stress and assuage anxiety when it presents, some of which include the following:

Focus on others, not yourself: Switching from an internal to an external focus can be helpful in reducing anxiety.
Challenge your negative, anxious thoughts: Identify the anxious thoughts that surface when you think of work, analyze them, and challenge them to discern if your initial reaction is truly how you feel or if you are just assuming the worst.
Draw your attention to external stimuli: Look around you and notice tangible items in your surroundings; this can be both grounding and helpful in gaining perspective over your anxiety.
Breathe: Focus on slowing down your breath to help pull your focus away from your anxiety and onto your breath.
Take a break: Carve out time each day to take regular mini breaks where you can conduct a quick body check and see where you may be feeling tension, exhaustion, or any unwanted feelings.

Avoid getting overwhelmed: Slow down and do one thing at a time instead of attempting to multitask. By tackling one thing at a time, you can allocate undivided attention to completing each task accurately and efficiently.
Acknowledge your feelings: Although it may seem that your anxiety will last forever, it won’t; by acknowledging and naming your feelings you can help diffuse your angst.
Arm yourself with a robust supply of relaxation tools and techniques: Test out as many different relaxation methods as you can to figure out what resonates with you best. Consider trying out meditation, yoga, reading, listening to music, journaling, etc. to quiet your mind. Research has found that meditation can help lower blood pressure, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, improve insomnia, and more.

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The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

Mental health exists on a continuum, and much like physical health, is intertwined and often informed by behavioral health. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” While one’s mental health encompasses several factors (e.g., one’s biology, one’s psychological condition, and one’s habits) behavioral health examines how one’s habits impact one’s overall physical and mental well-being. Good behavioral health means engaging in behaviors that help to achieve an ideal mental and physical balance. Nutrition, for example, plays a significant role in mental health, as a growing body of research suggests that what one eats can have a profound impact on one’s mood, cognitive function, and overall well-being.

Nutrition is defined as “the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life.” Nutrition comes from a variety of sources such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, lipids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and more. Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions (e.g., provide energy, contribute to body structure, and/ or regulate chemical processes in the body). These are vital, basic functions that allow us to detect and respond to environmental surroundings, move, excrete wastes, breathe, grow, and reproduce. Essential nutrients are compounds that must be obtained from our diet as the human body cannot make them or cannot make them in sufficient quantity. Essential nutrients are divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Nutrients (i.e., carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) that are needed in large amounts for the body to function optimally are called macronutrients. Micronutrients include all the essential minerals and vitamins and are required by the body in lesser amounts. The relationship between nutrition and mental health is complex and multifaceted.

The neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that are responsible for regulating behaviors) in one’s body are controlled by what an individual ingests. Hence, poor nutrition can lead to detrimental physiological outcomes, whereas proper nutrition can enrich an individual’s mental health. Certain foods, for example, can increase the production of dopamine and/ or norepinephrine that boost an individual’s ability to think more clearly, remain more alert, and heighten their focus. Including certain foods (e.g., those rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc.) into one’s diet can provide an individual with the energy and strength required to be physically active, which paves the way to develop a healthy exercise regimen. The Academy of Neurological Therapy asserts that “exercise has been shown to help improve and prevent many conditions, including: weight management, stress levels, emotional regulation/ mood, memory, attention, strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, and blood pressure regulation.” Epidemiological studies have revealed that diet impacts mental health, and intervention studies confirm this relationship. Cultivating healthy nutrition habits is essential for any individual as eating a varied and nutritiously balanced diet can inform one’s physiological health and promote mental wellness.

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How To Overcome Anxiety-Related Panic Attacks

The Mayo Clinic explains a panic attack as “a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” Panic attacks most often occur out of the blue and are not always cued by stressors. However, people who experience anxiety are at an increased risk of experiencing panic attacks. The medical definition of anxiety provided in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” A panic attack is classified when an individual experiences four or more of the following symptoms simultaneously, as provided by Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA):

Excessive sweating.
Fear of dying.
Chest pain.
Dizziness.
Chills.
Heart palpitations.
Light-headedness.
Nausea.
Feelings of choking.
Trembling.
Tingling sensations and/ or numbness.
Fear of losing control.
Difficulty catching one’s breath.
Excessive shaking and/ or shivering.
Abdominal distress.
Accelerated heart rate.

Panic attacks can range in severity and duration. Typically, panic attacks are short-lived, but the quick onset and the intense symptoms can leave an individual experiencing residual effects of anxiety long after a panic attack has ended.

What To Do

Panic attacks can be highly unnerving. The following suggestions may help to stop or manage anxiety-related panic attacks:

Breathe: Focus on slowing down your breath to help pull your focus away from your symptoms and onto your breath. A group of scientists found that slow breathing could improve feelings of relaxation, comfort, and alertness and reduce symptoms of arousal anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion.

Guide yourself out of panic: Focusing on the five senses is an effective grounding technique. A quick way to bring one’s attention to the present moment is to actively engage all five senses. Try this by naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Get some fresh air: Research suggests that both spending time in nature and visualizing nature can help treat and manage anxiety.
Exercise: Experts have found that exercising at 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for 20 minutes three times per week can help reduce anxiety.

If you are experiencing frequent, recurring, and/ or severe panic attacks it is best to err on the side of caution and obtain an evaluation from a qualified mental health professional. At the very least, they will be able to provide you with more pointed guidance for how to best navigate and overcome anxiety-related panic attacks.

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The Importance of Sleep in Anxiety Management

Anxiety is a complex response to real or perceived threats that can involve cognitive, physical, and behavioral changes. It is the body’s natural response to stress and will manifest differently in everyone. Experiencing worry, fear, and stress is considered a normal part of life when it is occasional and temporary. However, when those acute emotional reactions become persistent, they can significantly interfere with daily living activities. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental health problem in the United States. Over 40 million adults in America (approximately 19% of the country’s population) are affected by an anxiety disorder every year. Further, nearly all anxiety disorders co-occur with significant sleep abnormalities and vice versa.

Why Sleep Matters

Although anxiety triggers, or things that lead to an increase in one’s anxiety symptoms, are often unique to each person, certain factors are known to exacerbate anxiety, such as sleep deficits. Research suggests that anxiety may lead to a state of dysfunctional arousal which often results in persistent sleep-wake difficulties. Being sleep-deprived has been shown to lead to cognitive impairments, like increased impulsivity, poor judgment, or irritability, which is why prioritizing sleep in anxiety management is essential.

Research from the University of California, Berkeley, indicates that a sleepless night can produce up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels. The same study goes on to suggest “that insufficient sleep amplifies levels of anxiety and, conversely, that deep sleep helps reduce such stress.” Another study revealed that the quality and amount of sleep participants received from one night to the next predicted anxiety levels of the next day, with even subtle nightly sleep changes exhibiting an effect. Evidence indicates that “when one sleeps, the brain reorganizes and recharges itself, and removes toxic waste byproducts which have accumulated throughout the day.” Sleep provides the body’s neurons with an opportunity to shut down and repair themselves. Without sleep, neurons become increasing depleted and polluted, through normal cellular activities, that they begin to malfunction. Sleep increases protein production in cells that fuel growth and repair damage incurred by stress and other factors. Sleep plays a key role in regulating emotion, as good night’s sleep can significantly impact an individual’s stress levels and coping capacity.

The National Sleep Foundation created a chart that illustrates the ideal amount of sleep a person should obtain (ranging from infants into adulthood). The chart is broken up such that adults ideal sleep durations vary. Young adults between ages eighteen to twenty-five should be getting between seven to nine hours of sleep, nightly. Adults between the ages of twenty-six and sixty-four should also obtain between seven to nine hours of sleep. Adults older than sixty-five years of age are recommended to get between seven to eight hours of sleep, nightly. Healthy sleep hygiene practices can result in countless benefits and enhance one’s mental health. Therefore, prioritizing sleep as part of anxiety management is essential for overall well-being.

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The Role of Exercise in Eating Disorder Recovery

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) list different types of eating disorders that are, respectively, categorized under the Disorder Class: Feeding and Eating Disorders. Eating disorders are defined as “serious medical illnesses marked by severe disturbances to a person’s eating behavior,” and are characterized by abnormal, irregular eating habits, and an extreme concern with one’s body weight or shape. The pervasive symptoms associated with any type of eating disorder can cause adverse physiological consequences and interfere with one’s ability to adequately function in daily life. Further, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. There are a variety of eating disorder treatment options available. The path of recovery will not be the same for everyone, as everyone is unique with distinct needs. A personalized treatment plan will provide an individual with the highest potential for a successful long-term recovery.

The Role of Exercise

While exercise has long been recognized as an effective intervention for many psychological health issues, it has often been overlooked as a potential adjunct to eating disorder treatment. This may be, in part, due to the fact that over-exercising and purging through exercise are common features across all eating disorders, and these unhealthy practices are often some of the last symptoms to subside during recovery. According to Psychology Today, “the degree of over-exercise, as well as body image dissatisfaction, also predicts whether a person will relapse, an occurrence that happens in up to 52% of people who have initially recovered from an eating disorder.” Based on the assumption that individuals will misuse workout practices to compensate for increased food intake, eating disorder treatment has historically involved no access to exercise.

However, prohibiting or significantly restricting exercise during eating disorder treatment can hinder one’s recovery. Prolonged abstinence from exercising can exacerbate one’s body image dissatisfaction and trigger relapses. Hence, much like recovery from eating disorders involves the reintroduction of foods and/ or calories that have been previously eliminated, helping to reestablish a healthy relationship with exercise is becoming an increasingly common component of the eating disorder treatment protocol. There are several empirically supported benefits of including exercise in eating disorder recovery, such as:

Exercising has the potential to enhance one’s interoceptive awareness, which is one’s ability to sense internal cues (e.g., hunger, thirst, heartbeat, etc.), shaping how one feels and behaves. This, in turn, helps to support behavioral changes (such as eating and resting), as it improves one’s ability to notice when they feel hunger and/ or fatigue.
One study found that incorporating mindful exercise into eating disorder treatments boosts weight restoration and reduces compulsive thoughts. Mindful exercise involves paying attention to how your body moves and observing how you feel before, during, and after the movement.
Exercise during recovery increases individual’s autonomy, and clinical evidence demonstrates that when individuals have a sense of autonomy in their recovery plan it heightens their motivation to adhere to their treatment.

Scientific research demonstrates that exercising during eating disorder recovery improves treatment outcomes physically and mentally.

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DBT Skills for Distress Tolerance in BPD

Distress tolerance is one of the four key areas, also known as modules, that make up the psychotherapeutic intervention known as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Psychologist Marsha M. Linehan developed DBT in the late 1980s as a means to help better treat chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Distress tolerance is often conceptualized as “one’s ability to tolerate and withstand negative or uncomfortable emotional states.” DBT skills for distress tolerance, also known as crisis survival skills, aim to help individuals learn how to cope with feelings that do not have an immediately known resolution. There are many different distress tolerance skills taught in DBT, some of which include the following:

Radical acceptance: This skill entails making a conscious choice to accept the state of things as they are, without working to change them.
TIPP skills: TIPP is an acronym for Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation. TIPP skills quickly calm the limbic system and lower the state of emotional arousal.
Weigh the pros and cons: Noting the pros and cons can help an individual pause and take a moment to think logically about a situation and the subsequent steps.
Failing forward: Failing forward eliminates the fear of failure by recognizing and celebrating it as an opportunity for growth. It allows an individual to see that failure does not imply that they have failed as a person, and simultaneously reinforces the notion that growth is always possible.
STOP skill: STOP is an acronym for Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully, which can help an individual avoid engaging in impulsive behavior.
Self-soothing techniques: There are a variety of self-soothing techniques that can be used to ground oneself mentally and emotionally.
Square breathing: This is a guided breathing exercise that can be used by anyone to manage stress and anxiety, as it has been shown to relax the nervous system. Try it out by following these simple directions:
- Inhale to a count of 4.
- Hold your breath to a count of 4.
- Exhale to a count of 4.
- Hold it for a count of 4.
IMPROVE skills: IMPROVE is an acronym for Imagery, Meaning, Prayer, Relaxation, One thing in the moment, Vacation, and Encouragement, all of which can help with improving the moment.
Distraction: During moments of intense overwhelm, temporary distractions (e.g., calling a friend, reading a book, watching TV, etc.) can provide brief relief from the distressing situation.

The skills focused on during the distress tolerance module of DBT include various short-term coping strategies intended to help an individual with BPD manage emotional pain to avoid destructive behavior.

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How To Support A Loved One With An Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are defined as “serious medical illnesses marked by severe disturbances to a person’s eating behavior,” and are characterized by abnormal, irregular eating habits, and an extreme concern with one’s body weight or shape. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) list different types of eating disorders all of which are, respectively, categorized under the Disorder Class: Feeding and Eating Disorders. The best way to help someone with an eating disorder is to be able to recognize its warning signs and encourage them to pursue treatment. While treatment for eating disorders generally requires professional, medical, and psychological intervention, there are a variety of ways you can support your loved one and their recovery process. Consider the following suggestions, provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

Learn about eating disorders: The more information you know, the better equipped you will be to help your loved one avoid pitfalls and cope with challenges.
Remain optimistic: Remind yourself that things can change and reassure your loved one that recovery is possible.
Recognize and adjust any accommodating or enabling behaviors: Enabling behaviors refer to behaviors that you exhibit which help to reduce your loved one’s distress from the eating disorder (e.g., cleaning up vomit, normalizing being absent at mealtimes, etc.), but that collude with the disorder and cover up the negative consequences of their behaviors.
Be mindful of triggers: Avoid discussions about weight, shape, food, diets, and do not make negative statements about your own body in front of your loved one.
Maintain open lines of communication: Create an emotionally safe environment for your loved one to share and check in with them regularly. Listen more than you speak, remain engaged, and make sure they feel heard. Avoid judgment and resist the urge to advise or criticize. Even if you are unable to identify with or simply do not understand what they are going through, it is important to validate your loved one’s emotions by affirming their feelings.
Model a balanced relationship with your own food: Do not be afraid to eat normally in front of someone with an eating disorder because it can set an example of a healthy relationship with food.

Take care of yourself: Engage in activities (e.g., regular exercise, nutritious eating, self-care practices, ample sleep, etc.) that promote physical and mental well-being.

Eating disorders are chronic mental health conditions that require professional, long-term treatment. Every individual is different and will benefit most from a customized treatment plan when it comes to recovering from an eating disorder. The treatment plan for an individual diagnosed with an eating disorder will be directly informed by several contributing factors, such as: one’s exact diagnosis, how long he or she has been actively engaging in unhealthy eating habits, his or her personal health history, and the presence of any co-morbid disorders. Treatment plans often include a multidisciplinary approach. Recovering from an eating disorder is a process that takes time, so it is important to have patience and compassion for your loved one.

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The Effects of Substance Abuse on Anxiety and Mental health

Substance abuse is defined as “the use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines.” There are different ways that an individual could misuse drugs. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines alcohol abuse as a “pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent – or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter – or higher. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male) or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours.” Prescription drug abuse occurs when a person abuses a medication that was prescribed to them by a medical professional or takes prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them at all. It also includes taking more medication than prescribed, mixing the medication with other drugs, ingesting the medication in a way other than prescribed (e.g., crushing and snorting a pill that is meant to be swallowed), and/ or taking the medication more frequently than prescribed. Using any illicit substance is considered drug abuse. Habitually abusing drugs and/ or alcohol will affect the way one’s brain functions, as one’s body becomes increasingly accustomed to functioning with the presence of the abused substance in its system. The psychological distress associated with substance abuse can trigger anxiety and adversely impact one’s mental health.

Alcohol and Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Drinking alcohol is known to exacerbate anxiety. Alcohol reduces the amount of serotonin (the neurotransmitter that works to stabilize one’s mood, happiness, and feelings of well-being) in the brain, and low levels of serotonin are associated with increased anxiety. While drinking alcohol can result in fleeting feelings of relaxation, it is not uncommon for an individual to experience increased feelings of anxiety after the initial effects of alcohol wear off. A 2014 University of Missouri-Columbia study found that drinking alcohol as a method of getting to sleep disrupts the body’s sleep homeostasis, or sleep regulator, and adversely affects one’s natural sleep cycles. The disruption in sleep patterns caused by alcohol can affect one’s energy levels, mood, and increase one’s susceptibility to anxiety.

Substance Use Disorder and Anxiety Disorders

Studies show that substance use disorder increases one’s risk of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) assert that nearly half of the people “who have a mental health disorder will also have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives and vice versa.” When an individual is diagnosed with substance use disorder and another co-occurring mental health illness it is referred to as a dual diagnosis. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that people diagnosed with substance use disorder are twice as likely to suffer from a mood or anxiety disorder than the general population. The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found approximately 8.1 percent of individuals in the United States are living with mental illness and substance use disorder. Anxiety disorders and substance use disorders frequently co-occur. These two disorders have such high rates of co-occurrence that they are among the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses.

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How To Manage Anxiety While Traveling

The medical definition of anxiety provided in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is an “overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs, by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” It is the body’s natural response to stress and will manifest differently in everyone. For example, travel anxiety affects many people, and it can have a disruptive influence on one’s life. PsychCentral explains travel anxiety as a “feeling of worry or fear that occurs in relation to traveling.” Common symptoms a person may experience include:

Sleeping problems leading up to the travel date.
Being unable to control feelings of worry and concern about traveling.
Feeling restless or on edge while in airports or train stations.
Being irritable and short-tempered.
Having panic attacks, which may cause a racing heart, sweating, and feelings of being out of control.
Being self-conscious and worried that others are judging them.

There is no single cause of travel anxiety, and the triggers differ from person to person. Nevertheless, various techniques can help manage and treat different levels of travel anxiety. Consider the following tips and strategies to reduce your travel anxiety, provided by Healthline:

Prepare ahead of time: Map out your schedule and itinerary in detail so you know ahead of time what to expect.
Travel with others: If traveling alone is anxiety-provoking, consider asking a friend or loved one to join you.
Find the silver lining: Rather than dwelling on what may worry you, try to shift your focus to the new adventures and experiences afoot. This can help you replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.
Practice relaxing: Practicing relaxation techniques (e.g., meditation, mindfulness, breathing exercises, etc.) before you travel can help you ground yourself and ease anxiety.
Bring distractions: To avoid idle time that may exacerbate your anxious thoughts, consider bringing something to keep you busy during your journey. Some distracting activities include reading, journaling, crossword (or other) puzzles, movies or TV shows, or any other easily portable activity you enjoy.
Anticipate triggers: Before your trip, do some reflection work so you can anticipate the specific variables that may trigger your anxiety. Anxiety triggers refer to things that lead to an increase in your anxiety symptoms. Understanding what is behind your anxiousness can help you identify the best ways to curb anxiety symptoms beforehand and the most effective techniques to navigate them in the moment.

If you continue to experience anxiety while traveling, it may be advantageous to consult a healthcare professional who can provide you with tailored guidance and customized support.

The Connection Between Anxiety and Addiction

Substance Use Disorder

Anxiety and Addiction

Treatment In Calabasas

How to Manage Anxiety in a High-Stress Job

The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

Treatment In Calabasas

How To Overcome Anxiety-Related Panic Attacks

What To Do

The Importance of Sleep in Anxiety Management

Why Sleep Matters

The Role of Exercise in Eating Disorder Recovery

The Role of Exercise

Treatment In Calabasas

DBT Skills for Distress Tolerance in BPD

Treatment In Calabasas

How To Support A Loved One With An Eating Disorder

Treatment In Calabasas

The Effects of Substance Abuse on Anxiety and Mental health

Alcohol and Anxiety

Substance Use Disorder and Anxiety Disorders

Treatment In Calabasas

How To Manage Anxiety While Traveling

Treatment In Calabasas

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