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Anxiety Related Conditions We Treat

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by excessive worry, fear, and physical symptoms that can significantly impact daily life.

While Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a specialty at The Gateway Institute, there are many other anxiety disorders that can commonly occur alongside OCD that we treat as well.

Benefits of Understanding Anxiety Disorders:

• Increased self-awareness: Identifying your specific symptoms can help you manage them more effectively.
• Reduced stigma: Learning about different anxiety disorders can help normalize these experiences and encourage help-seeking.
• Finding the right treatment: Understanding your condition can empower you to find the most appropriate treatment approach.

The Gateway Institute specializes in providing the most advanced treatment protocols available for each of these conditions. Learn more about our treatment methods.

Common Anxiety Disorders We Treat

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable and unwanted thoughts which compel a person to perform repetitive and ritualized behaviors in an effort to avoid or decrease anxiety caused by these obsessions. OCD usually causes significant distress and at times can consume hours of a person’s day performing rituals. Learn more about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is diagnosed in people who experience spontaneous panic attacks and are preoccupied with the fear of a recurring attack. Panic attacks occur unexpectedly and can be highly debilitating. Sometimes these panic attacks lead to avoidance of an activity or environment which the sufferer has associated with a feeling of panic from their past. This avoidance could potentially lead to more severe and disabling disorders such as agoraphobia. Learn more about Panic Disorder.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a disabling condition that until recently has been largely ignored. It has been estimated that 1 to 2 percent of the general population has BDD, which is nearly 5 million people in the United States alone. BDD is aptly described as the disease of imagined ugliness. Most of us pay attention to our appearance but BDD sufferers worry excessively and unreasonably about some aspects of their appearance. They may be concerned that their nose is too big, cheeks misshapen, eyelids too puffy, breasts too small, etc. Any blemish such as acne, freckles or other perceived imperfection becomes a focal point, constantly drawing their attention and thoughts. Learn more about Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying experience involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm. A person who develops PTSD may have been harmed directly, is aware of harm that happened to a loved one, or witnessed firsthand a harmful event to loved one or stranger. People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affection, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the disturbing incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. PTSD symptoms are usually worse if the triggering event was deliberately initiated by another person, such as a mugging or kidnapping. Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, and are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring on the street. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. Learn more about Post-Traumatic Disorder (PTSD).

Social Anxiety & Social Phobia

Social Phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is diagnosed when people become overwhelmingly anxious and excessively self-conscious in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have intense, persistent, and chronic fear of being watched and fear of being judged by others, in addition to being fearful of doing things that will embarrass themselves. They may worry for days or weeks before a dreaded situation. This fear may become so severe that it interferes with work, school, and other ordinary activities, and often leads to difficulty in making and/or keeping friends. Learn more about Social Anxiety/Phobia.

Trichotillomania (TTM)

Trichotillomania (TTM) or “trich” is characterized by the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, facial hair, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows or other body hair, sometimes resulting in noticeable bald patches. Trichotillomania often begins during an individual’s teenage years, and depression or stress can trigger or exacerbate this condition. Trichotillomania is a type of compulsive behavior, and people with this condition often feel an overwhelming urge to pull their hair. Those with Trichotillomania may also have other compulsive habits including nail biting or skin picking. People with Trichotillomania often hide their behavior due to embarrassment and shame resulting in depression and a diminished self-esteem. Trichotillomania is a medical condition, but with appropriate treatment, it is a treatable condition. Learn more about Trichotillomania.