Anxiety is one of the leading mental illnesses in the country today. Nearly a third of American adults struggle with this debilitating mental illness. Unfortunately, new research indicates that children of anxious parents are more likely to also suffer from anxiety. As a result, many of these children, teens, adolescents, and young adults may also struggle with addiction. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction and anxiety, it’s critical to get dual diagnosis treatment. At our treatment center, we are proud to offer treatment to individuals who struggle with this problem. To learn more, contact Promises Behavioral Health today.
What the Research Says About Children of Anxious Parents
Anxiety can be a debilitating disposition, especially for children. While children suffering from anxiety are at risk for other complications, little research has been done in the area of anxiety disorders in children who have anxious parents. A new study from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center changes that, offering insight into this phenomenon.
Science Daily recently shared a release that focused on this research, thought to be the first U.S. study designed to prevent anxiety disorders in the children of anxious parents. During this study, researchers determined that family-based programs reduced symptoms and the risk of developing an anxiety disorder among these at-risk children. The findings from this study suggest that as few as eight weekly family sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy can make a significant difference for the child.
“If psychiatrists or family doctors diagnose anxiety in adult patients, it’s now clearly a good idea that they ask about the patients’ children and, if appropriate, refer them for evaluation,” said senior investigator Golda Ginsburg, Ph.D., in Science Daily. Ginsburg is a child psychologist at Hopkins Children’s and associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “Right now, most doctors don’t think about this, let alone broach the subject.”
According to industry data, children of parents diagnosed with an anxiety disorder are up to seven times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder of their own. In addition, as many as 65 percent of children living with an anxious parent meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder. This information is important because many children deal with anxiety, yet it goes unnoticed in one in five U.S. children. When diagnosis and treatment are delayed, the child can develop depression, substance abuse, and poor academic performance.
Contact the Experts at Promises Behavioral Health Today
At Promises Behavioral Health, we know how difficult it can be to struggle with anxiety. We also know that children of anxious parents are in serious danger of inheriting this disease. However, there is still hope. When you reach out to our treatment program, we can help you get the treatment you need, through dual diagnosis treatment. Dual diagnosis treatment simply means that your specialist simultaneously addresses both issues. In short, you get addiction treatment and anxiety treatment at the same time. This treatment methodology is essential. If you only seek treatment for the anxiety or addiction, you run the risk of relapsing after you leave treatment.
The type of treatment you seek is also critical. For instance, at Promises Behavioral Health, we offer evidence-based and holistic treatments. Holistic treatments heal the entire person, mind, body, and soul. In addition, evidence-based treatments are therapies that experts in addiction recovery have thoroughly researched. They have proof that these treatments work. With a combination of these treatments, you have the best probability of a long-lasting recovery. At our facility, we offer:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Meditation therapy
- Yoga therapy
To learn more about our treatment programs, contact Promises Behavioral Health at 844.875.5609 today.