When considering solutions to anxiety, the cost of treatment is an essential talking point. Deciding to get treatment is not a straightforward decision. It may even make you wonder whether it’s worth it or not.
Well, you’re not alone. There are several others like you struggling to make a choice. According to research, over 3 million Canadians are struggling with anxiety.
This statistic means it’s among the most common mental health issues in Canada. While anxiety is treatable, “anxiety therapy” is not a single concept. Instead, there are various drugs and therapy options that can make anxiety treatment effective. Whether you’re experiencing insomnia or panic attacks, the good thing is, there’s professional help for you.
You’ll need to find a treatment option that suits your anxiety needs. This treatment plan needs to suit you in terms of your budget too.
Are you worried that the cost of anxiety treatment in Toronto may be on the high side? Here, we’ll show you why investing in anxiety treatment is a great idea.
Treatment Costs for Anxiety
For anxiety treatment costs, expect to pay about $8,000 for a two-week program. However, if you’re suffering from PTSD and panic attacks, the price may increase by $2,000. As for CBT therapy, it can cost up to $100 per hour.
Despite the fact that anxiety treatment is effective, only one-third of people diagnosed receive treatment. This isn’t surprising considering the price of most prescription drugs and therapies can deter people from getting the help they need.
Luckily, many counsellors offer treatment on a sliding scale. There are also funded public health centers for people with a limited budget or without health insurance. Furthermore, some universities and colleges offer low-cost therapy for anxiety disorders.
Reasons Why People Receive Anxiety Treatment
There are several reasons why people enrol for an anxiety treatment program. To begin with, people seek help because they’re experiencing a problem. Now with anxiety, these problems are distinct, and they vary from person to person to person. Some of these reasons to get anxiety treatment include:
Panic attacks
If you’re struggling with panic attacks, then the cost of anxiety treatment is worth every penny. It’s normal to feel fear. However, experiencing sudden episodes of intense fear for no obvious reason can diminish your mental health. Although panic attacks are not life-threatening, they can affect the quality of your life.
Insomnia
Several mental problems like depression and anxiety often result in sleep problems. Insomnia causes restlessness, irritability, slowness in activity and a poor sleeping cycle. People experiencing these symptoms are left with no choice but to get anxiety treatment.
Drug abuse
Substance abuse and mental problems often go hand in hand. Many people struggling with mental issues often self-medicate with alcohol and drugs. However, this only worsens the situation and heightens their suffering.
Obsessive thoughts
Anxiety comes with distressing thoughts and worries you can’t control. If your job requires complete focus, this may be severely distracting. Over time, these anxious thoughts will begin to affect your work, relationship and social life.
Loneliness
Anxiety treatment provides several benefits, including companionship. At a rehab centre, surrounded by counsellors and people going through the same, you’re less likely to feel alone and withdrawn. This feeling of isolation can negatively influence your mental well-being. It can also force you into depression which will further make you distant from your loved ones.
Related Article: Anxiety Treatment: Here’s How You Can Regain Control
Why is The Cost of Anxiety Treatment Worth It?
What makes the cost of anxiety treatments worth it? Therapy for anxiety offers you a wealth of benefits. Compared to recovering alone, it helps you to manage the symptoms of stress effectively. Not only that, but it also equips you with coping and problem-solving mechanisms.
According to the American Psychological Association, many people significantly improve with treatment faster than self-help. With anxiety treatment, it’s unlikely you’ll experience a relapse. If you’re unsure about getting help for your anxiety, these benefits of anxiety treatment will help you know whether it’s perfect for you.
Builds self-confidence
Why enrol for an anxiety treatment program? As mentioned earlier, overcoming any mental problem or addiction is more manageable with professional help.
With therapy, you’ll regain self-esteem. You’ll also cease to have negative thoughts. Instead, you’ll begin to acquire skills that boost self-belief. Considering that anxiety is built on fear, you’ll find this very helpful.
Counselling
Every anxiety treatment cost includes counselling. It offers you guidance and puts you on the right path to reclaiming your life. You may be worried about your dreams, values and purpose, especially if you’ve been suffering from anxiety for a while.
Speaking with a counsellor helps set positive goals and implement actions that’ll mould your life. It also allows you to connect with someone who understands what you’re going through.
Determines your treatment focus
Most of the time, you may think you know what the problem is. Maybe you’re stressed at work, or there’s so much pressure. Other times, other factors may be the cause of the underlying problem. Until you check your background to deal with them, your anxiety symptoms may never improve.
Therapy will help you manage your fears. Not to mention, a consultation session with an expert can help you determine which anxiety treatment services are right for you.
Anxiety attacks happen for different reasons. With professional treatment, you’ll be able to isolate the cause of your anxiety. Thanks to this info, you’ll be able to work on a long-term plan for managing symptoms.
Offers you a haven
Struggling to overcome your anxiety among people who understand little or nothing about the situation may be difficult. You may be stigmatized or even judged for your disorder. On the other hand, professional treatment offers you a safe space to talk about your feelings. It also removes any distractions that may affect your recovery.
Healthy habits
Does anxiety treatment work? Studies have shown that people who receive therapy are healthier and more productive. Treatment helps you to establish healthy habits that’ll support your new lifestyle. For example, rather than abusing illegal drugs during anxiety attacks, you can use healthier coping mechanisms.
What to Expect During Therapy for Anxiety Treatment
The cost of anxiety treatment often depends on the diagnosis of your symptoms. For instance, if you’re struggling with stress and trauma-related disorders, your treatment will differ from someone experiencing anxiety attacks due to overthinking. The timeline for treatment will also depend on the severity of the condition.
Luckily. anxiety treatments are usually short-term and beneficial. Although there are several anxiety treatment options, the most popular ones are exposure and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
These anxiety therapies may be administered alone or merged with medication and other supportive treatments.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
This is the most common therapy for mental problems. This may be why the cost of this anxiety treatment form is affordable. This therapy teaches you how to channel your negative behaviours and thoughts into positive ones.
Here, you’ll learn to change your outlook towards your triggers. You’ll also know how to identify the thoughts and feelings that cause anxiety symptoms like panic attacks.
Above all, it’ll teach you ways to approach fearful situations without anxiety. Recent studies have proven CBT to effectively treat phobias, substance abuse, and, most importantly, an anxiety disorder. As the name implies, this therapy comprises two significant elements.
- Behaviour therapy – This focuses on your behaviour and how you react towards anxiety triggers.
- Cognitive therapy- This therapy has to do with your thoughts. It evaluates how your negative feelings or cognitions cause anxiety.
The many advantages of CBT give you value for the cost of anxiety treatment.
Prolonged exposure therapy
This therapy is widely used to treat PTSD. People with anxiety tend to avoid situations that’ll trigger their disorder. For example, if you worry so much about humiliating yourself, you may go as far as evading public gatherings. Sadly, avoiding your fears only makes them stronger.
With exposure therapy, you’re exposed to situations that trigger your fear. This therapy helps you learn how to control your thoughts and reactions when reminded of the trigger situation. In simpler words, it works by exposing you to the things you fear. For this form of therapy, you must see a professional who understands how to administer it.
The exposure is often done by identifying situations that can trigger you and facing them in reality. This treatment aims to repeatedly expose you to trigger conditions till they begin to feel less scary. So you may ask, is therapy worth it for anxiety? Absolutely! It improves not just your mind but your overall well-being. Unlike drugs, it ensures both physical and psychological healing.
Dialectical Behavioral therapy
DBT focuses on stress management and mindfulness. It teaches you practical ways to control your emotions. This therapy is not very common, and it’s usually prescribed to individuals experiencing acute anxiety symptoms.
Medications for Anxiety
Anxiety treatment pricing is incomplete without discussing medications. Drugs alone cannot fully help you treat your anxiety. They, however, help to speed your recovery. Several pills are used to treat anxiety disorders. Hence, we advise that you speak with an expert to know which is best for you.
Antidepressants
This drug class reduces the symptoms of anxiety disorders by correcting the chemical imbalance of the brain’s neurotransmitters. Modern antidepressants like SNRIs and SSRIs are usually prescribed to people with anxiety because they have minimal side effects.
Benzodiazepines
If you’re experiencing persistent panic attacks or feelings, your doctor will prescribe this drug for you. They help to reduce anxiety attacks. Examples are clonazepam (Klonopin) and alprazolam (Xanax).
These drugs are usually administered as an add-on to your anxiety treatment because you’re likely to form a dependence on them. For this reason, they’re prescribed for only a short period.
Other drugs include:
- Bupropion: This is another common antidepressant that treats anxiety. They, however, perform differently than SNRIs and SSRIs because they stop withdrawal effects.
- Buspirone (BuSpar): This medication is often used to treat chronic anxiety disorder. It may take you two weeks or more before experiencing symptom relief.
- Beta-blockers: Although it’s a high blood pressure drug, it effectively treats the physical symptoms of anxiety. If you have sweaty palms, racing heart or shaky fingers, it’ll help you relieve tension during anxiety attacks.
- Anticonvulsant: This drug specifically relieves anxiety disorder symptoms like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Supportive Treatment For Anxiety Disorder
Are you worried about the anxiety treatment cost? Well, several alternative therapies can provide relief for anxiety symptoms. Even if you’re undergoing therapy, these options are a plus for you on the path to recovery.
Relaxation methods
Practicing activities like meditation, mindfulness, yoga, aromatherapy and acupuncture will help to reduce your stress levels. Aside from that, they improve your emotional well-being.
Exercise
Exercise naturally relieves stress and anxiety. Exercising for about 30 minutes every day can significantly boost your recovery. Not to mention, it allows you to keep your mind off trigger situations.
Hypnosis
This is sometimes administered alongside CBT. While you’re in a trance, the hypnotherapist uses various methods to help you focus on other things aside from your fears. Hypnosis also enables you to view situations in a different light. According to a 2016 study, hypnosis offered participants greater emotional and physical control.
Self-care
This treatment solely depends on you. It includes things like performing activities that make you happy, eating healthy and getting enough rest.
Related Article: Anxiety Treatment: Helpful Tips for Coping
Anxiety Treatment is a Good Decision
Despite the cost of anxiety treatment, now is the best time to get help. Whether you’re struggling with acute anxiety symptoms or attacks, the best thing is to seek therapy. Anxiety treatment is totally worth it. Given that the cost of getting it is subsidized to make it accessible to everyone only proves its effectiveness.
Furthermore, there are several options available to help you recover. Whichever option you pick, the most important thing is you’re getting help to overcome anxiety and improve your well-being. If a particular therapy or drug doesn’t work for you, don’t give up. When it comes to anxiety treatments, one thing is sure. They’re life-changing.
If you’re hesitant about it, you can begin by searching for anxiety treatment centers. Or better still, you can check out our anxiety therapy and treatment services. Here at Addiction Rehab Toronto, we aim to meet all of your anxiety needs.
Some of our services include group therapy, inpatient and outpatient programs. Contact us to discuss specifics with a friendly specialist!
