Behavioral Health

Anxiety can manifest in many different ways.  The most well-known symptoms of anxiety are unexplained physical complaints, being shy or timid around others, being clingy towards parents or caregivers, sleep difficulties, and avoiding situations.  However, anxiety can frequently show up through disruptive behavioral problems at any age.  Disruptive behaviors on the outside often appear to many individuals as anger, distractibility, or defiance.  However, anxiety can be a core underlying cause of disruptive behavioral problems.  Due to the high degree of similarity in symptom presentation, anxiety can often be misidentified as oppositional defiance or ADHD. 

Common Behavioral Signs of Anxiety

  • Behavioral outburst

  • Impulsivity

  • Being argumentative

  • Temper tantrum

  • Being demanding

  • Refusal

  • Being shutdown

  • Asking many questions

  • Seeming distracted

  • Irritability

Anxiety can also develop secondary to underlying mood, neuro-developmental, and disruptive behavioral disorders. 

These co-existing conditions can affect many different areas of life such as attention and focus, self-esteem, performance at school or work, problem-solving, emotion regulation, activities of daily living, self-care, and relationships.  If left untreated anxiety and related emotional-behavioral disorders can be highly impairing and debilitating. 

Common Comorbid Disorders

  • Depression

  • Mood instability & fluctuations

  • ADHD

  • Oppositional Defiance

  • Learning Disabilities

  • Impulse Control Disorders

  • Anxiety related to Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Get Help From a Behavioral Health Therapist in Doylestown, PA

Understanding the full picture of anxiety symptoms and identifying any comorbid disorders is a necessary component for effective treatment.  If core underlying issues are not accurately identified and addressed then it is less likely treatment will be effective.  Treatments in the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) category have demonstrated to be highly effective for anxiety and comorbid disorders.  Working with a mental health professional specializing in the treatment of anxiety can have a significant effect on the outcomes of treatment.

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