Mission and Mandate
Everyone feels anxious at some points in their lives. However, some people live with severe and crippling anxiety nearly every day. When a person’s anxiety prevents them from living the life that they want to live, they may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders can take many forms including:
- Having frequent panic attacks
- Being so afraid of being embarrassed that you avoid social interactions
- Worrying all day long about every little thing
- Worrying all day about your health
- Avoiding places or activities because they trigger anxiety or panic
- Having repetitive flashbacks and mood swings after a life-threatening trauma and you cannot get back to your normal life
- Having repetitive intrusive thoughts and performing repetitive rituals (obsessions and compulsions)
People with severe or longstanding anxiety disorders can have a hard time holding jobs, living independently, and sustaining meaningful relationships. They can also be at risk for other mental health problems such as depression and addictions. |
Mission Statement
The MUHC Anxiety Program’s primary mission is to help individuals with “difficult to treat” anxiety disorders improve the quality of their life. We provide specialized treatment for people with severe, longstanding, or complex anxiety disorders. Our core team consists of psychiatrists, a psychologist and a psychiatric nurse.
As a McGill University Academic Program, our mandate also includes training the next generation of healthcare professionals. To that end, psychiatry residents, medical students and psychology interns participate in assessment and care of our patients.
Finally, we also conduct research to help develop better understanding and treatments for anxiety disorders.
Objectives
- Assisting people in the process of recovery
- Identifying psychiatric disorders and the impact on people’s lives
- Providing anxiety disorder focused psychotherapy and medication management
- Reviewing the program regularly in order to improve practices
- Providing consultation and support for other healthcare professionals
- Assisting people to eventually connect with and transfer to community-based care
Guiding Principles
- Patient-centered care
- Teamwork
- Evidence-based practice
- Partnership with other MUHC and community programs