Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a common mental health condition that causes you to feel excessive worry or fear, even if the situation doesn’t call for it.

While occasional anxiety is your body’s natural protection against danger and stress, people with an anxiety disorder get stuck in flight-or-fight mode and find it challenging to manage their thoughts and worries.

There are several types of anxiety disorders. Many people have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition where you worry excessively about money, health, or your family members for no specific reason.

Anxiety disorders can also include panic disorder, a condition where you experience sudden periods of intense fear when no danger is present. Phobias are another type of anxiety disorder that causes an intense fear of a specific object, like snakes, or situations, such as flying.

What causes an anxiety disorder?

Your risk for developing an anxiety disorder depends on several genetic and environmental factors.

If you have a family history of anxiety, you might be at increased risk for developing the disorder, too. You might also be more likely to develop anxiety if you have other mental health conditions, such as depression.

If you’re under constant stress or have an underlying health condition, you might develop chronic anxiety in response to your situation.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

The symptoms of an anxiety disorder can include excessive, intrusive thoughts that are difficult to control. You might also experience intense worry, guilt, or restlessness. The physical effects of anxiety can include:

• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Difficult breathing
• Unexplained body aches
  

The symptoms of an anxiety disorder can last six months or longer and get worse over time. Your Integrated Neurology Services provider recommends scheduling a diagnostic evaluation for anxiety if you’re not able to manage your symptoms on your own and they’re affecting your quality of life.

How are anxiety disorders treated?

An effective way to manage your anxiety disorder is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of psychotherapy (talk therapy) helps you recognize unhealthy thoughts or behaviors so you can change your reaction.

Your Integrated Neurology Services specialist might also combine therapy with anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications that work by changing the chemicals in your brain.

With regular therapy, you can learn to better cope with your symptoms. Your provider can also closely monitor your progress with medication at your routine visits to ensure they’re working well for you. 

If you’re overwhelmed by chronic anxiety, schedule a diagnostic evaluation online or by calling Integrated Neurology Services today.