Anxiety 

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention.

Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect more than 25 million Americans. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense.
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom.
• Having an increased heart rate.
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Sweating.
• Trembling.
• Feeling weak or tired.
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.

The most common Anxiety disorders are:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) A person feels anxious on most days, worrying about lots of different things, for a period of six months or more. …
• Social anxiety. …
• Specific phobias. …
• Panic disorder. …
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) …
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

When to see a doctor or therapies

See your doctor if:

• You feel like you’re worrying too much and it’s interfering with your work, relationships or other parts of your life
• Your fear, worry or anxiety is upsetting to you and difficult to control
• You feel depressed, have trouble with alcohol or drug use, or have other mental health concerns along with anxiety
• You think your anxiety could be linked to a physical health problem
• You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors — if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately

Your worries may not go away on their own, and they may get worse over time if you don’t seek help. See your doctor or a mental health provider before your anxiety gets worse. It’s easier to treat if you get help early.

Treatment

Treatment decisions are based on how significantly generalized anxiety disorder is affecting your ability to function in your daily life. The two main treatments for generalized anxiety disorder are psychotherapy and medications. You may benefit most from a combination of the two. It may take some trial and error to discover which treatments work best for you.

Medications

Several types of medications are used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, including those below. Talk with your doctor about benefits, risks, and possible side effects.

Psychotherapy

Also known as talk therapy or psychological counseling, psychotherapy involves working with a therapist to reduce your anxiety symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective form of psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder.

Generally a short-term treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on teaching you specific skills to directly manage your worries and help you gradually return to the activities you’ve avoided because of anxiety. Through this process, your symptoms improve as you build on your initial success.

Treatments for Anxiety can be extremely effective when started early and continued with consistency. If you live with anxiety, help is available. Call us, at Your life change center, we can help you!!

 

Beyond Treatment: Things You Can Do?

Here are other tips that may help you or a loved one during treatment for anxiety:

• ​Try to be active and exercise.

• ​Set realistic goals for yourself.

• ​Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or relative.

• ​Try not to isolate yourself, and let others help you.

• ​Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately.

• ​Postpone important decisions, such as getting married or divorced, or changing jobs until you feel better. Discuss decisions with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.

• ​Continue to educate yourself about anxiety.

 

The information in this document does not replace a medical consultation. It is for personal guidance use only. We recommend that patients ask their doctors about what tests or types of treatments are needed for their type and stage of the disease.