With the obstacles that life throws our way, it’s understandable to feel worried or anxious occasionally. When these feelings become chronic or excessively intense to the degree that your ability to function is impaired, it’s time to seek help. At Novacare Medical, we can provide anxiety treatment with the help of our compassionate, helpful team.
Understanding Anxiety And Its Impact On Our Lives
Anxiety is a form of fear manifesting as a mild sense of unease or nearly crippling panic. It can serve an essential function in our life when it usually occurs. However, in cases where the anxiety is intense or occurs frequently, it can seriously impact our ability to function normally and live a full life. The source of our anxiety, on a biological level, is our brain activating our flight or fight response. This leads to releasing hormones and adrenaline that prepare us to act in response to a threat. When this occurs as part of an anxiety disorder, it can have severe consequences for our health. Common kinds of anxiety disorder include:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: This disorder does not have a specific trigger that can be identified. Therefore, it is impossible to prevent these anxiety attacks or predict when they’ll strike.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: This is a common anxiety disorder that occurs in response to social situations or pressures. Sufferers often report feeling that others judge them harshly and can respond to minor mishaps with a severe sense of embarrassment.
- Panic Disorders: Panic disorders can be brought on by crippling fear and anxiety that appear suddenly and frequently. Trembling, chest pain, dizziness, and detachment from reality are some common symptoms that can be severe enough to impact your day-to-day life.
- Specific Phobias: Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder tied to irrational fears of specific things, including spiders, open spaces, closed spaces, and the ocean. As with many specific fears
- Separation Anxiety: Often occurring in children but can occur in adults, separation anxiety disorder refers to excessive fear about being away from home or from a loved one. It creates constant, excessive worry from the fear of illness, disaster, or something else entirely.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: OCD is a long-lasting and chronic disorder that causes reoccurring thoughts and repeating behaviors. As a type of anxiety disorder, these thoughts and behaviors stem from underlying fears and are often challenging to control independently without help.
- Selective Mutism: Selective mutism occurs when a person is unable to talk in social situations, and unlike social anxiety disorder, it occurs in specific circumstances, meaning a person with selective mutism can speak in some settings but not others.
How do you know when anxiety is a medical problem?
Everyone feels anxious or nervous once in a while. That is normal. But being extremely anxious or worried on most days for 6 months or longer is not normal. This is called “generalized anxiety disorder.” The disorder can make it hard to do everyday tasks.
Generalized anxiety disorder is just 1 anxiety disorder. There are others, such as panic disorder and phobias. This article focuses on generalized anxiety disorder.
What are the symptoms of extreme or severe anxiety?
People with extreme or severe anxiety feel very worried or “on edge” much of the time. They can have trouble sleeping or forget things. Plus, they can have physical symptoms. For instance, people with severe anxiety often feel very tired and have tense muscles. Some get stomach aches or feel chest “tightness.”
Should I see a doctor or nurse?
See your doctor or nurse if you:
- Are more anxious than you think is normal
- Get very anxious about things that other people handle more easily
Your doctor or nurse can ask you questions that are designed to “measure” a person’s anxiety level. If you do have a problem with anxiety, there are different treatments that can help.
Is there anything I can do on my own to feel better?
Yes. It might help to:
- Move your body – Exercise can help many people feel less anxious. Even gentle forms of exercise, like walking, are good for your health.
- Limit or avoid caffeine – Cut down on or stop drinking coffee and other sources of caffeine. Caffeine can make anxiety worse.
- Find healthy ways to manage stress – Some people find that it helps to try something called “mindfulness-based stress reduction.” This involves going to a group program to practice relaxation and meditation. Other people find that activities like yoga, tai chi, or meditation help them manage their anxiety.
- Eat a healthy diet – Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can help with your overall health. Try to limit or avoid alcohol.
How is anxiety treated?
Treatments include:
Psychotherapy – Psychotherapy involves meeting with a mental health counselor to talk about your feelings, relationships, and worries. Therapy can help you find new ways of thinking about your situation so that you feel less anxious. In therapy, you might also learn new skills to reduce anxiety.
Medicines – Medicines used to treat depression can relieve anxiety, too, even in people who are not depressed. Your doctor or nurse will decide which medicines are best for your situation.
Some people have psychotherapy and take medicines at the same time.
There is no reason to feel embarrassed about getting treatment for anxiety. Anxiety is a common problem. It affects all kinds of people.
Remember that it might take a little while to find the right treatment. People respond in different ways to medicines and therapy, so you might need to try a few approaches before you find the one that helps you most. The key is to not give up and to let your doctor or nurse know how you feel along the way.
Are there herbal treatments I can take?
Makers of herbal drugs sometimes claim that their products relieve anxiety. For example, herbs called kava kava and valerian are sold as treatments for anxiety. But there is no evidence that these treatments work. Plus, kava kava has been linked with serious liver damage. It might not be safe.
What if I want to get pregnant?
If you take medicines to treat anxiety, speak to your doctor before you start trying to get pregnant. Some of the medicines used to treat anxiety can cause problems for a developing baby. Because of this, you might need to switch medicines before you get pregnant.
What will my life be like?
People with anxiety disorders often have to deal with some anxiety for the rest of their life. For some, anxiety comes and goes, but gets worse during times of stress. The good news is, many people find effective treatments or ways to deal with their anxiety
How Novacare Medical Can Help Treat Your Anxiety Disorder
When you’re struggling with ongoing anxiety, our team is here to help. We can guide getting the proper care and help provide long-term solutions. If you’re experiencing suicidal ideation or a desire to harm yourself, dial 988 to reach the Suicide Hotline to get immediate help. Reach out to our clinic to schedule an appointment to get help with anxiety through effective medication and treatment from Novacare Medical.
