Anxiety

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

When you have an anxiety disorder, your episodes become so intense and excessive, anxiousness is overwhelming. This sudden onset of panic, terror, and fear can impact your quality of life and can even affect your job. During an anxiety attack, which is related to panic disorder, it’s common to:

• Breathe rapidly or hyperventilate
• Sweat and shake uncontrollably
• Feel nervous or restless
• Have difficulty sleeping
• Feel overly weak or tired

Anxiety can become so overwhelming, it starts affecting your gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to unexplained stomach cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.

Some men and women even experience generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which can lead to:

• Constant worrying
• Catastrophizing
• Difficulty controlling worrying
• Feeling tense, often accompanied by constant neck and back pain
• Feeling on edge
• Difficulty relaxing
• Irritability

With GAD, you might even struggle with maintaining steady sleep habits and have difficulty staying asleep (insomnia). This usually occurs as a secondary symptom from not being able to turn off constant worrying.

When should I get help for anxiety?

It’s important to see a qualified medical professional, like our psychiatric specialists at Intrepid Mental Wellness, if your anxiety and panic attacks are affecting your daily activities. You should book an evaluation for anxiety if:

• Attacks are interfering with work or school
• Fear and worry become difficult to control
• You feel depressed or have suicidal thoughts
• Episodes are impacting your personal relationships

It’s also important to get help if you’re starting to avoid certain places or activities that you once enjoyed for fear of having an anxiety episode.

How is anxiety treated?

One of the best ways to treat anxiety is through modern medications and/or natural supplements. Our providers at Intrepid Mental Wellness work with you to find the best possible type of treatment to ease your anxiety symptoms, without causing severe side effects. In many cases, anxiety sufferers find relief by taking antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. If you experience insomnia due to anxiety, you may also want to consider taking sleep aids.

To further help minimize issues related to anxiety, we can help you with lifestyle changes. With anxiety, it’s important to:

• Exercise regularly
• Avoid alcohol
• Develop regular sleep habits
• Minimize caffeine intakes

In some cases, anxiety stems from an underlying health condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or asthma. In these cases, treating the underlying issue often resolves or minimizes issues with anxiety. If you continue struggling with anxiety or if episodes worsen, your provider may recommend you start psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).  

Get started on your anxiety treatment plan today at Intrepid Mental Wellness. Book your visit either online or over the phone.