Anxiety:
a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
Global pandemics. Climate change disasters. Mass shooting events. These stressors on top of the regular ones like traffic jams, job dissatisfaction, and finances have made life for a lot of us practically unbearable. How are we NOT supposed to have anxiety given the world we're living in?
Anxiety is a growing problem in the United States, affecting 40 million adults every year. But for a multitude of reasons and despite how treatable anxiety disorders are, just over a third of those affected seek treatment.
What causes anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural emotional state in some situations, particularly those that are disstressing. However, persistent anxiety can take a toll on your overall wellness, quality of life, and interpersonal relationships. Some risk factors can predispose people for anxiety disorders, including brain chemistry, personality, life events, and genetics.
In some cases, anxiety is the first symptom of an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid problems, heart disease, addiction, chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome.
What are anxiety symptoms?
The hallmarks of anxiety are worry and fear. When anxiety is out of control, the fear and worry become frequent, intense, and excessive, often being triggered by normal situations. Meeting an old friend for lunch can trigger an anxiety spiral that keeps you from leaving the house. If the anxiety spikes, it can cause a panic attack. You literally feel like you are dying.
Other symptoms of anxiety include:
- a sense of impending danger or doom
- feeling nervous or restless
- increased heart rate
- hyperventilating
- sweating and shaking
- inability to focus or make coherent decisions
- feeling weak or unsteady
- poor sleep
- upset stomach or diarrhea
"Anxiety is a highly treatable mental illness,"
said Mottsin Thomas, a psychiatrist at bonmente.
"With the right combination of therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes, patients can take control of their anxiety and lead better lives."
What are anxiety symptoms?
"Anxiety is a highly treatable mental illness," said Mottsin Thomas, a psychiatrist at bonmente "With the right combination of therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes, patients can take control of their anxiety and lead better lives."
bonmente providers evaluate patients for anxiety and develop a treatment plan based on each individual's history and goals. Many patients benefit greatly from talk therapy, where they learn specific skills to manage symptoms and gain confidence in navigating anxiety-inducing situations. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven to be a highly effective form of therapy for anxiety disorders.
In addition to therapy, medications can help alleviate anxiety symptoms. Your bonmente provider may prescribe anti-anxiety medications such as Ativan or Klonopin or antidepressants such as Zoloft or Lexapro. If you have other health considerations and on rare occasions, sedatives, benzodiazepines, or beta blockers may be prescribed on a short term basis to provide relief.
