What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. It is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. However, for some people, anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and disruptive to daily life. This can be characterized as an anxiety disorder.
Some key things to know about anxiety:
- Symptoms can be emotional (feeling nervous or overwhelmed), physical (increased heart rate, muscle tension), and behavioral (avoiding situations that cause anxiety)
- There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and phobias
- Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions. Over 40 million adults in the US suffer from some type of anxiety disorder
- Anxiety can significantly impact quality of life. However, the good news is anxiety disorders are very treatable with therapy, medication, or often a combination of both
- Some factors that may contribute to anxiety include brain chemistry, childhood trauma or negative experiences, genetics, substance use disorders, and high stress environments
"Anxiety feels like something is twisting and turning deep inside my stomach. My thoughts race, my heart pounds, and I feel like I can't relax."
While anxiety is treatable for most people, getting effective help can still be challenging. This is why it's so important to have access to knowledgeable mental health professionals.
Optimum Hormone Solutions offers comprehensive care for anxiety and related conditions. Their team of psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors develops personalized treatment plans that may include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - targets unhelpful thinking patterns
- Medications - anti-anxiety meds like SSRIs or therapy can help identify triggers and develop coping strategies
- Lifestyle changes - improved diet, exercise, sleep habits
- Alternative treatments - acupuncture, EMDR therapy