Anxiety
Anxiety is a mood disorder characterized by intense physiological and psychological symptoms. Anxiety disorders are based on fear and these fearful and unfamiliar situations initiate the fight/flight/freeze response. Feelings of anxiety tend to be out of proportion to the actual threat, imagined threat the individual is experiencing, or apprehension about significant events. In these moments, the brain cannot tell the difference between imminent danger and excessive worry about ordinary happenings.
When the brain is triggered, it sends signals to the body of the individual to defend against the threat. However, since the individual is not in imminent danger, the brain stays on guard for an extended period of time, resulting in anxiety. The individuals struggle with turning off the intense physiological and psychological symptoms. Nearly 50% of people with anxiety will also experience symptoms of depression. For more information visit the American Psychiatric Association.
All clinicians at Optimal Moments are able to treat Anxiety.
How is Anxiety different than normal anxiousness, nervousness, or stress?
It is always best to have a mental health professional conduct an assessment for an accurate diagnosis. We strongly advise against using symptoms presented online through sources like WebMD to diagnose yourself or others. Diagnosis is a complex process best conducted by trained professionals, such as psychologists or clinical social workers or mental health counselors.
Mental health professionals will examine symptoms beyond a checklist to dive deeper into understanding whether the symptoms represent expected nervousness or stress, a specific Anxiety disorder, or are a different condition altogether. Mental health professionals can also recommend a treatment approach that would best address the symptoms and the root causes.
We are looking at a broad picture to understand the full spectrum of symptoms, duration and intensity of the symptoms, potential root causes for the symptoms, and the impact of the symptoms on an individual’s ability to function. Many times, people confuse symptoms of anxiety with symptoms of mania or hypomania and inaccurately assume they have Bipolar, especially if they are experiencing episodes of depression as well. This is a key reason why a professional is best equipped to diagnosis Anxiety disorders.
People with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive, and persistent worries and fears about everyday situations. These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control.
Symptoms of Anxiety include:
Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
Apprehension
Increased heart rate
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation) or Chest tightness
Sweating
Fidgeting or Trembling
Fatigue or fainting
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty sleeping
Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations
There are different types of anxiety disorders such as:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (includes Performance Anxiety)
Panic Disorder
Agoraphobia
Specific Phobias (Animal, Environment, Blood-Injection-Injury, etc.)
What are the causes of Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety can be triggered by a variety of factors:
Adverse Experiences: Early childhood experiences, family dynamics, bullying, racial inequities, ecological concerns, or exposure to other adverse events can contribute to anxiety. Traumatic events during childhood or dysfunctional family environments are also contributing factors to anxiety.
Stress: High levels of stress can trigger anxiety when stress is not addressed. Stressful life events, pressure from work or relationships, or academic expectations can all contribute to anxiety symptoms.
Genetic Vulnerability: Some individuals are predisposed to anxiety based on family history. This can be especially true for families with a history of significant trauma.
Behavioral Modeling: For some individuals, if adults in their life displayed maladaptive coping patterns, then children may acquire these maladaptive patterns as well. Additionally, if an individual reacted to a negative event in a particular way, such as avoidance, this may reinforce the thought that a situation is dangerous resulting in anxiety when presented with that situation again.
Personality Traits: Perfectionism, high achievement orientation, need for control, excessive worry or a tendency to be overly cautious can contribute to the development of anxiety.
Use of Stimulants: Caffeine use and amphetamines can contribute to symptoms of anxiety.
Medications: Some individuals may experience anxiety symptoms because of taking a medication to treat a different condition, such as depression medication may spike anxiety symptoms.
Medical Problems: Hormonal imbalances (low testosterone, thyroid, etc.), chronic illnesses, chronic pain, or other health conditions can impact mood.
Sleep: Chronic lack of sleep in the form of interrupted sleep or not enough hours of sleep (less than 8 hours) can lead to depression symptoms.
Other Considerations: Low water intake (chronic dehydration), low caloric intake, etc. can also lead to symptoms of anxiety.
What are treatment options for Anxiety?
Every individual will experience a different combination of symptoms, will have different causes for anxiety, and will require a different treatment approach as a result. It is best to meet with a mental health professional to develop a treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms and causes for depression.
At Optimal Moments, we take a holistic approach to treatment and individualize your treatment plan.
Complete Physical: We will recommend working with your PCP and other medical providers to rule out any potential biological causes for anxiety.
Psychotherapy: One unique approach to anxiety is a process called Systematic Desensitization. It is one of the exposure therapy approaches we can do in the office. Our providers use an eclectic approach which includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), interpersonal processing, radical acceptance, and other effective therapy techniques.
Biofeedback: This approach allows the clinician to understand how your body is reacting physiologically and to guide them in training you to have more control over your physiology.
Lifestyle Modifications: Our providers can work with you on sleep hygiene, stress reduction, establishing a healthy diet, moderate exercise, assertiveness training, career counseling, and other daily lifestyle challenges that may be impacting your mood.
Medications: Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) can assist you in identifying medications to alleviate symptoms. We utilize psychogenetic testing to guide this decision to reduce adverse symptoms and increase the chances of finding the medication that would be best for you.
Community Referrals: We will work with you to identify community resources that may also assist in reducing anxiety symptoms. We may discuss the need for more intense, consistent treatment that would increase the chances of success in reducing symptoms, such an Intensive Outpatient Program or Residential, particularly for OCD. Or maybe attending a social skills training group for Social Anxiety Disorder.
The most important thing to remember is you or your loved one do not have to face this alone. We are here to help.
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