Anxiety

When is anxiety a mental health problem?

Anxiety is a basic human emotion that everyone experiences when they’re scared, worried, or under stress. You might feel anxious before an important sports match, exam, first date, or any significant event in your life. Feeling this way is natural and doesn’t mean you have a mental health disorder.

Unfortunately, some people are anxious most or all of the time. Everything in their lives causes distress and uncertainty, leaving them continually fearful and indecisive. This condition, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), is the most common anxiety-related mental illness, affecting over 19% of adults in the United States each year.

Phobias are also anxiety related. In this case, the fear focuses on something specific, like an insect, animal, place, or situation. Social anxiety disorder develops in people who feel excessively anxious with others, especially strangers. Anxiety disorders can be disabling if they reach an advanced stage.

What problems does an anxiety disorder cause?

When you first develop GAD, you might always be worried and scared, on edge, indecisive, and overwhelmed by stress. Other symptoms of anxiety include:

• Trembling
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Jumpiness
• Trouble sleeping
• Racing heartbeat
• Difficulty concentrating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea

People with anxiety disorders may also suffer from panic attacks. These unpleasant experiences can occur in response to a trigger, such as finding a large spider when you have arachnophobia. Panic attacks might also strike out of the blue. Avoiding extreme anxiety and panic attacks often forces people to hide from the world.

What can I do to reduce my anxiety?

If you have severe anxiety, you might choose to visit your primary care provider for anti-anxiety medication. These drugs can help calm your symptoms but won’t cure the disorder alone.

Psychotherapy is a proven way of helping people overcome anxiety disorders. Derek specializes in several therapeutic approaches that can help reduce anxiety, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

CBT teaches you to recognize the unhealthy thoughts that fuel your anxiety and challenge them. For example, your fear of a car accident might prevent you from driving, restricting your independence and causing considerable inconvenience. Derek shows you how to examine your thoughts, replace them with more realistic beliefs, and move past your fear.

Call Logos Mental Health and Wellness, to arrange an anxiety disorder evaluation, or complete the online booking form today.