Anxiety

Anxiety is well-known as a challenge faced by 31% of teens and adults, but would you be surprised to learn that anxiety disorders are also diagnosed in 9% of children? At Intuitive Mind Behavioral Health in New Braunfels, Texas, board-certified psychiatric-nurse practitioner Lydia Kimeli-Pope, MSN-PMHNP, helps everyone age 12 and older overcome anxiety. If you need caring support and treatment for anxiety, don’t wait to schedule an appointment. Call Intuitive Mind Behavioral Health or book an appointment online today.

What is anxiety?

You can’t escape anxiety because it’s a natural response to a stressful or dangerous situation. This anxiety serves a purpose: It energizes you to meet the dreaded task. After you deal with the situation, your anxiety disappears.

You may also experience anxiety that never seems to go away and feels overwhelming, even making you change your activities to avoid the dread. Or your anxiety may appear even when you don’t face a challenging situation. These are all signs of a possible anxiety disorder.

Are there different types of anxiety?

You can develop one or more of the eight primary anxiety disorders. The five most common include:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD involves frequent or constant anxiety over everyday issues. Your anxiety persists for months or years and is severe enough to interfere with your daily activities.

Social anxiety disorder

This disorder causes severe anxiety when you must meet people, go to a social activity, or perform in front of others (like giving a presentation at school or work).

Separation anxiety disorder

Separation anxiety is often grounded in the fear that something bad will happen to you or your family when you’re apart.

Specific phobias

A specific phobia is an intense fear of an object, animal, or activity. For example, many people have an extreme fear of spiders and heights.

Panic disorder

This disorder causes frequent panic attacks that suddenly occur without an obvious anxiety trigger.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

Each anxiety disorder has unique symptoms, but all may cause symptoms such as:

• Worry and dread
• Restlessness or nervousness
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Racing thoughts
• Difficulty concentrating

The symptoms of a panic attack include chest pain, excessive sweating, dizziness, and difficulty breathing.

How is anxiety treated?

The Intuitive Mind Behavioral Health team begins by learning about your anxiety and completing a psychiatric assessment. Then they create a treatment plan that may include medication, therapy, or a combination.

Your provider may prescribe anti-anxiety medications to reduce severe symptoms or prevent panic attacks. Antidepressants also calm anxiety even if you’re not depressed.

Many people with anxiety improve with therapy. One proven approach, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), may teach you to identify and change thoughts that trigger anxiety or help confront your fears.

Don’t wait to seek help for overwhelming anxiety. Call Intuitive Mind Behavioral Health or book online today.