Anxiety is a mental health disorder that causes persistent feelings of fear, dread, and intrusive thoughts, even when the circumstances don’t warrant this kind of reaction. During an anxiety attack, you might also experience physical symptoms, such as a pounding heart or chest pain.
There are several types of anxiety disorders that affect children and adults:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD causes excessive and unnecessary worry about family, health, money, or other issues. Those with GAD tend to experience symptoms daily for at least six months.
Panic disorders cause sudden episodes of intense fear, even when there’s no danger. Panic attacks can last several minutes or longer and leave you feeling overwhelmed or out of control.
A phobia is an extreme fear of a person, place, object, or circumstance that poses minimal risk for actual danger.
The underlying cause of anxiety isn’t well understood, but your personality, genetic background, and family history can play a role.
When should I schedule an appointment for anxiety?
You should schedule a diagnostic consultation at Mesquite Valley Integrated Health for anxiety symptoms that last two weeks or longer. These symptoms can include:
The team also recommends scheduling an evaluation if you experience symptoms of depression like persistent sadness or hopelessness because of anxiety. For some people, anxiety and depression can occur together and make your symptoms feel more overwhelming.
Based on the results of a physical exam and a discussion of your symptoms, the team creates a treatment plan to help you feel better. They also provide resources to help you manage anxiety in the long term.
Your treatment plan for anxiety typically involves a combination of medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications are available to ease restlessness, intrusive thoughts, and anxious feelings. For those who have severe anxiety symptoms that aren’t treatable with oral medications, the team may recommend ketamine infusion therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT is a type of talk therapy that helps you identify patterns of negative thinking and behaviors and teaches you how to manage them more effectively. In situations where phobias are a concern, you may benefit from exposure therapy to help you confront your fears in a safe environment.
Through ongoing follow-up visits in-office and online telemedicine, the team continues to monitor your progress with medication therapy and can adjust your dosage as needed.
Call Mesquite Valley Integrated Health to schedule an anxiety consultation or book an appointment online today.
