Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Everyone feels a little anxious at times. The intense sensation you feel when you go on a job interview, for example, or the feeling you have when you give a speech in front of others is anxiety in its mild form. That’s a normal response to a challenge ahead of you.

But, for some people, anxiety is a fear that becomes overwhelming even when dealing with everyday situations like going to the grocery store or answering the phone.

For people with an anxiety disorder, the fear is out of proportion with the risk. They may imagine being attacked while at the grocery store or people laughing at them on the subway. The actual chance of those things happening is slim, but the fear that it might happen prevents them from taking the opportunity.

Normal anxiety isn’t really a problem, but in its extreme form, it becomes disabling. Doing even little things leads to a panic attack, so you might end up homebound and unable to work or enjoy your life anymore.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders feature significant and persistent fears, with common symptoms including:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Restlessness/edgy
• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
• Irritability
• Muscle Tension
• Hyperventilation
• Trembling or shaking
• Heavy sweating
• Constant worry
• Obsessing about daily tasks
• Persistent feeling of danger or impending doom
• Chest pain not tied to a heart problem

With proper treatment, you can learn to manage those feelings and start living life without constant fear.

What causes anxiety?

It’s difficult to pinpoint a specific underlying anxiety cause, but there are risk factors such as trauma, severe illness, and ongoing stressful life circumstances. 

Certain personality types are prone to anxiety issues, as well. Anxiety often goes hand in hand with other mental health problems like depression. 

How is anxiety treated?

Dr. Ibeh treats each patient as a unique individual. She completes a psychiatric evaluation to determine your diagnosis, identifies the type of anxiety disorder you have and how to best treat your condition, gets to know your life circumstances and personal needs and then prescribes an evidence-based treatment plan to improve your mental health and quality of life. 

Your treatment may include psychotherapy, medication management, lifestyle changes, or a combination of approaches that suit your needs. 

Salient Health and Wellness is cutting through barriers to mental health care to help Georgia patients feel their best. Call or book your virtual appointment online today.