Anxiety DisordersMyrtle Beach, SC

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is referred to as intense, persistent worry or fear of everyday situations and events that can limit a person’s activity or prevent them from completing normal tasks. The mind and body naturally react to stressful, dangerous, and unfamiliar situations, giving us our fight or flight mechanism. However, when situations are continually difficult because of high levels of worry or fear, the patient may have an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders create feelings that are far from average and may cause a patient to feel that they are abnormal. A psychiatrist, psychologist, or neurologist can diagnose various anxiety disorders, provide psychotherapies, and prescribe medications. A single doctor will monitor and treat a patient through the entirety of their treatment, maximizing their success.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

The five major types of anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social phobia, or social anxiety disorder. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, each disorder has its own set of signs, symptoms, and treatments. When we diagnose a patient’s disorder, a psychiatric evaluation is curated and discussed thoroughly before treatment.

The five major anxiety disorders:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): anxiety disorders that cause excessive tension and worry
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): recurrent and unwanted thoughts or repeated behaviors that provide temporary relief but increase anxiety over time
• Panic disorder: recurrent or repeated behaviors of intense fear that may cause physical symptoms such as chest pain, increased heart rate, and dizziness
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): developed after a traumatic event that causes episodes of heightened anxiety and physical fear
• Social anxiety disorder: extreme self-consciousness in social settings and around others

Causes and Symptoms of Anxiety

Although every person experiences anxiety to some extent and in varying situations, anxiety disorders create abnormal feelings and can lead to various risks when untreated. Causes of anxiety disorders include comorbidities, genetics, environmental factors, medical conditions, behavioral choices, and demographics. Comorbidity refers to the presence of more than one medical condition, and many people who have another medical condition experience one or multiple anxiety disorders.

Symptoms of anxiety vary with every type of disorder. People with anxiety may experience a general feeling of worry or fear in most or all situations or experience it in only specific situations (such as driving a car because of a traumatic accident). Common symptoms of general anxiety include increased heart rate, rapid breathing, restlessness, trouble concentrating, and difficulty falling asleep. Patients experiencing other symptoms are highly encouraged to inform their doctor to ensure complete treatment.

Treating Anxiety Disorders

Psychiatrists are well trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating all types of anxiety disorders. As anxiety can range from mild to severe and can arise from early childhood or spark up from a specific incident, accurately diagnosing symptoms is crucial to the treatment process and more sustainable recovery. Anxiety treatment falls under two main categories: psychotherapy and medication.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or counseling, involves talking through symptoms with a psychiatrist. The most effective form of psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorders is cognitive-behavioral therapy. Mayo Clinic states that “cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on teaching you specific skills to directly manage your worries and help you gradually return to the activities you've avoided because of anxiety.” Through this treatment, patients are able to mitigate their symptoms gradually while acquiring the tools to manage their anxiety.

Medication

There are a plethora of medications available for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Our psychiatrists discuss all crucial health information to accurately prescribe an appropriate medication for patients on a case-by-case basis. Many anxiety medications work effectively to treat general anxiety, but more complicated cases may need differing drugs and dosages to target specific areas of the brain without risking addiction.

Preventing and Managing Anxiety

Often, medical treatment and therapy are not necessary to mitigate symptoms or treat anxiety and can be managed at home through various lifestyle changes. Similarly, patients who are treated for anxiety and given the proper tools can successfully manage their symptoms proceeding treatment. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) found that patients with anxiety disorders and people without a disorder that occasionally suffer from anxiety could reduce their stress and worry through various coping strategies and fitness tips.

Coping strategies help when a person feels overwhelmed, helpless, stressed, scared, or worried in a situation or event that can prevent these feelings from developing further. These strategies include breathing exercises, taking time to self, getting a good rest, and writing or talking to someone. Fitness tips are ways in which exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety while clearing the mind and increasing serotonin and dopamine. This can be in the form of workouts, mindful walks, or listening to music while running.

Call Us Today

Be proactive in eliminating anxiety from your life. We at Future Psych Ketamine Clinics look forward to meeting you and treating your anxiety symptoms. Call us now at 843-788-9718 to learn more and schedule an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Disorders

Can a psychiatrist treat mild anxiety in a patient without a disorder?

Psychiatrists and psychologists are available for one appointment only if the patient seeks occasional care. In some cases, a patient may have suffered an accident or situation that sparked anxiety and needs someone to talk to. Our clinic is open to treating patients with any form of anxiety ranging from mild to severe.

Are anxiety disorders a lifelong condition or can they be completely treated?

Unfortunately, diagnosed anxiety disorders are a lifelong chronic condition and cannot be cured. The severity and number of episodic occurrences vary depending on the patient’s condition, but symptoms can significantly be reduced and others prevented. Seeking psychiatric help also greatly decreases the amount of anxiety a person feels compared to those who do not seek treatment.

How prevalent are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., according to the ADAA. They affect 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population, every year. Although anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment making it all the more prevalent.

What are risk factors for acquiring an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders can be the result of many factors. The most common factors include: genetics (children of adults with an anxiety disorder have a higher risk of developing one), psychological (individual tends to overestimate danger), and experiences (an embarrassing moment or a traumatic event).

What will I need to tell my psychiatrist?

Write down symptoms you have had and in which situations, key personal information, medical and family history, a list of all medications you are taking, and questions you have. Discuss all of your symptoms and describe how they affect your life (i.e., racing thoughts that cause you to lose focus). Your doctor will suggest or provide appropriate therapy.

How can you recognize an anxiety episode and help someone experiencing it?

An anxiety episode often looks similar to experiencing intense fear, such as encountering a wild animal or public speaking. An episode can result in sweating or chills, shaking, pounding heart, yelling or screaming, difficulty breathing, and head and chest pain. To help a person experiencing an episode, offer medicine the person usually takes during an attack, speak to the person in short, simple sentences, and help slow the person's breathing by breathing with him or her or counting slowly to 10.