Anxiety Q & A

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotion resulting from worry, stress, and fear. It’s a typical response you feel when faced with something like an interview or hospital appointment.

Your body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline when you feel anxious. These substances give you extra strength, speed, and thinking power, which helps you manage the stressful experience successfully. When the event is over, your body chemistry returns to normal.

If you develop generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), you constantly feel scared and agitated and worry about everything in your life. Your body releases anxiety hormones excessively or continually, so you can never relax or get any relief from your fears.

Phobias — irrational fears of an object or experience — are a form of anxiety disorder where your symptoms worsen significantly when faced with the object of your fear. The rest of the time, you may lead a settled, peaceful life.

What symptoms do anxiety disorders cause?

Anxiety disorders cause the following symptoms:

  • Constant nervousness
  • Difficulties sleeping
  • Problems concentrating
  • Low energy levels
  • Increased heart rate
  • Constant muscle tension
  • Headaches
  • Sweating excessively
  • Trembling
  • Physical weakness
  • Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

Your anxiety symptoms might peak at times, triggering a panic attack where you feel unable to control yourself. You might be unable to speak or move and develop chest pain and shortness of breath when having a panic attack. The experience is so distressing that people go to enormous lengths to try and avoid panic attacks.

How is anxiety treated?

The Guadalupe Psychiatric and Mental Health Services team has extensive experience helping people overcome anxiety disorders. Primary treatments the team uses include:

Psychotherapy

Talking about your anxiety with one of the skilled therapists at Guadalupe Psychiatric and Mental Health Services can reduce your distress and help you recognize what triggers your feelings. Another approach, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), shows you how to address the flawed thoughts that worsen your anxiety and change them.

Medication

Many patients respond well to psychotherapy alone, but medication can be invaluable for those with more severe or persistent anxiety. Anti-anxiety drugs adjust your brain’s neurotransmitter levels (chemical messengers that regulate your mood).

Guadalupe Psychiatric and Mental Health Services also offers innovative treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which may help some patients whose anxiety isn’t improving with other treatments.

Call Guadalupe Psychiatric and Mental Health Services today or book an appointment online for comprehensive anxiety treatment.