Anxiety

What symptoms does anxiety cause?

Feeling anxious from time to time is a normal part of life, but when anxiety becomes chronic and pervasive, it can take a considerable toll on life, interfering with your ability to perform at school and work, and disrupting your ability to interact successfully with others. 

The symptoms of chronic anxiety can vary from person to person, but generally may include:

• Sense of doom or danger
• Persistent bouts of nervousness and worry
• Problems focusing and concentrating
• Panic attacks, which may include feelings of lightheadedness, increased heart rate, and shallow or rapid breathing

Anxiety can have different underlying causes. While many people have generalized anxiety disorders, others may experience separation anxiety, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and other phobias.

Is anxiety linked with other health issues?

Yes, without proper treatment and management, chronic anxiety can affect physical health, increasing your risk for heart attack, angina, chronic pain syndromes, chronic headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, respiratory issues, immune system problems, and more.

Anxiety can also interfere with your ability to function at work or school. It can lead to social isolation and interfere with relationships with family and friends. 

How is anxiety treated?

Barbosa Psychiatry uses a combination of treatment modalities to help you better control anxiety disorders. This may include psychotherapy, behavioral modification, and medication management. They have a compassionate approach and use evidence-based research to help you address the social, physical, and environmental factors that may be contributing to your anxiety disorder. 

Their therapeutic approach can help enable individuals to discover the true source of their anxiety and learn strategies to manage it effectively. By identifying negative thoughts associated with anxiety, nervousness, and panic responses, individuals can begin to use distraction techniques and coping tools in response to these thoughts, which will reduce the intensity and frequency of their anxiety over time. 

When medications are recommended to treat anxiety, Barbosa Psychiatry obtains a thorough medical and mental health history, including past experience with medications. Pharmacogenetic testing may also be utilized in many cases to determine the most effective medication for a patient's genetic profile.

If anxiety is negatively affecting your day-to-day functioning and disrupting your quality of life, call Barbosa Psychiatry or request an appointment online.