Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by excessive worry, fear, or nervousness that can significantly impact a person's daily life. These disorders go beyond the normal stress and anxiety that everyone experiences from time to time. Anxiety disorders can be chronic and pervasive and can interfere with your ability to function in various areas of life.

Here are some common types of anxiety disorders:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Individuals with GAD experience excessive and persistent worry about a wide range of everyday concerns. The anxiety is often disproportionate to the actual situation, and it can be challenging for the person to control these worries.

Panic Disorder: People with panic disorder have recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear or discomfort that reach a peak within minutes. Panic attacks can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and a sense of impending doom.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia): Social anxiety disorder involves an intense fear of social situations or performance situations where the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. This fear can lead to avoidance of social events and can significantly impact a person's social and occupational functioning.

Specific Phobias: These are intense and irrational fears of specific objects or situations. Common phobias include fear of heights (acrophobia), flying (aviophobia), animals, blood, or certain environments. Individuals with specific phobias may go to great lengths to avoid the feared object or situation.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions (intrusive and unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to alleviate the anxiety caused by obsessions). Common obsessions include fears of contamination, harm to oneself or others, or a need for symmetry.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD can develop after exposure to a traumatic event, such as a serious accident, natural disaster, or violence. Symptoms include intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, and emotional numbness. 

Here's How We Can Help:

Through a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, we will determine the most suitable treatment for you. Anxiety disorders are common and can coexist with other mental health conditions, such as depression. I can assist in creating a personalized treatment plan for your anxiety. This treatment plan typically includes a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle adjustments.