Anxiety Symptoms and Treatments
Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but that doesn’t mean all anxiety is normal. Prolonged anxiety that interferes with work, school or life could indicate a true anxiety disorder that would benefit from treatment. The mental health providers at Beaufort Memorial can provide extensive psychiatric care for the many anxiety disorders that can impact your life.
Our board-certified primary care providers can refer you for services at Beaufort Memorial Sea Island Psychiatry. Find a provider accepting new patients.
Anxiety Symptoms
Excessive anxiety, fear or worry for six months could be generalized anxiety disorder, a condition in which when the brain doesn’t process stressors and environmental issues like it should. Symptoms include:
- Avoidance of activities or people in social situations
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Feeling on-edge
- Intense anxiety
- Irrational fears or worries
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep problems
However, generalized anxiety disorder is only one type of anxiety disorder. Others include:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder, a potentially disabling condition marked by panic attacks that mimic physical symptoms of a heart attack, such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath and sweating
- Social anxiety disorder, sometimes called social phobia, in which people experience anxiety or fear when meeting new people, speaking up in group situations and other everyday social situations
- Specific phobias, such as agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) and acrophobia (extreme fear of heights)
Risk Factors for Anxiety Disorders
Risk factors for anxiety disorders vary, and much remains unknown about why certain people are more affected. But in general, some risk factors are:
- Exposure to extreme stress or trauma, especially as a child or young adult
- Family or personal history of mental illness
- Health conditions, such as thyroid problems
- Substance abuse issues
Anxiety Treatment
Psychiatric care can help treat anxiety disorders. At Beaufort Memorial, our providers first conduct a thorough medical evaluation to determine whether your anxiety could stem from untreated or poorly controlled physical health conditions. They also review your history of anxiety treatments and look for any co-occurring psychiatric issues, such as depression, to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
Sometimes, treating anxiety requires multiple approaches. You may be prescribed medication, such as antidepressants, beta blockers and benzodiazepines. Our providers may also refer you for cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help you reframe your thinking, and/or exposure therapy, which can teach you to face your fears head on. Learning healthy stress management techniques can also help some people.