Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

 

Also known as general anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder involves experiencing excessive levels of worry or anxiety most days for six months or longer. GAD, as it’s also known, can negatively impact your life, creating serious health, work and social problems.

 

Some of the main symptoms of GAD include the following:

 

• feeling on edge or restless

• having difficulty concentrating

• being easily fatigued

• feeling irritable

• experiencing sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

• experiencing ongoing muscle tension

• having trouble controlling feelings of worry

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Panic Disorders

 

Another type of anxiety disorder, panic disorder involves experiencing unexpected, recurring panic attacks. Panic attacks come on suddenly, sparking periods of intense fear, and they usually peak within a few minutes. Specific situations or objects may trigger them, or they may occur for no apparent reason.

 

Symptoms you may experience during a panic attack include the following:

 

• trembling or shaking

• sweating

• accelerated heart rate, pounding heartbeat or heart palpitations

• feeling smothered, choked or short of breath

• experiencing a feeling of impending doom

• feeling like you’re out of control

 

Since panic attacks can happen anywhere at any time, people who struggle with panic disorders live in fear of when the next one will occur. As a result, they may avoid specific situations, places or behaviors, which can negatively impact their lives.

 

Social Anxiety Disorder

 

People who suffer from social anxiety have an intense, general fear of or anxiety toward social situations or situations in which they must perform in front of others. This disorder causes sufferers to worry that the actions or behaviors they exhibit because of their anxiety will be viewed disparagingly by others, causing intense embarrassment. As a result, this disorder can cause people to avoid social situations, making them isolated and unable to live normal lives.

 

Phobia-Related Disorders

 

Phobia-related anxiety disorders involve experiencing feelings of intense fear of – or aversion to – specific situations or objects. The fear is out of proportion to any actual danger; many times, no danger exists at all.

 

Someone who suffers from a phobia-related disorder may experience the following symptoms:

 

• excessive, irrational worry about encountering the feared situation or object

• taking steps to actively avoid the feared situation or object

• experiencing instant, intense anxiety upon encountering the feared situation or object

• enduring unavoidable encounters with the feared object or situation with feelings of intense anxiety

 

Specific phobias, also known as simple phobias, involve experiencing intense anxiety about exposure to specific objects or situations. Common examples include phobias of heights, flying or insects.

 

Agoraphobia

 

Agoraphobia is a type of phobia in which the sufferer experiences intense anxiety or fear regarding two or more of the following:

 

• open spaces

• public transportation

• enclosed spaces

• being in line or in a crowd

• being out of the house alone

 

People with this disorder often actively avoid these situations because they’re worried it will be difficult to leave if they experience panic-related reactions. This fear can become so consuming that it leaves a person housebound in some cases.

 

Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorders

 

Anxiety disorders can seriously disrupt everyday life, leaving you feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. Luckily, several treatment options are available.

 

Psychotherapy

 

Also known as talk therapy, psychotherapy involves sitting down and discussing your feelings and symptoms with a trained professional like a social worker or a psychologist. When used to treat anxiety disorders, it may be directed toward the specific anxieties at play and otherwise customized to suit a patient’s specific needs.

 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBT, is a common approach for treating anxiety through psychotherapy. It involves teaching different ways to think, behave or react to thoughts or feelings of anxiety. Exposure therapy, another type of psychotherapy, involves confronting fears in a safe, controlled environment.

 

Some people also experience positive results by attending support groups for people with anxiety disorders, where they share their experiences, thoughts and feelings with others who are going through the same thing.

 

Medication

 

Medication doesn’t cure anxiety disorders, but it helps relieve the symptoms they cause. Some common medication treatment options for anxiety disorders include the following:

 

• Benzodiazepines – This class of anti-anxiety medications includes Valium and Ativan, which take effect rapidly, effectively reducing feelings of anxiety. However, they are best suited for short-term use because people can develop tolerances or become dependent upon them, which can cause withdrawal symptoms.

• Antidepressants – Antidepressants improve how the brain uses certain chemicals that affect mood and stress, so they can effectively treat anxiety. Many options are available, including SSRIs, SNRIs and MAOIs.

• Beta-Blockers – Most commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure, beta-blockers can also treat the physical symptoms of anxiety, including blushing, shaking and rapid heartbeat. They are designed for short-term use or on an as-needed basis.

Stress Management Techniques

 

Finally, people with anxiety disorders may benefit from various stress management techniques. Popular options include meditation, yoga and aerobic exercises.

Call Today to Reclaim Your Life from Anxiety

 

If you live in the Orlando area and are experiencing ongoing feelings of intense anxiety, Spark Wellness Group is here to help. Our Orlando-based practice features a talented staff of experienced, board-certified medical professionals offering treatment for anxiety disorders of all kinds. Our practice offers medication management services, and we accept most insurance plans. Contact us today via phone or email to schedule a consultation.