Anxiety

Suicide is one of the major leading causes of death in the US, if you are in a crisis reach out to:

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org/ for more resources

Crisis Text line: text “HELLO” to 741741 or visit https://www.crisistextline.org/ to connect to a crisis counselor

Veterans Crisis Line: call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1 or text to 838255

Nearly 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime
Of the U.S. adults with an anxiety disorder, an estimated 1 in 5 of them had significant trouble with daily functioning

Worrying is a completely normal part of life. Many individuals have occasional worries about things like deadlines, public speaking, relationships, driving, etc. However, when the occasional worry begins to happen all the time, you may have anxiety. For individuals with an anxiety disorder, they are plagued with persistent and overwhelming anxiety that can negatively affect their daily life. There are multiple types of anxiety disorders, some of which are outlined below:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD involves persistent, exaggerated feelings of worry or dread that interferes with everyday life. Individuals with GAD often report feeling on-edge, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances. Oftentimes this is accompanied by physical symptoms including headaches, stomachaches, nausea, and a pounding / racing heartbeat.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear in social situations, often with fear of humiliation or being judged by others. This can result in avoidance of conversations, class or work meetings, and general isolation from social interactions. Physical symptoms of social anxiety include sweating and blushing, racing heartbeat, stomachaches, and difficulty maintaining eye contact.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder involves frequent and sudden panic attacks that occur independent of a clear trigger. Panic attacks are characterized by intense fear and a sense of impending doom, often mistaken for a heart attack. Symptoms of a panic attack include heart palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath, sweating and tremors, and numbness and tingling sensations.

Dispelling a myth:

Anxiety disorder is not just “a poor response to stress”. Individuals who live with an anxiety disorder cannot just “stop worrying”, and many benefit from treatment (medication or therapy). Leaving an anxiety disorder untreated often does not improve the symptoms, and they are unlikely to naturally resolve over time. If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or have persistent fears / worries that are impacting your daily life, make an appointment to speak to your doctor.