Tri-State Urgent Care Centers
Tri-State Urgent Care LLC
Open 7 days a week , convenient times
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
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Tri-State Urgent Care Centers Tri-State Urgent Care LLC Open 7 days a week , convenient times NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
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Anxiety
What is anxiety? Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, or tension you feel in response to stressful or threatening circumstances. Anxiety can be mild or so intense that you feel panic. Everyone feels anxious about things from time to time, but the feeling normally goes away once the problem is resolved. When it persists, occurs in the absence of a significant stress or threat, interferes with normal daily activities, or harms your physical health, it becomes a medical problem. How does it occur? Some medical conditions, such as an overactive thyroid, can cause anxiety. Anxiety may itself be a disorder or it may be a symptom of a different disorder such as depression or schizophrenia. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is marked by chronic and excessive worry over real or perceived issues. A similar disorder called Panic Disorder is marked by sudden bouts of intense anxiety or terror for no readily identifiable reason, though sometimes it can be triggered by otherwise trivial situations (i.e. driving, open spaces, etc.) Anxiety sometimes starts with a difficult or painful experience. In older people, it might start with:
Anxiety also may be brought on by certain drugs, including:
What are the symptoms? The signs and symptoms of anxiety may be both psychological and physical. Psychological symptoms include:
Physical signs and symptoms can include:
How is it diagnosed? Mild anxiety may be discovered during an exam or while looking into other medical problems. Panic attacks are often so frightening that they cause people to seek medical help. Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and discuss the circumstances that seem to trigger them. He or she may ask you about life events, daily activities, and your view of how things are going. Your provider will also examine you. Lab tests may be done to rule out the possibility of a physical problem as the underlying reason for your anxiety. Possible tests include a complete blood count, blood analysis, thyroid function tests, and urine analysis. How is it treated? Your provider may refer you to a specialist such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Relaxation therapy, imaging, biofeedback, stress management techniques and other forms of therapy may be useful. Medication to reduce your anxiety also may be prescribed. The type of therapy is dependent on the patient, so it is best to consult with a doctor before undertaking any treatment. How can I take care of myself?
For more information, contact the National Mental Health Association (NMHA). NMHA's toll-free number is 1-800-969-NMHA (969-6642). Its website address is http://www.NMHA.org.
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