Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal response to situations that can cause you to feel stressed or in danger. However, if you have consistent feelings of panic, worry, or gloom and doom, you may suffer from an anxiety disorder. Evolve Behavioral Health in Florence, Alabama, led by founders Debbie Tyson, CRNP, and Jessi Tidwell, CRNP, offers evidence-based treatments to help patients overcome anxiety. If you’re ready to get the help you deserve, call or book an appointment online today.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural response to stress or danger that can cause feelings of apprehension, nervousness, and worry. While it's normal to experience occasional anxiety in response to challenging situations, anxiety disorders involve excessive and persistent worry or fear that can significantly impact your daily life.

What are the different types of anxiety disorders?

Panic attacks are a type of anxiety disorder that cause intense episodes of fear or discomfort that can occur suddenly and reach a peak within minutes. Symptoms of a panic attack may include:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Dizziness

A panic attack can also cause a sense of impending doom or loss of control.

Other common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), specific phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 

GAD involves excessive worry and anxiety about various aspects of life, while SAD involves fear of social situations and scrutiny by others. Specific phobias are irrational fears of specific objects or situations, while OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors.

Additional symptoms of anxiety include restlessness, irritability, being on edge, and difficulty concentrating. You may also experience intrusive thoughts or excessive worrying about potential future events.

What causes anxiety?

The causes of anxiety disorders involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Genetics may play a role in predisposing you to anxiety disorders, as they tend to run in families. 

Environmental factors, such as stressful life events, trauma, childhood adversity, and chronic illness, can also contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. In addition, imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine may contribute to symptoms.

How is anxiety treated?

The Evolve Behavioral Health team treats anxiety disorders with evidence-based solutions, which typically involve a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and self-care strategies. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely used and effective form of psychotherapy for treating anxiety disorders. It helps you identify and challenge irrational thoughts and beliefs that contribute to anxiety and teaches coping skills to manage symptoms.

Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and benzodiazepines may be prescribed to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety. 

Lifestyle modifications like regular exercise, stress management techniques, and healthy sleep habits can also help reduce anxiety symptoms.

If you struggle with anxiety, call Evolve Behavioral Health today for an appointment or book online now.