Primary Author: Marisa Valentino | Secondary Author: Esther Fires NP

Everyone experiences anxiety at one point or another. But if this feeling is unrelenting or disrupts your daily life, it could indicate an anxiety disorder.

What Is an Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety is a natural response to stress. Experiencing occasional anxiety is normal. It’s a feeling of fear about what’s to come. For people with anxiety disorders, that feeling doesn’t go away and can worsen over time. They can frequently experience persistent, intense worry on a daily basis. It can even be debilitating. An anxiety disorder can interfere with daily activities like schoolwork, job performance, and maintaining relationships. This disorder can prevent you from doing the things you enjoy and cause you to avoid certain places or situations. If left untreated, anxiety disorders and their symptoms can worsen.

Anxiety disorders are very common and affect approximately 48 million people worldwide. Anxiety disorders can affect anyone. However, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

Social Anxiety Disorder

Intense fear of being judged by others in social settings.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Fears about being away from people you are attached to. Often, those with this disorder will worry that those they are attached to will be harmed while they are separated.

Panic Disorder

People with this disorder experience unexpected recurring panic attacks.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Recurring irrational thoughts that encourage you to perform repeated, specific behaviors.

Phobia-Related Disorders

Excessive fear of a specific situation, activity, or object.

Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorder symptoms vary from person to person, they are not uniform. Common symptoms of anxiety include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Nervous thoughts that are hard to control
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability
• Increased heart rate
• Fatigue
• Avoiding things that can trigger feelings of anxiety.
• Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
• Restlessness
• Gastrointestinal problems

Causes of Anxiety Disorders

Experts believe Anxiety Disorders stem from the areas of the brain responsible for fear regulation as well as storing and retrieving fear-related or emotional memories. Yet, researchers haven’t determined the exact cause of Anxiety Disorders. However, the following factors can contribute to the disorder:

• Stress
• First-degree relatives with an anxiety disorder
• Environmental concerns, like child abuse
• Substance abuse
• Situations involving risks such as occupational hazards or surgery

ReKlame Health Can Help

If you’re struggling with anxiety, ReKlame Health is here to help. We offer affordable and easy access to a diverse clinical team dedicated to improving your mental health. Book an appointment with ReKlame Health today to regain control of your mental health.

Diagnosis

Anxiety disorder diagnosis is done at ReKlame by performing an initial psychiatric evaluation, reviewing a patient’s background, lab testing if medication is indicated, screening questionnaires, and obtaining collateral from previous clinicians/friends or family.

Treatment

ReKlame Health offers effective treatment for anxiety disorders. We provide medication management, holistic supplement recommendations, and referrals to local therapists.