While anxiety is a normal part of life, it can sometimes become so pervasive or severe that it becomes a medical disorder. An anxiety disorder can severely affect your quality of life — you may find yourself constantly avoiding anything that triggers your anxiety, like driving, socializing in groups, or speaking to people on the phone.
If you suffer from anxiety, you may be wondering when it's time to see a psychiatrist about it. Psychiatrists are professionals that have chosen to specialize in mental health conditions and psychiatric medication. While therapy is very useful in combating excessive anxiety, medication may sometimes be necessary to help keep your anxiety at manageable levels. To learn when you should consider seeing a psychiatrist about your anxiety, read on.
You Suffer From Panic Attacks
One of the biggest reasons to see a psychiatrist about your anxiety is if you're suffering from panic attacks. Panic attacks can cause shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, and chest pain — for some people, they're so severe that they think they're having a heart attack. You may have them whenever you're in a stressful situation or they may occur for seemingly no reason.
Panic attacks can be debilitating, especially when they seem to occur randomly. A psychiatrist can help reduce the frequency of your panic attacks by prescribing a sedative medication such as a benzodiazepine, which can help quickly calm you down and stop a panic attack from occurring.
You Have Persistent Anxiety Throughout the Day
It's normal for people to experience anxiety in stressful situations since fear is an important survival mechanism that helps keep you away from harm. If you're constantly experiencing anxiety throughout the entire day, however, you may have a condition called generalized anxiety disorder. This condition can be very difficult to live with since it can cause you to excessively worry about events that are very unlikely to occur.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an excellent tool for dealing with generalized anxiety disorder. It's a form of therapy that teaches you how to stop the thought processes that lead to excessive worry. Antidepressant medication can also be effective at reducing the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, and a psychiatrist can both refer you to a cognitive behavioral therapist and find an antidepressant that helps reduce your persistent anxiety.
Your Anxiety Disorder Prevents You From Living the Life You Want
Finally, it's a good idea to see a psychiatrist about your anxiety when your life revolves around avoiding potentially stressful situations to prevent your anxiety from flaring. For example, you may stay home as much as possible in order to prevent encountering situations that you have no control over. When anxiety starts to negatively affect your life, seeking treatment is the best option — successfully reducing your anxiety symptoms can help you live your life without focusing on managing your anxiety levels.
If you suffer from frequent panic attacks, persistent anxiety, or feel like your anxiety is preventing you from fully living your life, schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist. With a combination of medication and therapy, you'll have a better chance of being able to keep your anxiety under control and live your life without excessive worry
Share11 April 2022
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
