Anxiety: 5 Signs That It’s a Problem and How We Can Help

The most common mental health issue for Americans, affecting at least 40 million adults every year, is anxiety. Sadly, there are likely many more undiagnosed, and even of those with a diagnosis, only one in three are seeking or receiving any type of mental health treatment. 

At P.S. Psychiatry in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Dr. Mitchell Kho and his team work to deliver compassionate, effective mental health care for anxiety and other disorders both through in-person appointments and remotely using telehealth options. 

Signs your anxiety is a problem 

There are many different signs of anxiety. Some signs of other mental health conditions, like depression, or DHD, can also mask or be masked by similar symptoms. However, if you have one or more of the following signs, it’s time to get professional help.

1. Panic attacks

If you have never experienced a panic attack, consider yourself lucky. If you know what it’s like to have a panic attack, you’ll never forget it. Unlike regular anxiety attacks, which can present as shortness of breath and chest pain (often resulting in a trip to the ER to rule out cardiac event), panic attacks can make you freeze, hyperventilate, stop breathing until you pass out, hide behind or under things, or even run away mindlessly in terror.

2. Constant fears and negative thoughts

Everyone has anxious or worried thoughts sometimes. But if your inner monologue is a constant symphony of angst, fear, and negativity, it’s a clear sign that your anxiety is leading to catastrophizing every little event or possibility. That’s just no way to live, and can actually make you feel like you’re “stuck” in your current state and can’t move forward.

3. Inability to focus

Attention deficit disorders are famous for causing “focus issues” but anxiety can cause these symptoms also. Examine what is causing your inability to focus, and determine if it’s simple distractibility and scatter-brainedness, or chaotic, negative, and intrusive thoughts.If it’s the latter, you’re looking at anxiety, not ADD (although you could have both). 

4. Terrible sleep experiences

Not being able to sleep because your brain just won’t shut up with the “worst case scenarios” for every upcoming event in the near or distant future is a hallmark of anxiety. So is being able to get to sleep, but waking feeling completely wrecked due to persistent bad dreams. If you can’t get a decent night’s sleep, and it’s caused by either of these symptoms, you’re in need of a specialist.

5. Physical symptoms that wipe you out

Surprise! Anxiety symptoms aren’t just in your head. Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms such as:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Recurring stomach issues
• Constant muscle cramps or tension
• Low sex drive
• Racing heartbeat

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, it’s time to contact a mental health professional.

How we can help

We provide a range of options for anxiety treatment. Low-level anxiety can often be treated with low doses of mild anxiety medications, often in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions to help you learn how to manage anxious episodes.

If you have more severe anxiety, we prescribe more potent medications. One of the biggest challenges with treating anxiety is finding the right medication that works for each patient. That’s why we also offer genetic testing to find out what medications are most likely to work for you.

When we treat your anxiety, you should see your symptoms decrease significantly in frequency and severity, and hopefully we can get them to go away altogether. If you think you suffer from anxiety, and would like to get rid of symptoms like these before they worsen, we can help.

To make an appointment with Dr. Kho, call 267-884-1824 or request an appointment online today. We see patients in our Doylestown office or Dr. Kho can meet with you using our telehealth service.