Anxiety disorder is a term that refers to specific psychiatric disorders that involve emotions of extreme fear or worry and includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, selective mutism, separation anxiety, and specific phobias.

Anxiety disorders are common and pervasive mental disorders throughout the world.

Experiencing anxiety occasionally is a normal part of everyone’s life. However, people with anxiety disorder can frequently have intense, excessive and even persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. These feelings can interfere with daily activities and are difficult to control, they can also become dangerous if they last a long time and they are not treated.

Symptoms may start as early as childhood or throughout the teen years and continue into adulthood.

Common signs and symptoms of anxiety include:

– Nervousness, restless or tense feelings
– Sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
– Increased heart rate
– Breathing rapidly
– Sweating
– Trembling
– Feeling weak
– Feeling exhausted
– Having a hard time concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
– Trouble sleeping
– Experiencing gastrointestinal issues
– Have difficulty controlling your worry
– Wanting to avoid things that may trigger anxiety

The causes of anxiety disorders are not fully understood, life experiences such as traumatic events appear to help trigger anxiety disorders in many who are already prone to anxiety. A few examples of medical problems that can be linked to anxiety include:

– Heart disease
– Diabetes
– Thyroid issues
– Respiratory disorders
– Drug misuse or drug withdrawal
– Withdrawal from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications, or other medication withdrawal
– Chronic pain
– Irritable bowel syndrome
– Rare tumors that produce certain flight or fight hormones

Anxiety can also sometimes be a side effect of certain medications patients are taking. As well, anxiety may also be due to an underlying medical condition like:

– No relation to blood relatives with an anxiety disorder
– As a child, you didn’t have an anxiety disorder
– You don’t avoid things or situations because of anxiety
– You suddenly have anxiety that seems unrelated to life events and you didn’t have any previous history of anxiety

These risk factors can increase your development of an anxiety disorder:

– Trauma
– Stress due to illness
– Stress buildup
– Personality
– Mental health disorders
– Blood relatives with an anxiety disorder
– Drugs
– Alcohol

It is time to book an appointment with the doctors at Psychiatry Unplugged if:

– You feel like you are worrying too often and it’s interfering with your work, relationships, or other aspects of your life
– Fear, worry, or anxiety control you and upset you
– Feeling of depression, having trouble with drug or alcohol use or other mental health concerns along with anxiety
– You think your anxiety can be linked to a physical health problem
– You are having suicidal thoughts or behaviors – in this case, seek immediate emergency medical treatment

Your anxiety may not go away on its own and may get worse over time. See our doctor at Psychiatry Unplugged before your anxiety gets worse, as it’s easier to treat anxiety disorder if you get help early.

Psychiatry Unplugged is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We have convenient locations to serve you in Glendale and Los Angeles, CA. For more information, call us or schedule an appointment online. We serve patients from Los Angeles CA, Glendale CA, Beverly Hills CA, Santa Monica CA, Hollywood CA, Burbank CA, and Pasadena CA.