Silhouette of anxiety person head.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder 

Current estimates show that generalized anxiety disorder affects around 6.8 million people in the U.S. — or more than 3 percent of the country’s adults.  Furthermore, 75% of the time anxiety and depression can occur together.

 

It is important to note that persons who suffer from anxiety don’t all have the same symptoms or issues.  In fact, research has demonstrated how brain patterns of persons suffering from anxiety are not all the same and this is a major reason why treating anxiety cannot be the same for everyone.

Anxiety is an emotion that is characterized by feelings of tension and worried thoughts.  A person with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) usually will display excessive anxiety or worry, most days and has done so for at least 6 months.

 

They will worry about a number of things such as:

 

  • personal health

  • work

  • social interactions

  •  and everyday routine life events and circumstances.

This fear and anxiety can cause significant problems in many areas of their life, such as work, school, and even social interactions.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms include:

 

  •  Feeling restless and on-edgeAnxiety and fatigue man unable to focus

  •  Easily fatigued

  •  Difficulty concentrating; mind going blank

  •  Being irritable

  •  Experiencing muscle tension

  • Difficulty controlling feelings of worry

  • Sleep problems, difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, or unsatisfying sleep

Somatic symptom disorder

A person dealing with a somatic symptom disorder will have major emotional distress and even problems being able to function in their daily lives due to an extreme focus on physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue.

 

There is a tendency to expect the worst about the symptoms they have and frequently seek medical care in search of an explanation to what they are experiencing.

 

Individuals may experience:

 

  • pain -most common

  • shortness of breath

  • fatigue

  • weakness

  • constant worry

Each of these symptoms can range from mild to severe.  Excessive rumination over these symptoms and their feelings can be a cause of disability.

Panic disorder     

A person with panic disorder has recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. These panic attacks come on suddenly and reach their peak within minutes. The attacks can occur unexpectedly or can be brought on by a trigger, such as a feared object or situation.

 

During a panic attack, people may experience:

 

Man suffering for a sudden panic attack due to anxiety

  • Heart palpitations, a pounding heartbeat, or a racing heart rate

  • Sweating

  • Trembling or shaking

  •  Sensations of shortness of breath

  • Feelings of smothering or choking

  •  Feelings of impending doom

  •  Feelings of being out of control

Due to these experiences, people with panic disorder often worry about when the next attack will happen and actively try to prevent future attacks by avoiding places, situations, or behaviors they associate with panic attacks.

 

Worrying about panic attacks, and the effort spent trying to avoid attacks can cause significant problems in various areas of the person’s life preventing them from being able to live the life they want.

Phobia disorders

A phobia is an intense fear of or aversion to specific situations and/or objects. young woman suffering from phobia and anxietyAll of us have natural aversions to things and situations that can be harmful or perceived to be harmful.

 

However, a person dealing with a phobia may react to the same situation in a way that is out of proportion for the situation.

 

They may:

 

  • Have an irrational or rumination about encountering the feared object or situation

  • Take active steps to avoid the feared object or situation

  • Experience immediate intense anxiety upon encountering the feared object or situation

  •  Only be able to endure unavoidable objects and situations with intense anxiety

Specific phobias

A person who has a specific phobia will have intense fear, feel intense anxiety about specific types of objects or situations.

Some examples of specific phobias include the fear of:

 

woman suffering from claustrophobia

  • Flying

  • Heights

  • leaving the home and public spaces

  • Tight and constrained places

  •  Specific animals, such as spiders, dogs, or snakes

  •  Receiving injections

  •  Blood

Social anxiety disorder

People with social anxiety disorder have a general intense fear and anxiety woman suffering from social anxietytoward, social or performance situations.

 

They may be concerned and worry that their actions or behaviors will be negatively evaluated by others and they will then be left feeling embarrassed.

 

This worry often causes people with social anxiety to avoid social situations. Social anxiety disorder can manifest in a range of situations, such as within the workplace or the school environment.

The voice of anxiety is always critical     

Even when there’s absolutely nothing wrong, I sometimes get this overwhelming sense of doom, like danger is lurking just around the corner.

 

In our success-driven world, there is a misconception that anxiety and depression are signs of weakness. However, nothing can be farther from the truth.  People from all walks of life have suffered from anxiety.  In fact, globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) say that almost 300 million people have an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is mysterious. It can feel like an invisible cage that keeps you prisoner on your sofa, unable to move for fear of something that you can’t quite identify.

Anon.

 

There is hope…there are solutions  

 

Research is showing that 70% of people struggling with depression will improve with therapy, treatment and/or medication. There is no need to suffer in silence.  There are viable ways to treat anxiety.

Anxiety Treatment Through the Offices of Ginny Estupinian Ph.D ABPP     

 

I am experienced in treating all types of anxiety disorders, and I can help you.  Over the past decade, I have worked with people from varying backgrounds and age groups 16 and above, both in a hospital setting and in my private practice. The clients I have worked with have been individuals who were seeking help for mild to severe anxiety.

 

When you work with my office, we will begin with a full evaluation to determine if you truly have an anxiety disorder.  I will work with you to make sure there is not another condition that may be causing or at the very least contributing to the feelings of anxiety.

 

These steps will allow me to understand your symptoms better and create a unique and tailor-made plan to help you feel better.  When necessary, I will work with your primary physician and share with you both medical and non-medical treatment alternatives.  Rest assured that we will find the best treatment plan for your anxiety.

 

You are cordially invited to call my office and discuss your concerns

 

Call +1 (844) 802-6512

or

 

Go online to book an appointment here