Anxiety Specialist

What is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorder, also called generalized anxiety disorder or GAD, is a chronic, persistent tension that causes both physical and psychological symptoms. People with anxiety may anticipate disaster and worry excessively about things like work, social situations, health, finances, or relationships. Aside from generalized anxiety disorder, there is a myriad of other anxiety disorders in existence.

What is an anxiety attack?

An anxiety attack is characterized by sudden onset of intense and debilitating fear, often accompanied by heart palpitations, chest pain, hyperventilating, and faintness. Patients experience a panic attack may feel as if they can’t breathe or even as if they’re dying.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

The most common symptoms of anxiety include:

• Excessive worry lasting six months or more
• Restlessness
• Trouble concentrating
• Fatigue; feeling tired all the time
• Muscle tension
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping

Many people with anxiety also feel sick but have trouble identifying the cause. They may have a general unwell feeling, upset stomach, or feel “off” without having any unusual symptoms.

What types of anxiety disorders are there?

The most well-known kinds of anxiety disorder are:

• Generalized anxiety disorder, characterized by intense and chronic worry
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder, marked by ritualistic behaviors and fearful thoughts and ideas
• Panic disorder, which manifests in the form of panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a chronic anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to trauma
• Social phobia, characterized by an intense and debilitating fear of social situations

How are anxiety disorders treated?

Dr. Pradeep customizes treatment to each patient and their unique circumstances. In most cases, anxiety is treated using a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be especially impactful in the treatment of anxiety disorders; during CBT, patients are taught to identify and understand patterns of their thinking so they can gain control over thoughts and behaviors that follow.

How rare are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are actually classified as some of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. As a matter of fact, nearly a quarter of all adults are affected by an anxiety disorder every year.