Anxiety

Anxiety and depression can be acute and situational or long standing and difficult to figure out.
Anxiety and depression are not diseases, they are the effects of dysfunction.
Anxiety is a natural human response to stress or perceived danger. It’s a feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear about something that might happen in the future.
Anxiety becomes a problem when:
It’s excessive or out of proportion to the situation It’s difficult to control It interferes with daily life (work, school, relationships, sleep)

Common symptoms of anxiety:

If anxiety becomes chronic, it may fall into one of these clinical conditions:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): constant worry about many things
• Panic Disorder: sudden, intense anxiety attacks (panic attacks)
• Social Anxiety Disorder: fear of being judged in social situations
• Phobias: intense fear of specific objects or situations
• Separation Anxiety Disorder: excessive fear about being apart from loved ones
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) also involves anxiety but are distinct diagnoses

Causes of Anxiety

• Brain chemistry (imbalances in neurotransmitters)
• Hormone Imbalances
• Medication side effect
• Stressful life events (trauma, abuse, loss)
• Medical conditions (thyroid issues, heart problems)
• Substance use (caffeine, drugs, alcohol withdrawal)

Diagnosis of anxiety

Get a thorough health history
Get thorough blood tests and hormone saliva test
Evaluate significant changes in the last year
Evaluate any recent medication or hormones use
Use screening tools to determine if it is situational or general