Most people feel scared, nervous and overwhelmed - sometimes. Anxiety disorders are something else entirely.
If you suspect your worrying is more intense, and more pervasive than other people’s, there is much you can do!

WHAT ARE ANXIETY DISORDERS? 
The type of anxiety disorder depends on your symptoms, and situations in which they occur. 
* Generalized Anxiety Disorder makes you worry all the time. GED sufferers question their ability to cope with any problems, and expect things to go badly every time. Common complaint: “I can’t turn off my brain!”
* Social Anxiety Disorder sufferers fear embarrassing themselves in public, and being judged. The dread is severe enough to compel you to avoid everyday social interactions, public speaking, or attracting attention in any way. Social anxiety is more intense than shyness or introversion, and may lead to difficulties with holding down a job, maintaining relationships, or even leaving your home to run errands.
* Specific phobias cause irrational fear and urge to escape, when exposed to a specific object or situation.
* Panic Disorder causes repeated, sudden, unpredictable spikes of terror, with physical symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, choking/hyperventilation, dizziness, flop sweat). Feels like “a heart attack,” or “going crazy”. 
* Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is triggered by traumatic events, such as  experiencing or witnessing personal or mass violence, surviving a life-threatening situation, or living in unsafe circumstances. PTSD causes flashbacks, hyper-alertness, exaggerated startle response, spikes of anger and other mood fluctuations, feelings of isolation and despair, and sleep/appetite disruptions. PTSD sufferers are prone to suicidal urges. Seek help right away!
* Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder causes intrusive, upsetting thoughts (obsessions), that compel you to perform repetitive or bizarre behaviors or rituals (compulsions) in an effort to soothe the resulting anxiety. OCD sufferers may be aware that their obsessions/compulsions are irrational, but this does not help to neutralize them. 

HOW ARE ANXIETY DISORDERS TREATED?
The best way to treat your anxiety disorder (known as "treatment of choice") depends on your symptoms. 
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
* Empirically validated (lab-tested) psychotherapy for anxiety disorders
   * Disorder-specific CBT protocols are available
      * CBT for GAD teaches you to spot, interrupt, and challenge anxious thoughts, and to power down your
         brain when you are stuck in a loop. You will also learn self-regulation skills to manage body symptoms
      * CBT for specific phobias (known as “flooding”) helps you unlearn the fear response to your trigger
      * CBT for PTSD neutralizes and releases the trauma, corrects the heightened reactivity, and restores safety
      * CBT for panic disorder concentrates on deescalating physical symptoms, and may include breathing and
         visualization exercises, biofeedback techniques, and learning to spot triggers
* Safe and effective. No known side-effects, drug interactions, addictive potential, or loss of efficacy over time
* Treatment of choice for anxiety disorders, with or without medication (depending on the symptom severity) 
* Works best for people who have capacity for insight (self-understanding), and are not intellectually disabled 
   * Modified CBT formats are available for people with poor insight or limited intellect 
* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps you to:
   * Understand the interplay of body, thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and moods 
   * Learn to identify and handle your personal warning signs and triggers 
   * Develop skills for managing and tolerating your symptoms, so you can “ride out” the spikes
   * Make your symptoms less frequent and less intense, or eliminate them all together
* CBT is collaborative. Your therapist will treat you as an equal, and expect your active participation in return
   * There will be a gentle learning curve. CBT is very user-friendly and intuitive, once you grasp the basics 
Anti-anxiety medications 
* Ease the symptoms of worry, nervousness, hyper-activation, palpitations, changes in sleep and appetite, etc. 
* People “too stressed out to go to therapy” may find it easier with a brief course of medication in the beginning 
* Medications called beta-blockers can be helpful for physical symptoms of social anxiety, such as flop-sweat 
* Ongoing treatment (in conjunction with CBT) may be necessary for people with moderate-to-severe anxiety 
* Can be difficult to target because a lot is still unknown about individual human brain chemistry
   * May cause unpleasant side-effects and drug interactions
   * May require multiple “trials”, 4-6 weeks each, to find the medication that works for you
* When used as the only treatment (without therapy):
   * Do not teach self-regulation and problem-solving skills
   * Only help while you take them
      * When you stop medication, symptoms come back
* Tend to lose efficacy over time, as your body builds tolerance
   * You will need to keep increasing the dose to maintain the effect
   * Once you get tolerant to the highest safe dose, you have to switch to a different medication

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If you live in CA, and would like to work with me to get a handle on your anxiety,
use the form to Contact me, or send me a text at 650.416.6463