Anxiety

Overwhelming emotions like worry and fear can leave you feeling powerless and unsure about how to continue your daily activities. Generalized anxiety disorder, usually referred to simply as anxiety, affects about 40 million men and women in the United States, but less than half of those suffering from anxiety receive treatment. Justin Lapollo, DO, and the team at Maryville Psychiatry can help patients regain control over their emotions so they can enjoy life to its fullest. To schedule an assessment with the Maryville Psychiatry team, email the office in Maryville, Tennessee, or request a consultation online today.

What is anxiety?

Persistent, overwhelming feelings of worry, nervousness, or fear can indicate the presence of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety affects all aspects of your life, including your ability to meet work or school obligations, your personal relationships, and your physical health.

Coping with anxiety can leave you mentally and physically exhausted. Because anxiety feels stifling, confusing, and unending, depression and substance abuse frequently co-occur with anxiety disorders. 

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

In addition to ongoing anxious feelings, some of the most common symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:

• Decreased ability to focus on everyday tasks
• Difficulty making decisions
• Avoiding social situations
• Irritability
• Panic attacks

Physical symptoms of anxiety include headaches, stomach issues, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.

What causes anxiety?

Many factors can contribute to an anxiety disorder, such as:

• Past trauma
• Problems with work, family, and other environmental stressors
• Brain chemistry
• Chronic pain or illness

It’s not entirely clear why some people are more prone to anxiety than others, and genetics may play a role. 

How is anxiety diagnosed?

If you’re suffering from anxiety symptoms, a comprehensive assessment at Maryville Psychiatry can help determine the exact cause of your anxious emotions. During your evaluation, your provider discusses your symptoms with you in detail, reviews your physical and mental health history, and addresses your questions and concerns. 

Following your intake session, your therapist makes recommendations for treatment based on your individual needs.

Which treatments can improve anxiety?

The experienced team at Maryville Psychiatry offers expert counseling services to help you uncover the underlying issues that trigger your anxiety symptoms. The highly trained team understands anxiety disorders and can help you develop coping strategies to relieve symptoms while you do the work to heal the root causes of your anxiety.

Your provider may recommend the following techniques:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Creative therapy and journaling

The idea of discussing your problems with a therapist might make you feel uncomfortable at first. However, unaddressed anxiety typically worsens over time. When you work with a skilled provider such as those at Maryville Psychiatry, you experience relief while developing skills that help you live a fuller, happier life long after your treatment is complete.

Sometimes, medications are useful during the healing process. 

To schedule an anxiety assessment, email Maryville Psychiatry or request a consultation online today.