When Does Anxiety Require Medical Intervention?

Occasional anxiety is part of the human experience. The truth is that everyone will feel worried or afraid at some point. Stress is a tool your body uses to stay safe and make good decisions in high-stakes situations. 

For example, when you have a presentation at work or a test at school, you might develop racing thoughts and feelings of dread, along with physical symptoms, such as sweaty palms or a rapid heartbeat. Even though this “fight-or-flight” response isn’t fun, it’s meant to push you to succeed, and the symptoms should pass once the situation has resolved. 

In some cases, this anxiety can be incredibly intense and last for long periods. Maybe you even experience high-stress levels over daily situations, causing you to avoid anything that might trigger anxiety.

When anxiety impacts your daily life, you could be dealing with an anxiety disorder. At RapidRecovery TMS, our team understands how anxiety can affect your life, and we’re passionate about providing effective treatment to those living with anxiety. 

This month’s blog explores how you can know your anxiety needs professional help.

Explaining anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders require a diagnosis from medical professionals, such as our RapidRecovery TMS team, because there are specific criteria you need to meet. This includes:

• Having anxiety about multiple events or activities 
• Being anxious more often than not for over six months
• Having anxiety that’s excessive and challenging to control

Your anxiety may also cause you to worry for most of your waking hours and lead you to constantly seek reassurance from others.

People with anxiety disorders experience other physical and cognitive symptoms, such as fatigue, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, and joint or muscle pain. 

What treatments are available for anxiety disorders?

If your anxiety is affecting your quality of life, don’t delay seeking professional treatment from our team. Effective management techniques are available, and we can help you find one that’s best for you. 

Psychotherapy and medications are often the most effective for treating anxiety disorders. Anti-anxiety drugs can help calm your racing mind, and talk therapy can provide a space for you to work through negative thought patterns and form more positive ones. 

Making healthy lifestyle choices that benefit your physical health can also do wonders for your mental health. These include: 

• Exercising 
• Eating nutritious foods
• Taking dietary supplements 
• Cutting back on alcohol  
• Quitting tobacco 

At RapidRecovery TMS, we also offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy. During this treatment, we place an electromagnetic coil on your head to send electrical pulses to the portion of your brain that regulates mood, which helps to reduce anxious thought patterns. 

To learn more about how our team can help you manage your anxiety, schedule an appointment by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.