Anxiety & OCD Treatment In-Person or Virtual by Telehealth
What type of anxiety treatment do I need?....
Excessive worry, often diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is typically characterized by unsettling feelings of tension and a persistent sense of being 'on guard' and unable to relax.
Any topic that is especially meaningful or important to an individual with GAD may become a focus of chronic worry and stress. Individuals with GAD find it difficult to control their worry and tend to picture events inevitably spiraling toward "worst case scenarios".
GAD worries may involve a variety of different topics but, often revolve around the following:
- health
- finances
- family
- relationships
- work/career
- news and world events
A panic attack is an abrupt surge of physical and psychological fear that can be so intense and unsettling that it is often confused with a medical crisis.
Common symptoms associated with a panic attack include:
- Racing heart rate or palpitations
- Chest pain or tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling like you’re choking
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Nausea
- Sweating or chills
- Shaking or trembling
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Overwhelming feelings of dread
Although panic symptoms are benign, episodes of panic can be so intense that they frequently lead sufferers to seek assistance at their local hospital. That’s why panic attacks are often first diagnosed, not by mental health professionals but, by emergency room medical personnel.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment
It might surprise you to learn that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is not always about cleanliness or excessive orderliness....
An individual with OCD suffers obsessions, which are repetitive intrusive negative thoughts and worries as well as compulsions, which are repetitive or excessive behaviors intended to reduce the distress of obsessing.
Common OCD symptoms include
fears about contamination, worries about doing things perfectly, fears about committing moral or sexual offenses, and intrusive thoughts about causing harm to one's self or others.
Sometimes OCD is readily observable but, quite often individuals with OCD struggle to keep their disorder secret while trying to maintain a relatively normal life.
Social anxiety disorder may present as shyness or extreme self-consciousness. In some cases, it leads to complete withdrawal and isolation from others but, more often, social anxiety results in discomfort that diminishes the fun and enjoyment of social events and relationships.
Social Anxiety might be more aptly called "judgment anxiety" as it is really the anticipation and fear of negative judgments from others--even from total strangers--that lead an individual to feel tense and uncomfortably shy in social situations.
Individuals with social anxiety disorder usually crave friendships and intimate relationships as much as anyone else. However, anxious thoughts, self-doubts, and self-criticisms can feel debilitating and may lead to feelings of depression, problems at work and at school, and sometimes to the overuse of alcohol and other substances.
Do I Need Help with Anxiety?...Take A Short Quiz to find OuT
Anxiety Quiz
Answer these questions completely and honestly. Your responses should reflect the way you feel currently, not the way you'd like to feel.
During the past month...
1. Do you find yourself worrying more than other people would about any of these areas of your life such as your health or the health and well-being of family members, personal finances, job security, or world events?
YES / NO
2. Do you find yourself having difficulty controlling your worry and concentrating on tasks at work, home, or at school?
YES / NO
3. Do you believe that you have more difficulty than most people in social situations such as talking and interacting with others either in person or by phone?
YES / NO
4. Do you avoid social situations (e.g., social gatherings, job interviews, asking for help, etc.) because you are concerned that you may do or say something embarrassing and that others will think poorly of you?
YES / NO
5. Do you find yourself being preoccupied with repetitive worries that you believe are unnecessary or irrational but, that you just can't seem to let go of? (e.g., fears about the foods you eat, fears about your health, fear that you might not be a "good" person)
YES / NO
6. Do you find yourself "stuck in routines" or performing any repetitive actions or behaviors in response to your worries? These repetitive routines or behaviors may feel necessary to you but, may also be disruptive to your functioning or to others.
YES / NO
7. Do you have recurrent episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms that occur abruptly or seemingly come out of the blue? Symptoms may include an increase in your heart rate, chest tightness, dizziness, stomach upset, feeling hot or cold or tingling in your hands or feet?
YES / NO
8. During one of these episodes, do you ever fear you you may be dying, "losing your mind", fainting, or losing control?
YES / NO
9. Do you avoid situations that you believe may provoke episodes of discomfort such as being alone or in crowded situations, driving or riding in a car or public transportation, or going to a movie theater, concert, church or other large gathering?
YES / NO
Scoring Your Self-Test
If you answered "YES" to any of the above questions, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder and may benefit from treatment rather than just waiting for your anxiety to pass. Note, that it is not unusual to experience symptoms of more than one anxiety disorder.