As the name suggests, severe anxiety disorder is an elevated form of general anxiety disorder, (or GAD), which has gone untreated. It’s a serious– yet treatable condition. Unfortunately, many suicides have been traced back to people who were in this chronic and challenging emotional state! Read on to learn a few proven ways to treat severe anxiety disorder.
Remember, severe anxiety disorder can wreak havoc both physically and emotionally because your anxiety level is more heightened than with GAD alone…
…And when you’re warn down, you’re less able to turn your situation around on your own!
Worse yet, severe anxiety disorder can be linked to other conditions such as panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and health problems.
Therefore, it’s important to seek help if you suspect you might be experiencing chronic anxiety that lasts more than six months, since it only worsens if left untreated.
As you consider some steps to take, it helps to realize that you’re not alone! Many people have chronic anxiety disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “over 35 million people—nearly 17 percent of the American population—suffer from anxiety disorders.”
First, here are the symptoms of general anxiety disorder, or GAD:
- fatigue or insomnia
- fidgeting
- twitching
- headaches
- nausea
- muscle tension and aches
- difficulty swallowing
- trembling
- irritability
- sweating
- hot flashes
You may experience any or all of these symptoms, which occur as the body goes into ‘flight or fight’ mode. As a result, the body dumps extra levels of cortisol in your body, ultimately causing these symptoms. If left untreated, your condition can elevate into severe anxiety disorder.
Secondly, here are the symptoms of severe anxiety disorder. These are usually felt in addition to those you experience with GAD:
- rapid heartbeat
- dizziness
- dyspnea (labored breathing)
- uncontrollable fear
- hyperventilation
- tunnel hearing
- vision problems
The reason for these additional symptoms is this. Severe anxiety disorder is often linked to overlapping anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety depression, or panic attacks. This situation simply puts more stress on the body.
Steps for treating severe anxiety disorder:
The complex and overlapping conditions of this disorder make it vitally important for you to seek professional help and obtain a diagnosis so that you can physically and emotionally stabilize. During this time it is also important to enlist the help of a trusted support network.
There is hope! …
- Get a check-up with your primary care physician. Since some anxiety problems stem from physical problems. It’s best to see your general practitioner first, who can refer you to a qualified psychiatrist if necessary.
- Read more information on anxiety and mood disorders, so that you can engage in an informed conversation with your doctor. No need to bombard yourself with tons of information, but something you can read in a few afternoons will help you feel more empowered when you see your psychiatrist. We have links to some helpful resources on our sidebar.
- See a psychiatrist, who will test and interview with you in order to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. Once you have heard this plan it’s important to follow it closely. If you don’t agree with the diagnosis, seek a second opinion until you are satisfied and will commit to the treatment. We recommend that you look for a doctor who integrates both traditional and homeopathic treatments, rather than strictly prescribing pills. (That said, pills can help you to initially stabilize!)
- Seek homeopathic and natural remedies that support your treatment plan. If your psychiatrist doesn’t happen to use an integrated approach, this is a good time to find a naturopathic physician, nutritionist or other practitioner. He or she will probably discuss diet and exercise. These two aspects of your health have been proven to play a major role in mental and emotional health. Diet specifically can help with balancing some chemicals in the brain, which affect mood.
By working with qualified professionals who can help you stabilize and minimize your anxiety, you’ll feel better prepared to make any other potential lifestyle changes that can restore your long-term emotional health.
Whatever treatment you course you choose, we recommend that you follow a holistic or ‘whole’ approach to mind, body and spirit. This integrated strategy has been proven to bring about the best chance for success!
As part of these 4 steps, you may want to take a look at Panic Away, which is our eBook of choice for helping people overcome anxiety and panic attacks. We like it because it’s a great tool, is easy to read, and it’s author, Barry is very credible. It also contains numerous testimonials from other anxiety sufferers, and includes excellent audios and email coaching with the program.
