4 Steps to Treat Severe Anxiety Disorder
Severe anxiety disorder is an elevated form of general anxiety disorder, or GAD. Severe anxiety disorder can wreak havoc both physically and emotionally because your anxiety level is more heightened than with GAD alone. In addition, severe anxiety disorder can be linked to other conditions such as panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and health problems. 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. In this article we’ll take a closer look at sever anxiety disorder, its’ symptoms, and treatment options.
You’re not alone!
First, it helps to know that 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.”
What are the symptoms of anxiety disorder?
The top symptoms of general anxiety disorder include:
- 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. These symptoms occur as the body goes into ‘flight or fight’, and result from the extra levels of cortisol in your body. If left untreated, these symptoms can elevate into severe anxiety disorder.
Severe anxiety disorder adds several more elevated symptoms including:
- rapid heartbeat
- dizziness
- dyspnea (labored breathing)
- uncontrollable fear
- hyperventilation
- tunnel hearing
- vision problems
The cause of these additional symptoms is that severe anxiety disorder is often linked to overlapping anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or panic attacks. The most severe cases may also include anxiety depression.
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! – Follow these 4 steps:
- 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 have 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.
- Seek homeopathic and natural remedies that will support your treatment plan. Diet and exercise has been proven to play a major role in our mental and emotional health. Diet specifically can help with balancing some chemicals in the brain that affect mood. Naturopathic or homeopathic doctors can be a great resource if your psychiatrist isn’t inclined to this approach.
By working with qualified professionals who can help you stabilize and minimize your anxiety disorders, you’ll feel better prepared to make a few lifestyle and dietary changes. This holistic or ‘whole’ approach to mind, body and spirit is shown to bring about the best chance for long term healing. We recommend that as part of these 4 steps, you take a look at Panic Away, which is our eBook of choice for helping people overcome anxiety and panic attacks due to its easy-to-read language, the many testimonials from other anxiety sufferers, and the audios and email coaching provided with the program.
