Anxiety Treatment in Chicagoland
Anxiety is a natural response to stress or danger, characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease. While it’s normal to feel anxious in certain situations, anxiety becomes a concern when it persists over time and interferes with daily life.
Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural response to stress or danger, characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease. While it’s normal to feel anxious in certain situations, anxiety becomes a concern when it persists over time and interferes with daily life.
Physical Symptoms:
- Increased Heart Rate (Palpitations): Feeling like your heart is racing or pounding.
- Sweating: Excessive sweating, often without physical exertion.
- Trembling or Shaking: Noticeable trembling or shaking, sometimes uncontrollable.
- Shortness of Breath: Feeling like you can’t catch your breath or are choking.
- Muscle Tension: Persistent muscle tightness, tension, or pain.
- Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired or fatigued, even after adequate rest.
- Headaches: Frequent or chronic headaches.
- Dizziness or Lightheadedness: Feeling faint or unsteady.
- Dizziness or Lightheadedness: Feeling faint or unsteady.
- Gastrointestinal Issues: Nausea, diarrhea, or other stomach problems.
- Chest Pain: Discomfort or pain in the chest, often mistaken for heart issues.
- Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or having restful sleep.
Emotional Symptoms:
- Excessive Worry: Persistent and uncontrollable worry about everyday things.
- Irritability: Feeling unusually irritable or on edge.
- Restlessness: Feeling keyed up, on edge, or unable to relax.
- Fear: Intense, irrational fears about specific situations or objects (phobias).
- Dread: A sense of impending doom or danger.
Cognitive Symptoms:
- Racing Thoughts: Having a hard time focusing or slowing down your thoughts.
- Concentration Issues: Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.
- Memory Problems: Struggling to remember things or feeling forgetful.
- Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case scenario in every situation.
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Avoidance: Avoiding situations or activities that trigger anxiety.
- Compulsive Behaviors: Engaging in repetitive behaviors (as seen in OCD) to reduce anxiety.
- Procrastination: Putting off tasks due to fear of failure or anxiety about the outcome.
- Social Withdrawal: Isolating oneself from social interactions or activities.
- Hypervigilance: Being overly alert and on the lookout for danger.
Treatment Options
Medication:
- Antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs)
- Benzodiazepines (for short-term relief)
- Beta-blockers (for physical symptoms)
- Buspirone (anti-anxiety medication)
Psychotherapy:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Exposure therapy
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Psychodynamic therapy
Diagnosis
The diagnostic process begins with a detailed clinical interview, during which the clinician gathers information about the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and any relevant personal and family history of mental health issues. The clinician uses standardized diagnostic criteria, such as those found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), to assess whether the symptoms meet the specific criteria for an anxiety disorder. This includes evaluating the intensity, frequency, and duration of the symptoms, as well as their impact on the patient’s daily functioning. Neuropsychological testing provides the most in-depth diagnosis methods, allowing patients to gain a better understanding of their mental health status.
Help Manage Your Anxiety
With support from our expert providers you can go…
1. From constant worry to a sense of calm:
With medication and behavioral therapy, a person with ADHD can move from being easily distracted and struggling to stay on task to maintaining focused attention and completing tasks efficiently.
2. From avoiding social situations to engaging confidently:
Through social skills training and exposure therapy, a person with social anxiety can transition from avoiding social interactions to engaging confidently in social activities and building meaningful relationships.
3. From physical symptoms to physical well-being:
With techniques such as relaxation exercises and mindfulness, someone can go from experiencing frequent physical symptoms of anxiety, like headaches and muscle tension, to feeling physically well and relaxed.
4.From insomnia to restful sleep:
By incorporating cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and healthy sleep hygiene practices, an individual can move from struggling with sleepless nights due to anxiety to enjoying consistent, restful sleep.
5. From impaired daily functioning to productivity and achievement:
With comprehensive treatment, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and coping strategies, a person can transform from being unable to perform daily tasks due to anxiety to becoming productive and achieving personal and professional goals.
How To Get Started
1. Fill in the new patient form
2. Receive your personalized evaluation & treatment plan
3. Experience mental wellness