If you’re living with anxiety, know you’re not alone: About one in five American adults have experienced some type of anxiety disorder in the past year, with symptoms more common in women. Thankfully, anxiety typically responds well to treatment, so there is hope.
At Northeast Health Services, our compassionate team is devoted to helping people of all ages recover from anxiety. Call us at 508.794.8711 or fill out a brief form to learn more about NEHS’s anxiety treatments in Massachusetts.
Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety
It’s perfectly normal to have stressful moments or feel keyed up from time to time, but if you’re regularly experiencing a feeling of impending danger, physical symptoms like an increased heart rate or sweating, have trouble sleeping, or digestion issues, these may be signs of an anxiety disorder. Though anxiety happens naturally as the body’s way of navigating through a stressful event, too much of it could become hazardous for your well-being.
Here are some signs that it might be time to seek help for anxiety:
- Consistently feeling nervous, restless, or tense
- Feeling like your worry or panic are interfering with your work, life, and relationships
- Rapid breathing
- A consistently increased heart rate
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Changes to your eating habits, or upset stomach or digestion
- Having trouble controlling your worried thoughts
- Avoiding things or activities that trigger your anxiety
Specific Types of Anxiety
Anxiety can manifest in a variety of different ways depending on the underlying source, so experts have organized the types of anxiety into several different categories:
- Generalized Anxiety: Persistent and excessive worry that is out of proportion to someone’s actual life circumstances; can impact sleep, digestion, and other physical factors.
- Agoraphobia: Fear of being caught in a situation that makes someone feel trapped, then responding to the situation by having a panic attack.
- Panic Disorder: Experiencing multiple unexpected and brief moments of intense terror (panic attacks) that arise unpredictably, causing physical reactions like heart palpitations, perspiration or chills, trembling, and queasiness.
- Social Anxiety: Being consumed with dread or panic in social contexts, which can lead to avoidance of any or all social situations.
- Specific Phobias: Irrational and overwhelming fear of certain objects or situations, leading to high levels of avoidance.
Are You or a Loved One Dealing With Anxiety? We Can Help
Through a combination of therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes, it’s possible to find relief from anxiety’s grip. NEHS offers a full spectrum of mental health services for all ages to help you or your loved one start to feel better.
What Causes Anxiety?
Some people may experience anxiety due to an underlying health issue, such as heart disease or chronic pain, and for others, genetics, stress, trauma, or certain personality characteristics can be risk factors for developing an anxiety disorder.
Some causes and risk factors for anxiety include:
- Genetics: People who have family members with anxiety are more likely to develop it as well.
- A medical condition: Heart disease, diabetes, thyroid issues, asthma, drug or alcohol misuse, or chronic pain, can all influence a person’s anxiety levels.
- Medication: Some medications can have anxiety-inducing effects, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you experience more anxiety after starting a new medication.
- Experiencing trauma: Trauma in childhood or experiencing a traumatic event as an adult can lead to increased levels of anxiety.
- Situational factors: If you’ve dealt with higher levels of stress for too long due to school or work, an illness, death in the family, or financial issues, or even good life changes like a new job or moving, anxiety can linger even after the initial stressor is resolved.
Treatments for Anxiety
At NEHS, we understand how difficult it can be to live with unchecked anxiety. It can start to derail relationships, ability to work, and just daily functioning. Thankfully, our team of mental health experts can help you start to feel better by developing a personalized care plan to target your symptoms, usually starting with talk therapy. If medication is also necessary, your therapist and psychiatry provider will collaborate to ensure you’re getting the best possible care based on your specific needs.
Therapy for Anxiety
Anxiety therapy often involves cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you challenge your anxious thoughts and apply specific coping skills in response to them. Or, if your anxiety stems from other underlying or unresolved issues like trauma, processing those factors with a trusted therapist can make a huge difference in your anxiety levels. Another common therapy modality for anxiety involves incorporating mindfulness practices to tune into your body’s cues and not just your anxious thoughts.
Our therapists will develop a personalized plan for your needs, pulling from several modalities like CBT and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), to help you deal with your anxiety symptoms and any underlying causes.
Medication for Anxiety
If it’s determined that medication may be helpful for your anxiety symptoms, our team of psychiatric providers will prescribe an antianxiety medication like an SSRI or SNRI. These medications work by improving your brain’s ability to create and process serotonin. There are also certain medications that provide short-term relief from panic symptoms, called benzodiazepines and beta blockers, which are typically only prescribed for specific types of anxiety like panic attacks and performance anxiety.
Our psychiatric providers will work with you to monitor symptoms and side effects, potentially switching medications or dosage until you feel like the medication is helping. Everyone responds to medication differently, so this can be a process of several months until you start feeling a real difference.
Lifestyle Changes
Your mental health providers might also suggest some lifestyle changes to accompany any therapy and medication used to treat your anxiety, including upping your physical activity, avoiding or cutting back on substances like alcohol and caffeine, and making sure you’re getting enough sleep. Other stress reducers like meditation, yoga, and relaxation techniques can make a huge difference when it comes to managing your anxiety.
A therapist can also help you set goals for lowering your screen time, focusing on a new hobby, and building stronger social connections, all of which help to lower anxiety levels.
What’s the Outlook for Someone with Anxiety?
Anxiety typically responds incredibly well to treatment, though sadly only one in four people with anxiety actually get the professional support they need. The American Psychological Association found that about 75% of people who tried therapy experienced significant improvements and reduction in their symptoms.
The Benefits of Seeking Anxiety Treatment With NEHS
Northeast Health Services offers comprehensive anxiety treatment in Massachusetts, with dozens of clinics around the greater Boston area and more across the state. Our mental health experts provide individualized support and guidance for those dealing with anxiety, offering tailored therapy and access to other forms of care, like medication for anxiety and support with other lifestyle changes.
We also serve all ages and intensity levels, providing compassionate care for children, teens, adults, and seniors at all our clinics.
Here are a few of the benefits of using Northeast Health Services for anxiety treatment:
- We are in network with most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, meaning your copay could be quite low
- We offer both therapy and psychiatry services at every clinic, so providers can easily collaborate on your treatment to ensure all your symptoms are being addressed
- Your therapist can help you learn to manage your symptoms, understand your triggers, and build long-term coping skills to set yourself up for future success when stressors arise
- Get ongoing care at whatever level you need, whether that’s just therapy, just medication, or both
Finding Anxiety Treatment at Northeast Health Services
- Fill out a quick form and receive a call back, or connect with us directly at 508.794.8711, to go over your insurance coverage and any potential copays for treatment so payment won’t be a surprise
- Schedule your first appointment for therapy, psychiatry, or both and visit one of our conveniently located clinics around Massachusetts, or see your therapist over telehealth if you decide that’s a good fit for you
- Receive evidence-based therapy for anxiety and have access to psychiatry if you also need medication. Your therapist and medication prescriber will work together to monitor your symptoms and ensure your treatment plan is alleviating your anxiety symptoms.
FAQs About Anxiety
What are the most effective ways to treat anxiety?
Anxiety can be effectively treated with therapy, often including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people identify their anxious thoughts, see how they’re impacting their behaviors, then make a plan to challenge those thoughts and behaviors. For some people, medication can be a really helpful addition to therapy when treating anxiety.
Do I have to take medication as part of anxiety treatment?
No. Anxiety can be treated without medication, and many people find relief just through talk therapy. You should always feel comfortable talking with your mental health care providers about your current symptoms and needs. There may be times when medication is encouraged for your symptoms, but the choice to try medication for anxiety should always be a collaborative conversation between you and your care team.
What is the best medication for anxiety?
Everyone responds differently to medication, so the “best” one for anxiety will depend on your unique biology. The most commonly prescribed medications for anxiety are SSRIs and SNRIs like Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft, Pristiq, and Effexor, which target the production and processing of serotonin and norepinephrine. Increasing the brain’s access to these chemicals can boost mood, as well as increase cognitive ability, digestion, and circulation, helping reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety as well as the mental ones.
For people with panic disorder, benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium may be necessary to help calm their body down during a panic attack.
A psychiatric professional will help determine what’s best for you based on your needs and help track your symptoms, potentially changing medication if the first one doesn’t appear to be effective.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for anxiety?
The 3-3-3 rule for anxiety is a simple way to distract the mind from anxious thoughts. Look around the room and name three objects that you see and three sounds that you hear, then move three body parts. Although it won’t completely relieve your anxiety and is certainly not a replacement for anxiety treatment, it can be a good way to redirect your brain during an anxious moment.
What are the warning signs of anxiety?
One of the most common warning signs of heightened anxiety is starting to avoid things that you used to enjoy. Other signs of anxiety are shakiness, increased heart rate, racing thoughts, and tightness in your chest. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to reach out for help, as these symptoms are very treatable with mental healthcare.
What habits can make anxiety worse?
Many daily habits can contribute to escalating anxiety levels, including:
- Procrastinating on or avoiding certain tasks
- Cramming too many things into your daily schedule
- Not getting enough sleep
- Consuming too much caffeine
- Regularly skipping meals or relying entirely on processed foods
- Spending hours on your phone, especially on social media
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