Humans can experience more than 25 emotions, and not all of them are positive. It is natural to feel negative emotions every now and then, such as sadness and anger. One of the most common negative emotions that we can experience during times of change and uncertainty is anxiety.
While we all feel anxiety sometimes, such as when we are waiting for medical test results or before speaking in front of a crowd, that does not mean that we all need professional help. Severe anxiety stems from a mental health disorder that can impact the quality of your life. But how do you know when it is time to seek treatment? That’s what we are here to answer.
We are going to discuss what it means to have severe anxiety, when it is time to seek treatment and the possible treatment options that can help alleviate your anxiety symptoms.
The basics of severe anxiety
Even though it is a mental health concern, severe anxiety is not a diagnosis as it refers to high-level symptoms that come from an anxiety disorder. There are a variety of anxiety disorders that an individual can be diagnosed with, and all of them have symptoms that can potentially lead to severe anxiety.
The most common anxiety disorders include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder.
- Panic disorder.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Social anxiety disorder.
A mental health provider may deem a patient as having severe anxiety if the symptoms have a significant impact on their emotional or mental health on a daily basis.
When it is time to seek severe anxiety treatment
Even though your mental health should always be a priority, it is not always easy to determine when you need to seek treatment for your severe anxiety. Or maybe you keep coming up with reasons to push it off. You might think that your schedule is too busy or that it will just go away with time. But starting treatment for your disorder now can help you work toward a fulfilling future where you are happier and healthier.
If you are experiencing these symptoms of severe anxiety, then you may benefit from seeking professional treatment:
- Body aches (headaches, stomach pain).
- Panic attacks.
- Social isolation.
- Overwhelming worry over issues out of your control.
Other signs that it is time to seek professional treatment for your severe anxiety include:
- Physical symptoms that are causing consistent pain and discomfort.
- Inability to manage your anxiety symptoms on your own.
- Difficulty maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships.
- Significant changes in sleeping and eating patterns.
- Paralyzing fear of having certain interactions, experiences or situations.
Types of treatment for severe anxiety
Deciding to seek treatment for your severe anxiety is a huge first step in your mental health journey. But with all the treatment options that you hear about, it can feel overwhelming when trying to choose which option will work best for you.
It is important that you choose treatment options that work for your particular symptoms, comfort level and medical history. There are a couple of treatments that have been shown to work for many people with severe anxiety.
One of the most effective treatment options for every level of anxiety, from mild to severe, is psychotherapy. A therapist can help you look at the causes of your anxiety from every angle. You will learn coping mechanisms that you can use to manage your anxiety symptoms in the future. A common approach to treating anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy. It is a type of talk therapy that focuses on how your emotional, thought and behavioral patterns affect one another.
If your anxiety is a symptom that stems from a major depressive disorder diagnosis known as anxious depression and you aren’t finding relief through traditional means, then you may benefit from TMS therapy. Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy sends pulses of magnetic energy to underactive areas of the brain that are involved in mood regulation. It’s a non-medication, noninvasive option that’s often used for treatment-resistant depression, but has been shown to help anxious depression as well.
Active Path Mental Health can help when it is time to seek treatment for severe anxiety
Recognizing that you need professional treatment for your severe anxiety means that you are ready to better yourself and take control of your mental health. With treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and TMS therapy, you can alleviate the tight grip that your symptoms can have on your day-to-day routines.
At Active Path, we have psychotherapy and TMS therapy services to help you manage your severe anxiety or anxious depression to improve your communication, self-esteem and motivation.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
