When to See a Doctor About Your Anxiety

You feel nervous and tense. Your heart feels like it’s about to beat out of your chest, and you should probably wipe that flop sweat off your forehead. As you try to focus, you notice that your breathing is a little fast, as well.

If you’re experiencing most or all of the above, you are probably going through a bout of anxiety. Anxiety, on its face, is entirely normal. You may feel anxious before a test, before public speaking, or sitting in traffic while late for a meeting. But anxiety should be a short feeling. When anxiety extends to the point where it lasts more than a few days or begins to impact your life negatively, it’s time to see a doctor.

If you’re dealing with anxiety that has begun to encroach on your life, see us at Nexclin Medicine. Naima Cheema, MD, and the rest of our team will work with you to diagnose your anxiety and get you on a positive path towards treatment. Dr. Cheema is triple board-certified in family medicine, aesthetic medicine, and anti-aging medicine. She’s focused on the total well-being of her patients and prides herself on providing expert and compassionate care for internal health and external beauty.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a sense of unease or nervousness around a specific event. It’s a response to stressful stimulation and is part of your fight-or-flight sense. There is a wide range of symptoms for anxiety, but some of the most common include:

• Sleep problems
• Not being able to stay calm and still
• Cold, sweaty, numb or tingling hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Dizziness

It’s normal to experience anxiety from time to time. A regular life with purpose will likely include plenty of anxiety-filled situations. Anxiety becomes an issue when it doesn’t subside. People who suffer from anxiety disorders feel chronically anxious for weeks, months, or years. The feeling of anxiousness may eventually interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships

Types of anxiety

A core symptom of almost all anxiety is excessive fear or worry in situations that are not threatening. Beyond this, however, different disorders can have distinctive signs. At Nexclin Medicine, we provide support for three main types of anxiety:

Generalized anxiety disorder

True to its name, generalized anxiety disorder is categorized by excessive anxiety or worry on most days for at least six months. Topics of anxiety run the gamut, from work projects to everyday life circumstances. People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder continually feel on edge, get easily fatigued, have difficulty concentrating, and are often irritable.

Phobias

Phobias are intense fears or worries related to an object or situation, like spiders. It’s rational to feel anxious about particular objects or subjects. Still, the fear people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by the situation or object. Phobias begin to interfere with your daily life when you take extraordinary steps to avoid an object or situation or worry excessively about the object in question.

Panic disorder

The main symptom of panic disorder is panic attacks. A panic attack is an episode of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear that reaches a peak within minutes. During a panic attack, you may experience sensations of intense dread, shortness of breath, chest pain, or heart palpitations. Panic attacks can sometimes build off each other, as the fear of having a panic attack can induce one.

If you’re experiencing any of the above, it’s time to see Dr. Cheema at Nexclin Medicine. She and the rest of our team will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that will help you gain control over your anxiety. Call or book an appointment at our Roswell office today.