Treating Anxiety and Panic Disorders - Better Diagnosis is Crucial
If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, you're not alone.
Anxiety disorders of all types are much more prevalent than researchers previously believed.
Unfortunately, many sufferers are not receiving help or treatment for their problem.
In fact, a large number of persons with anxiety disorders haven't even been diagnosed by a physician or mental health professional.
The deficiencies in diagnosis and treatment are troubling, because anxiety disorders, undiagnosed or untreated, can be very disabling to the persons who suffer these conditions.
In a recent study, researchers developed a patient screening tool that would be used by a primary care physician to detect possible anxiety concerns.
The screening tool was a list of seven targeted questions intended to detect undiagnosed panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder.
After the screening data was analyzed, it was found that anxiety was prevalent in a surprising number of patients and was almost as common as depression.
According to the study, almost one in five patients seen by a primary care physician for a physical concern or illness had at least one type of anxiety disorder.
The findings of the study are significant because anxiety is often expressed through physical symptoms like inability to sleep, fatigue, or pain.
A person with anxiety may visit a doctor for relief of the physical symptoms, not realizing that a large component of his or her problem is some type of anxiety disorder.
The physician may concentrate on the physical complaint and will not necessarily evaluate the patient's mental state unless the patient brings up the subject.
It's important that physicians become aware of the connection between anxiety and physical illness.
In many situations, it would be appropriate for a doctor to look at the psychological underpinnings of certain physical symptoms.
By using the anxiety screening tool, busy doctors can quickly measure a patient's mental and emotional state.
If the results suggest that anxiety disorder is a possibility, then the patient can be further evaluated and receive the needed treatment.
Research has shown that persons with anxiety have poorer day-to-day functioning, take more sick days, and go to the doctor more often than persons without mental illness.
Anxiety disorders and panic disorders that go untreated can become quite disabling to the sufferer.
For this reason, new ways to identify and treat all types of anxiety disorders are needed so that the large segment of the population with these problems can live healthier and more functional lives.
Many signs of anxiety and panic attacks mimic those of heart disease or some other alarming physical ailment.
Acute symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, sweating, or hyperventilation can all be caused by anxiety disorders.
Some of us are embarrassed or reluctant to discuss emotional issues with our doctors.
However, there is no question that our physical well-being is closely connected to our mental well-being.
If you feel anxious much of the time or if you experience panic attacks, you really need to mention these problems to your physician so you can obtain some treatment and relief.
Anxiety disorders of all types are much more prevalent than researchers previously believed.
Unfortunately, many sufferers are not receiving help or treatment for their problem.
In fact, a large number of persons with anxiety disorders haven't even been diagnosed by a physician or mental health professional.
The deficiencies in diagnosis and treatment are troubling, because anxiety disorders, undiagnosed or untreated, can be very disabling to the persons who suffer these conditions.
In a recent study, researchers developed a patient screening tool that would be used by a primary care physician to detect possible anxiety concerns.
The screening tool was a list of seven targeted questions intended to detect undiagnosed panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder.
After the screening data was analyzed, it was found that anxiety was prevalent in a surprising number of patients and was almost as common as depression.
According to the study, almost one in five patients seen by a primary care physician for a physical concern or illness had at least one type of anxiety disorder.
The findings of the study are significant because anxiety is often expressed through physical symptoms like inability to sleep, fatigue, or pain.
A person with anxiety may visit a doctor for relief of the physical symptoms, not realizing that a large component of his or her problem is some type of anxiety disorder.
The physician may concentrate on the physical complaint and will not necessarily evaluate the patient's mental state unless the patient brings up the subject.
It's important that physicians become aware of the connection between anxiety and physical illness.
In many situations, it would be appropriate for a doctor to look at the psychological underpinnings of certain physical symptoms.
By using the anxiety screening tool, busy doctors can quickly measure a patient's mental and emotional state.
If the results suggest that anxiety disorder is a possibility, then the patient can be further evaluated and receive the needed treatment.
Research has shown that persons with anxiety have poorer day-to-day functioning, take more sick days, and go to the doctor more often than persons without mental illness.
Anxiety disorders and panic disorders that go untreated can become quite disabling to the sufferer.
For this reason, new ways to identify and treat all types of anxiety disorders are needed so that the large segment of the population with these problems can live healthier and more functional lives.
Many signs of anxiety and panic attacks mimic those of heart disease or some other alarming physical ailment.
Acute symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, sweating, or hyperventilation can all be caused by anxiety disorders.
Some of us are embarrassed or reluctant to discuss emotional issues with our doctors.
However, there is no question that our physical well-being is closely connected to our mental well-being.
If you feel anxious much of the time or if you experience panic attacks, you really need to mention these problems to your physician so you can obtain some treatment and relief.
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