5 Signs Your Anxiety Warrants a Medical Evaluation

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue for Americans, affecting 40 million adults every year. Unfortunately, just over a third of those affected are seeking or receiving treatment for their anxiety.

As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Ifeanyi Olele of Genesis Psychiatric Solutions in McLean, Virginia and Washington, DC, provides comprehensive care plans for patients suffering from anxiety. He can also provide services via telemedicine. 

There are many different signs of anxiety, and some signs could also be symptoms of other conditions, such as ADHD or depression. But if one or more of these five signs are present, it’s time to see a qualified psychiatrist for a psychiatric evaluation.

1. Persistent negative thoughts and fears

Everyone has worries and concerns about events past, present, and future. But if your thoughts are consistently negative, you feel afraid of almost everything, and these feelings leave you paralyzed and unable to move forward with your life, you probably have severe anxiety and could benefit from help.

2. Inability to focus at work or school

While attention deficit disorders can interfere with focus, anxiety can also be detrimental to your work and school performance. If what’s keeping you from being able to focus is primarily intrusive negative thoughts, it’s possible anxiety is to blame. 

3. Panic attacks

A panic attack can make you freeze completely or try to flee wherever you are, driven by fear and anxiety. Chest pain could make you think you’re having a heart attack, and unreasonable terror could prompt you to try to hide. 

Many people who suffer panic attacks hyperventilate or hold their breath, feeling constriction from all sides. If this sounds like something you’ve experienced, we can help.

4. Abnormal sleep patterns

If you can’t get to sleep or stay asleep because your mind is racing, anxiety may be the root cause. You may either find yourself replaying past events over and over, or feel your brain racing from one thought to the next, trying to anticipate future events or making up scenarios.

5. Debilitating physical symptoms

Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms such as:

• Stomach aches
• Dizziness
• Muscle tension
• Lack of libido
• Fatigue
• Increased heart rate

By addressing the anxiety, we can help rid you of these physical symptoms in many cases.

With proper counseling and treatment for anxiety, you can live a life free from these symptoms.  Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Olele. We also offer telepsychiatry appointments.