Anxiety - Patient Guide

What is it?

Everyone worries. Anxiety becomes a medical problem when the worry is hard to control, shows up most days, and gets in the way of work, sleep, or relationships. It often lives in the body: racing heart, tight chest, stomach trouble, muscle tension, poor sleep.

A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes — pounding heart, trouble breathing, dizziness, a feeling of doom. It feels dangerous, but a panic attack itself is not.

What can I do?

• Cut caffeine — coffee, energy drinks, and pre-workout powders mimic and trigger anxiety.
• Move daily. Exercise is one of the best anti-anxiety tools we have.
• Keep a regular sleep schedule. Anxiety and poor sleep feed each other.
• Limit alcohol. It calms you tonight and rebounds as worse anxiety tomorrow.
• Practice slow breathing (see the box) and try to face — not avoid — the situations that scare you. Avoidance shrinks your life and grows the fear.
• Therapy (CBT) is the best-proven treatment for anxiety. We can connect you.

What about medicines?

Daily medicines like SSRIs work well for anxiety. They are not addictive and take 2–6 weeks to build up — some people feel a little jittery the first week, which passes. Some calming medicines are only for occasional or short-term use; if we prescribe one, we will explain why and for how long.

When should I call?

• Panic attacks are happening more often, or you are avoiding normal activities.
• Treatment is not helping after 4–6 weeks.
• Worry is keeping you from sleeping most nights.