Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is an experience defined by feelings of worry, apprehension, or tension, often in association with an event or situation where the outcome is uncertain. Someone experiencing anxiety may notice an increase in their heart rate, sweating, restlessness, or an obsession with a single thought. Anxiety is common. It may present itself before a big test, a competition, a job interview, or an event you spent months planning. Brief and mild bouts of anxiety are a normal reaction to any stress inducing situation. It’s our body’s natural way of alerting us to danger and uncertainty, however, anxiety can become debilitating if it develops into a disorder.
When anxiety begins to overrun parts of your life, or if you find yourself anxious too often for little or no reason to the point it disrupts your quality of life, this common human quality may develop into a disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States for both children and adults.
About a third of the population will experience levels of anxiety severe enough that it will interrupt their day to day life, at some point in their life. The good news is, anxiety disorders are highly treatable, and the vast majority of people with an anxiety disorder can be helped with professional care.
You should seek help for an anxiety disorder from a mental health professional if you notice your anxiety has….
- Affected your ability to focus or be productive
- Interfered with your relationships
- Disrupted your sleeping patterns
- Interfered with recreational activities
- Created a sense of self-doubt, or worthlessness
- Isolated you from others
- Caused you to have suicidal thoughts
As anxiety disorders are such a common reason for patients seeking mental health therapy, Dr. Watts’ experience with treatment for anxiety is extensive. As every patient is different, Dr. Watts develops a unique treatment plan for each patient. As a Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist, the option of incorporating medication into a therapy plan is available to his patients.