Anxiety

Urgent Care, Primary Care Practice & Psychiatric Mental Health located in Waldorf, MD

Anxiety is a common experience, but if it starts taking over your life, it becomes a considerable burden. If you feel anxious all the time or experience panic attacks, visit Alexander Ukaoma, APRN, FNP, at Somo Urgent Care in Waldorf, Maryland. His highly skilled psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Maryann Dennis, RN, has considerable experience guiding patients with anxiety disorders toward stability and hope. Call Somo Urgent Care today to learn more or book an in-person or telehealth appointment using the online booking feature.

Anxiety Q & A

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a basic human emotion that everyone feels sometimes. Stress and anxiety release hormones that sharpen your responses and make you more alert. This can be highly beneficial when you want to perform at your best or do well at an important event.

However, if anxiety is constant and/or excessive, it has adverse effects. At this point, instead of being beneficial, anxiety has become a mental health disorder.

What symptoms does an anxiety disorder cause?

If you have an anxiety disorder, you could experience some or all of the following symptoms:

Frequent fear
Constant uneasiness
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts
Obsessions
Flashbacks
Nightmares
Ritualized behaviors
Sleep problems
Feeling out of control
Panic attacks

Physical symptoms are also common in people with anxiety disorders. Your heart might start racing or pounding, you may feel short of breath, your chest can feel tight, and you could have nausea or fluttering feelings in your stomach. You might also be lightheaded or dizzy.

Are there different types of anxiety disorders?

The most widespread anxiety disorders are:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Panic disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Phobias
Separation anxiety disorder

Anxiety is also a primary symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

When you visit Maryann Dennis at Somo Urgent Care, she reviews your medical history and talks to you at length to determine what type of anxiety you have and what’s causing it. This helps her prescribe the most effective forms of treatment.

How is anxiety treated?

There are two principal approaches to treating anxiety.

Medication

Drugs can be very helpful in lessening anxiety’s worst symptoms. Anti-anxiety medications like alprazolam help take the edge off your fears and calm you down. Antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are also helpful for many patients with anxiety.

Other options include anticonvulsant medicines and low-dose antipsychotics.

Psychotherapy

Undergoing psychotherapy at Somo Urgent Care is critical to recovery from anxiety. As well as addressing underlying issues that are causing the condition, it can help you understand and learn to manage your anxiety disorder.

Maryann listens intently to her patients, understands their needs and goals, and prepares individualized treatment plans that may include psychotherapy, medication, and/or lifestyle counseling. She also addresses caregiver queries and conducts psychiatry follow-ups.

To help overcome anxiety, call Somo Urgent Care or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.