Anxiety can affect both the mind and body. Some people experience constant worry or racing thoughts, while others notice physical symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, or gastrointestinal discomfort. For others, anxiety may appear as panic attacks, avoidance, irritability, or difficulty concentrating.
Dr. Mirhom provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and personalized treatment for individuals experiencing anxiety and related concerns. Treatment focuses on understanding the factors contributing to your symptoms and developing an individualized approach designed to improve emotional well-being, daily functioning, and quality of life.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety involves feelings of worry, nervousness, apprehension, or fear. Occasional anxiety can be an appropriate response to stressful events, such as an important presentation, major life change, relationship difficulty, or health concern.
An anxiety disorder is different from temporary stress. Symptoms may continue even when there is no immediate threat or may feel significantly greater than the situation would normally warrant.
Anxiety disorders can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. They are among the most common mental health conditions and can range from mild but persistent worry to symptoms that substantially interfere with everyday life.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety does not look the same for everyone. Symptoms may be emotional, cognitive, behavioral, physical, or a combination of these.
Common anxiety symptoms can include:
- Persistent or excessive worry
- Feeling nervous, restless, or on edge
- Racing or repetitive thoughts
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Avoiding certain situations or activities
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Fatigue
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
- Rapid heartbeat or heart palpitations
- Sweating or trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea or gastrointestinal discomfort
- Feelings of panic or impending danger
Because several physical and mental health conditions can cause symptoms that resemble anxiety, a comprehensive evaluation can help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can occur in several different forms. Identifying the specific pattern of symptoms can help guide treatment.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) typically involves excessive or difficult-to-control worry about multiple areas of life. Concerns may involve work, relationships, finances, health, family responsibilities, or everyday situations.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks or significant concern about experiencing another attack. A panic attack can cause an intense surge of fear accompanied by symptoms such as a racing heart, chest discomfort, sweating, trembling, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder involves significant fear or anxiety related to social interactions or situations in which a person feels they may be watched, evaluated, embarrassed, or judged by others.
Specific Phobias
A specific phobia involves an intense fear of a particular object or situation, such as flying, heights, certain animals, medical procedures, or enclosed spaces.
Anxiety Related to Stress and Life Changes
Anxiety symptoms may also emerge or intensify during periods of significant stress, burnout, grief, relationship changes, career transitions, family challenges, or other major life events.
What Causes Anxiety?
There is rarely a single cause of anxiety. Instead, symptoms may develop through a combination of biological, psychological, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Potential contributors can include:
- Genetics or family history
- Brain chemistry and nervous system function
- Chronic or significant stress
- Major life transitions
- Work or performance pressure
- Relationship difficulties
- Grief or loss
- Traumatic experiences
- Sleep disruption
- Certain medications or substances
- Excessive caffeine or stimulant use
- Coexisting mental health conditions
- Certain medical conditions
Understanding potential contributing factors is an important part of developing an individualized treatment plan.
Anxiety and High Performers
Anxiety is not always obvious from the outside. Professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, athletes, physicians, creatives, and other high-performing individuals may continue meeting responsibilities while privately experiencing significant anxiety.
High-functioning anxiety may present as perfectionism, overthinking, difficulty relaxing, fear of making mistakes, excessive preparation, constant productivity, sleep difficulties, or feeling unable to mentally “switch off.”
Although achievement can sometimes mask symptoms, persistent anxiety can contribute to burnout, relationship difficulties, reduced concentration, sleep problems, and decreased quality of life.
Performance psychiatry can address the intersection of mental health, stress, performance, and overall well-being while recognizing the unique demands experienced by high-performing individuals.
How Is Anxiety Diagnosed?
An anxiety evaluation involves more than simply identifying whether someone feels worried.
A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation may explore:
- Current symptoms
- Duration and severity of symptoms
- Potential anxiety triggers
- Sleep patterns
- Mood
- Concentration and attention
- Work and relationship stress
- Medical history
- Medication history
- Family mental health history
- Substance or stimulant use
- Previous psychiatric treatment
- Other mental health concerns
Symptoms of anxiety can overlap with depression, ADHD, mood disorders, sleep disorders, burnout, and certain medical conditions. A careful evaluation helps establish a clearer understanding of the symptoms and appropriate treatment options.
Treatment for Anxiety
Anxiety treatment should be personalized to the individual rather than based solely on a diagnosis. The appropriate approach depends on the type and severity of anxiety, coexisting concerns, previous treatment experiences, overall health, and personal preferences.
Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
Treatment begins with understanding the whole picture. A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation can help identify anxiety symptoms, potential contributing factors, coexisting conditions, and treatment priorities.
Medication Management
For some individuals, medication may be considered as part of anxiety treatment. Medication selection depends on the individual’s symptoms, medical history, previous responses to treatment, potential side effects, and other clinical factors.
When medication is appropriate, ongoing follow-up allows treatment response, tolerability, and overall progress to be monitored.
Ongoing Mental Health Support
Mental health needs can change over time. Regular follow-up provides an opportunity to evaluate symptoms, discuss new stressors, review treatment effectiveness, and make adjustments when clinically appropriate.
Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry can provide convenient access to psychiatric care through secure virtual appointments when appropriate and available. Virtual visits can be particularly useful for individuals with demanding schedules or those who prefer receiving care from a private and convenient setting.
When Should You Seek Help for Anxiety?
Consider speaking with a mental health professional when anxiety:
- Occurs frequently or feels difficult to control
- Interferes with work or school
- Affects relationships
- Disrupts sleep
- Causes significant physical symptoms
- Leads you to avoid important situations
- Contributes to panic attacks
- Makes it difficult to concentrate
- Causes persistent emotional distress
- Interferes with activities you previously enjoyed
- Contributes to burnout or difficulty functioning
You do not have to wait until anxiety becomes severe before seeking professional support. Early evaluation can help clarify what you are experiencing and identify appropriate options for managing symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety
What does anxiety feel like?
Anxiety may feel like persistent worry, nervousness, fear, restlessness, racing thoughts, irritability, or an inability to relax. Physical symptoms may include muscle tension, sweating, trembling, digestive discomfort, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or difficulty sleeping.
Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety activates the body's stress response and can produce noticeable physical symptoms. These can include increased heart rate, muscle tension, sweating, trembling, gastrointestinal symptoms, headaches, dizziness, and changes in breathing.
Because physical symptoms can also have medical causes, new, severe, or unexplained symptoms should be appropriately evaluated.
Can anxiety cause trouble sleeping?
Yes. Worry, racing thoughts, physical tension, and heightened alertness can make it difficult to fall asleep or remain asleep. Poor sleep can also intensify anxiety, sometimes creating a cycle in which each condition makes the other more difficult to manage.
Can anxiety affect concentration?
Yes. Persistent worry can consume mental attention and make it harder to focus, process information, remember details, or complete tasks efficiently. Because concentration problems can also occur with ADHD, depression, sleep disorders, and other conditions, evaluation may be helpful when symptoms are persistent.
Can you have anxiety and depression at the same time?
Yes. Anxiety and depression frequently occur together. Treatment planning should account for the full range of symptoms rather than treating each concern in isolation.
Is anxiety common among high-performing professionals?
Yes. Professional success does not prevent someone from experiencing anxiety. High performers may experience perfectionism, performance pressure, chronic stress, difficulty disconnecting from work, overthinking, sleep disruption, or fear of failure despite appearing highly successful externally.
Does everyone with anxiety need medication?
No. Treatment depends on the individual's diagnosis, symptom severity, overall health, preferences, and clinical circumstances. Medication may be appropriate for some people but is not automatically necessary for everyone experiencing anxiety.
How long does anxiety treatment take?
There is no universal timeline. Treatment duration depends on the type and severity of anxiety, contributing factors, coexisting conditions, treatment approach, and individual response. Regular follow-up helps determine whether the treatment plan is working and whether adjustments are appropriate.
Can anxiety get better?
Yes. Anxiety is treatable, and many people experience meaningful improvement with appropriate care. The goal of treatment is not simply to eliminate every stressful feeling, but to reduce disruptive symptoms and help individuals function more comfortably and effectively in everyday life.
Personalized Psychiatric Care for Anxiety
Living with persistent anxiety can affect concentration, sleep, relationships, work performance, physical comfort, and overall quality of life. Even individuals who appear successful and productive may be struggling internally with worry, stress, or emotional overload.
Dr. Mirhom provides individualized psychiatric care focused on understanding each patient’s symptoms, circumstances, goals, and treatment needs. Services may include comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management, telepsychiatry appointments, ongoing mental health support, and performance-focused psychiatric care.
If anxiety is making it harder to feel present, sleep well, concentrate, perform at your best, or enjoy everyday life, a psychiatric evaluation can be an important first step toward understanding your symptoms and exploring appropriate treatment options.
