Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. But when anxiety becomes persistent, excessive, and difficult to control — when it interferes with your work, relationships, sleep, or daily life — it may be an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults.
The good news: anxiety disorders are among the most treatable conditions in psychiatry. With the right combination of therapy and medication, most patients achieve significant improvement.
Types of Anxiety Disorders We Treat
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent, excessive worry about everyday things — work, health, finances, family — that's difficult to control and occurs most days for 6+ months
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations, being judged, or embarrassing yourself. Goes far beyond normal shyness.
- Panic Disorder: Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks — sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms like racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness
- Specific Phobias: Extreme, irrational fear of specific objects or situations
- Agoraphobia: Fear of situations where escape might be difficult, often leading to avoidance of public places
Signs You May Need Professional Help
Consider scheduling an evaluation if you experience:
- Worry that feels constant and hard to turn off
- Avoiding situations, places, or people due to anxiety
- Physical symptoms: muscle tension, headaches, digestive issues, insomnia, fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating because your mind races with "what ifs"
- Panic attacks — sudden waves of intense fear with physical symptoms
- Using alcohol or other substances to cope with anxiety
- Anxiety interfering with work performance or relationships
Anxiety disorders aren't a sign of weakness, and you can't simply "think your way out" of them. They involve changes in brain chemistry and neural pathways that respond to treatment — therapy rewires the thought patterns, medication corrects the chemical imbalance. Both approaches are effective, and combining them often works best.
Our Anxiety Treatment Approach
Comprehensive Evaluation
Your first appointment includes a thorough assessment to understand your specific anxiety symptoms, triggers, severity, and how they impact your life. We also screen for co-occurring conditions (depression, ADHD, PTSD) that frequently accompany anxiety.
Therapy (CBT & Beyond)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the gold standard for anxiety treatment. It helps you:
- Identify and challenge anxious thought patterns
- Develop practical coping strategies
- Gradually face feared situations (exposure therapy)
- Build distress tolerance skills
- Break the avoidance cycle that maintains anxiety
We also incorporate mindfulness-based techniques, DBT skills, and relaxation training as needed.
Medication Management
When medication is appropriate, we prioritize options with strong evidence and favorable safety profiles:
- SSRIs (first-line): Sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil) — effective for most anxiety disorders with manageable side effects
- SNRIs: Venlafaxine (Effexor), duloxetine (Cymbalta) — particularly helpful when anxiety co-occurs with depression or chronic pain
- Buspirone: A non-habit-forming anti-anxiety medication that works well for generalized anxiety
- Hydroxyzine: A non-addictive option for acute anxiety episodes
We generally do not prescribe benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan) as first-line treatment. While they provide quick relief, they carry significant risks including dependency, cognitive dulling, and rebound anxiety. The medications listed above provide sustainable relief without these risks. Read more: Managing Anxiety Without Benzodiazepines →
Why Choose EnnHealth for Anxiety Treatment
- Same provider every visit: Continuity of care is especially important for anxiety — your provider knows your history, triggers, and progress
- Telehealth from home: No waiting room anxiety. Attend sessions from wherever you feel most comfortable.
- Combined approach: Both therapy and medication management from one provider — no need for separate appointments
- Insurance accepted: Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UHC, Humana, Oscar, Ambetter, Medicare, Tricare, Molina
- DPC option: From $99/month — includes unlimited messaging for between-session support
- 30+ states: Your care continues wherever you are
"Anxiety often tells you that asking for help is scary. But the hardest part is booking the first appointment. Everything after that gets easier." — Dr. Nageley Michel
Ready to Feel Better?
Schedule an anxiety evaluation with a board-certified psychiatric provider. Telehealth appointments available in 30+ states.
Book Your Evaluation →