Anxiety
Are you constantly troubled by worry, fear, or a sense of impending doom? Do you find it challenging to relax because of persistent anxious thoughts or feeling “on edge”? At New Directions Psychiatry PLLC, we recognize the impact anxiety can have on your daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. As a psychiatrist, Dr. Whitney Gilley has extensive professional training and experience in working with patients with anxiety. She is dedicated to providing compassionate, person-centered care and individualized treatment options.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a common symptom characterized by persistent and excessive worry or fear. While some anxiety is a normal part of human experience, when it goes beyond the normal, temporary feelings of stress and disrupts your ability to function and enjoy life, anxiety may be a symptom of a mental health condition. Anxiety can be part of a variety of conditions that include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, or specific phobias.
Anxiety disorders are common, affecting 19% of US adults every year.
Symptoms of Anxiety
Recognizing the symptoms of anxiety is crucial in seeking appropriate treatment. If you experience several of the following symptoms for an extended period, it may be an indication of an anxiety disorder:
Excessive worry or fear that is difficult to control
Restlessness or feeling on edge
Fatigue or low energy levels
Difficulty concentrating or experiencing mind blanks
Irritability or a heightened sense of unease
Muscle tension or physical discomfort
Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or restless sleep
Avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety
It's important to remember that anxiety symptoms can vary from person to person, and not everyone experiences them in the same way. If you are experiencing anxiety that impacts your quality of life, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with a doctor. A professional evaluation by a psychiatrist like Dr. Gilley can help clarify the cause of your symptoms and identify treatment options. By understanding the unique features of your anxiety, we tailor our approach to meet your specific needs.
Types of Anxiety Disorders Include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
GAD involves excessive worry and anxiety about a range of everyday issues, such as work, health, or relationships. It often manifests as persistent and uncontrollable anxiety, accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
Performance Anxiety:
Performance anxiety is an intense anxiety specific to performing or anticipation of performing a specific task such as test taking, performing on stage, or public speaking that impairs your performance or ability to complete a necessary task.
Phobias:
A phobia is an intense, excessive or disproportionate fear of a situation, place, object, or creature. Phobias are one of the most common mental health disorders. Specific phobias are irrational fears of specific objects, situations, or activities. Common examples include fear of heights, animals, blood, flying, or enclosed spaces. Exposure to the phobia triggers can cause significant distress and avoidance behavior.
Social Anxiety Disorder:
Social anxiety disorder involves an intense fear of social situations and a persistent concern about being embarrassed, judged, or humiliated by others. It may lead to avoidance of social interactions, impacting personal relationships and daily functioning.
Panic Disorder:
Panic disorder is characterized by recurring and unexpected panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear and discomfort. There is fear of reoccurrence of the panic attack symptoms. Panic attacks can be accompanied by symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and a sense of impending doom.
Anxiety Secondary to Another Medical Condition:
Certain medical conditions can cause anxiety symptoms. A medical doctor, such as a psychiatrist, can help you determine if further medical workup would be beneficial in determining the cause of anxiety.
Treatment Options for Anxiety
Counseling and Therapy
Talk therapy is often an important part of successful anxiety treatment. Therapy can help with understanding and managing anxious thoughts and feelings. Dr. Gilley offers counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma Focused therapies, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and integrative therapies.
Medication
For certain patients, medication may be prescribed to help alleviate symptoms and facilitate progress in therapy. Dr. Gilley has specialist-level expertise in medication and will discuss with you in detail your options and the risks and benefits of particular medicines. Whether medicine is recommended depends on your symptoms and specific treatment goals.
Holistic Approaches
Combined with therapy, activities to help boost mood, nutrition that supports our body in healing, quality sleep, and practicing stress reduction techniques can significantly impact anxiety symptoms and overall wellbeing. By approaching care from a whole-person perspective, Dr. Gilley believes that care can be optimized to fit your individual needs and goals.
When to get emergency help:
If you think you may hurt yourself or act on suicidal thoughts, get help immediately by calling 911 or your local emergency or crisis number.
If you are concerned someone else is in danger of suicide or has made a suicide attempt, do not leave the person alone without someone to stay with them. Call 911 or local emergency services immediately or take the person to the nearest hospital emergency department if you can do so safely.
You can get help for suicidal thoughts or information to help a loved one in crisis by calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is free and available 24/7. Website: Talk To Someone Now : Lifeline (988lifeline.org)
Other resources, including state-specific resources for Kentucky, Tennessee, and National hotlines for a variety of mental concerns can be found here: Resources Page.
Why Choose New Directions Psychiatry PLLC for Anxiety Treatment?
Expertise:
Dr. Gilley is a medical doctor Board Certified in Psychiatry. Specialists in psychiatry have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating anxiety. Dr. Gilley is trained in both formal talk therapy and medication treatment options for anxiety disorders. She stays up-to-date with the latest research and treatment modalities.
Individualized Care:
We understand that each person's experience with anxiety symptoms is unique. Dr. Gilley takes a personalized approach to your care and tailors treatment around your specific needs and goals. Because she offers both therapy and medication options, and stays up-to-date on other interventions, Dr. Gilley understands the full range of treatment options. This allows her to counsel you on the different options and help you decide on the best treatment for you.
Trauma-informed Care:
Beginning with the critical understanding that any patient that comes to us for care may have a history of trauma, New Directions Psychiatry PPC cultivates a safe, healing environment. Dr. Gilley collaborates with you throughout the course the course of your care. She is responsive to patient concerns and adapts treatment to fit your individual needs.
Care That Empowers Patients:
Dr. Gilley believes in empowering patients with education about their condition and treatment options. She provides counseling about anxiety, which evidence-based therapies are most often used for the treatment of anxiety, and medication options. She counsels patients on the risks and benefits of treatment(s), so that patients can make informed decisions about their care. Dr. Gilley involves you in every treatment decision.
A Whole-Person Approach:
Dr. Gilley believes in the power of a multi-faceted approach to anxiety care to help patients achieve long-term well-being. She considers individual factors that can include non-psychiatric health conditions and medications, nutrition, daily activities, family history or genetics, and prior treatment effects and experiences. To gain a greater sense of who you are as a person, Dr. Gilley makes it a priority to understand your needs, stressors, supports, goals, and values.
More Time with your Doctor:
It requires time to provide quality care for anxiety. Visits are never scheduled for less than 30 minutes. Initial appointments are typically around 90 minutes—all directly with your doctor. As a psychotherapy-oriented practice, most therapy sessions are 50 minutes and weekly therapy is an option. When you call, Dr. Gilley is the one to return your phone call.
Compassionate Support:
Dr. Gilley is committed to providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can feel safe discussing your concerns and receiving the care you deserve. She is available for concerns and returns patient calls herself.
Convenient:
Our psychiatry practice offers flexible appointment scheduling including Saturday therapy options. You don’t have to leave your home or office to receive physician specialty care for anxiety.
Confidential:
New Directions Psychiatry PLLC is a small, private psychiatry practice. It is not part of any large medical group, community health system, or hospital system. Visits are strictly confidential to ensure your comfort and privacy. New Directions Psychiatry PLLC does not hire billers, coders, schedulers, or administrative staff. Your physician takes care of these duties. Because this practice does not bill insurance, you can have more control over your personal information. See Why don't you take insurance?
Don't let anxiety hold you back from living a fulfilling life. Dr. Gilley is here to support you in your journey toward healing. Take the first step by scheduling an appointment today.
References and Resources
National Institute of Mental Health. Statistics: Any Anxiety Disorder: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder#part_2577 Accessed 6.17.23.
American Psychiatric Association (APA): https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders Accessed 6.16.23.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2020). Anxiety Disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders Accessed 6.16.23.
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Anxiety Disorders. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961 Accessed 6.16.23
American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
The Mental Health Resource Page includes a list of state resources in Kentucky and Tennessee, and a list of national hotlines related to mental health and wellbeing.
Whitney Gilley, MD. Article Category: Anxiety