Severe anxiety can occur in people who are living with anxiety disorders such as phobias, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. People who are living with severe anxiety may experience debilitating symptoms that keep them from living out their daily lives. Symptoms of severe anxiety can include isolation, panic attacks, restlessness, and overwhelming stress.
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that people experience when they live through stressful events. Anxiety is an emotion that we experience to warn us of potential dangers. But, while anxiety is a normal emotion that has a purpose, people living with anxiety disorders experience anxiety even when stressful or dangerous situations aren’t present. This is because people living with anxiety disorders have an altered fight-or-flight response, which is a defense mechanism our brains use in order to keep us from experiencing harm. This can lead to a number of symptoms including a racing heart, chest pains, increased stress levels, sweating, and more. These symptoms can become debilitating to daily life for people living with anxiety disorders and even negatively impact relationships, careers, and more.
Unfortunately, many people who are living with severe anxiety and anxiety disorders never get the help they need to manage symptoms. Rather, they attempt to alleviate symptoms of anxiety disorders on their own which can lead to drug or alcohol dependence and other issues. But, there is help for people living with these conditions if they are willing to seek it. Before treatment, getting a diagnosis of severe anxiety is important to determine which types of treatment and therapies may be helpful. To receive a diagnosis, people living with anxiety will speak with mental health specialists to discuss their medical history, specific symptoms they may be experiencing, and how long they’ve been experiencing symptoms. This can help to determine the severity of anxiety and the specific type of anxiety disorder a person may be living with.
Many people who are diagnosed with severe anxiety may try treatments including psychiatric therapies or medications. While these treatments are successful, they may not be a good fit for every person who’s living with severe anxiety. Brain-based treatments for severe anxiety are a great supplemental or complementary tool to use in treating symptoms of severe anxiety. Some types of brain-based treatments for severe anxiety available at Delray Brain Science include:
TMS: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, is an effective brain-based therapy that is successful in reducing the severity and frequency of severe anxiety symptoms. It works by using magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain that may not be optimally functioning. These areas of the brain are responsible for symptoms of severe anxiety, so stimulating them can help to reactivate them and alleviate symptoms. TMS is completely non-invasive, doesn’t require the use of medications, and can be done in sessions as quick as 45 minutes. Plus, people who use this type of treatment for severe anxiety can experience results as soon as the first few sessions.
Ketamine Infusion Therapy: Ketamine infusions work like TMS to stimulate areas of the brain that may not be functioning properly and may be responsible for severe anxiety symptoms. Ketamine is a medication that, at low doses, is administered into the bloodstream via IV. With little risk of side effects and a non-invasive approach, many find that ketamine infusion therapy is a great tool to utilize in order to manage symptoms of severe anxiety.