Know Your Brain; Anxiety
Learn about how anxiety impacts your brain and how medication can help
Everyone’s brain works in different ways and we don’t always know it because our thoughts are hidden from other people. When a person has a brain that is prone to anxiety, they tend to have thoughts that cause them to overthink or worry in a way that’s difficult to control (1. ADAA) While having some degree of anxiety can be beneficial to someone’s ability to stay organized, anticipate challenges, and be empathetic; anxiety becomes a problem when someone starts to feel apprehensive, irritable, or fatigued. Anxiety often causes physical symptoms as well such as pain, muscle tension, sleep issues (2. APA). Everyone worries sometimes but anxiety happens when those worries take on a life of their own and become unrelenting.
Anxiety is not uncommon. An estimated 30% of adults in the United States experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (3. NIMH). We don’t always know what causes a person’s brain to become anxious, but we believe it is a combination of factors including genetics and the environment. Sometimes anxiety can be caused by an underlying medical condition. The good news is that anxiety is something that can be treated. The brain can learn how to slow down so that the person feels more present, calm, confident, and free of unnecessary worry. Anxiety needs to be treated holistically and the best treatment is often a combination of therapy and medication. Anxiety medications can help a person engage more fully in therapy, and therapy can help address underlying thought patterns that medication alone can not address.
A good medication provider or therapist is someone who will make you feel comfortable, in control, and listens to your concerns. Someone with an anxious brain may feel worried or apprehensive about reaching out, and that’s understandable. Knowing your brain means that you know that anxiety can make it difficult to ask for help. At HQ Psych we are proud to offer both medication and therapy support to our clients with anxious brains and we look forward helping you find a solution that works for you and your brain.
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