Vanderkooi Psychiatry| St. Louis, MO

Anxiety

40 Million American adults suffer from an anxiety disorder. There is Hope.

Help For Anxiety

When you're more than stressed, there is hope!

Help to Manage

Stress

Anxiety

Depression

Is it stress or anxiety?

Life can be stressful—you may feel stressed about work, traumatic events (such as a pandemic, natural disaster, or act of violence), or a life change. Everyone feels stress from time to time.

What is stress? Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot to do, managing kids or relationships, or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.

What is anxiety? Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.

If that anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.

Jeffrey Vanderkooi, MD

Dana Vanderkooi, NP

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
Being easily fatigued
Having difficulty concentrating
Being irritable
Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep
Pounding or racing heart
Sweating
Trembling or tingling
Chest pain
Feelings of impending doom
Feelings of being out of control
Blushing, sweating, or trembling
Pounding or racing heart
Stomachaches

 Rigid body posture or speaking with an overly soft voice
 Difficulty making eye contact or being around unknown people
 Feelings of self-consciousness or fear that people will judge them negatively
 Irrational or excessive worry about encountering the feared object or situation
 Avoiding a feared object or situation
 Experiencing immediate intense stress upon encountering a feared object or situation
 Enduring unavoidable objects and situations with intense discomfort

If you or someone you know are exhibiting these symptoms, there is hope.

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"Anxiety
Facts."

Anxiety is a highly treatable disorder, yet only 1/3 of those suffering from anxiety receive treatment.

Stress

Generally is a response to an external cause, such as taking a big test or arguing with a friend.
Goes away once the situation is resolved.
Can be positive or negative. For example, it may inspire you to meet a deadline, or it may cause you to lose sleep.

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Stress & Anxiety

Both stress and anxiety can affect your mind and body. You may experience symptoms such as:

Excessive worry
Uneasiness
Tension Headaches or body pain
High blood pressure
Loss of sleep

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Anxiety

Generally is internal, meaning it's your reaction to stress.
Usually involves a persistent feeling of apprehension or dread that doesn't go away, and that interferes with how you live your life.
Is constant, even if there is no immediate threat.

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How to Treat Anxiety Symptoms

It's important to manage your stress and anxiety. Knowing your triggers and developing coping techniques, is a great first step. If you can't easily do this, or you feel like your stress in unmanageable, You may be at risk for an anxiety disorder. Does your anxiety:

Interfere with your everyday life

Cause you to avoid doing things

Seem to be always present

Some methods that can be effective in managing your stress & anxiety are:

Keeping a journal
Meditating daily
Exercising daily
Maintaining a healthy diet and eating regular meals
Sticking to a sleep routine

Limiting caffeinated beverages
Identifying and address your negative thoughts

Taking appropriate medication

If you are still struggling to manage your anxiety symptoms, reach out to a licensed professional.

Schedule Treatment Now

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