When a person has anxiety, the mere thought of seeking help can be terrifying. Vulnerability is difficult with anxiety but also a necessary step for anyone that would like to receive treatment.
Keep reading if you have an anxiety disorder and would like to learn how to talk to your doctor about treatment.
Be Confident
Having confidence is not easy when you have anxiety; however, it will help you when it comes time to speak to your doctor.
When going into the discussion with your doctor, hold onto any courage and don’t back down. If speaking in person is too challenging, you can bring up your symptoms of anxiety in an email. Having a conversation through email is much easier since there is no face-to-face interaction, and you can review everything you need to say before saying it.
Sometimes people with anxiety minimize their symptoms which makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose your mental health disorder. Therefore, it is essential to be completely honest about how you feel and how it is affecting your daily life.
Be Thorough While Describing Your Symptoms
Since minimizing your symptoms is so common among individuals with anxiety, describing your symptoms can also be challenging. Unfortunately, if you leave out any symptoms or mischaracterize them, you could be misdiagnosed.
When describing your symptoms, be as thorough as possible and do not leave any out, no matter how irrelevant they may seem. Anxiety presents itself in the body in many ways and places, so you may be surprised to hear that your headaches, back pain, or fatigue are all symptoms of anxiety.
However, sometimes an individual may think they have anxiety but have a different condition, such as depression, borderline personality disorder, or a physical condition that mimics anxiety.
By being thorough when describing your symptoms, your doctor can assess the situation and diagnose you properly.
To make the process easier, consider creating a list of your symptoms that occur over a few weeks. Although this may sound over the top, many individuals present their doctors with a symptom list to ensure they receive the correct treatment.
Request Treatment Options
Once you have spoken to your doctor about your concerns and symptoms, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. Therapy is often suggested in combination with medication, but you are free to choose one over the other.
Often, individuals begin taking medication and struggle with the side effects, dosing timeframes, or ingredients. Therefore, It can be helpful to research anxiety treatment options before your appointment to ensure you receive the medication you are comfortable taking.
If you’re located in Jackson Heights, you may consider visiting MyDoc Urgent Care, a reputable healthcare facility in the area. MyDoc Urgent Care Jackson Heights can provide expert advice and guidance regarding anxiety treatment options, including medication choices that best suit your needs.
Common treatment options include:
SSRIs
SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the most common anxiety and depression medication and are often prescribed to individuals that have one or both of these conditions. These medications work by blocking the body’s ability to reabsorb serotonin, allowing it to linger for longer.
Cannabis
Cannabis is another common anxiety medication but requires the approval of a medical marijuana doctor to receive a prescription. If this is the treatment option you feel is best, you can schedule an appointment with a marijuana doctor and apply for an MMJ. Your marijuana doctor will be able to help determine which products and strains are best for your symptoms.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are primarily used to treat allergy symptoms, and although prescribing them for anxiety may be confusing, they are often quite effective. Doctors are known to prescribe medications outside of their original purpose, and sometimes great revelations come from it. The use of antihistamines for anxiety is one of those cases because they have sedative properties that calm the mind and body. For some, taking Benadryl is the most effective treatment option.
Antipsychotics
Don’t let the name of this drug type scare you, if your doctor suggests an antipsychotic, they do not think you are crazy. These medications are in fact used to treat individuals with conditions like schizophrenia, but they have also proved to be a great anxiety treatment.
Follow Up With Your Doctor
After receiving medication, your discussion with the doctor is not over. You must also follow up with your doctor about how your symptoms are improving or declining and what side effects you may have.
Following up is crucial because it is common for individuals to have an adverse reaction to medications and suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping some medications can be dangerous or even life-threatening and should be done properly. Additionally, many may become discouraged by their negative experience and decide to not seek alternative treatment out of fear. However, your doctor will take all of your concerns into consideration and move on to an option that better suits your needs.
