Understanding and Addressing Your Behavioral Health Care Needs: Anxiety

At Landmark, we focus on the big picture. We address patients’ medical, behavioral, and social needs. Our care is rooted in helping patients live their best and happiest lives, which is why behavioral healthcare is so important.

Landmark’s behavioral health team meets with patients to understand and care for their behavioral health needs, including anxiety.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert you to danger and help you prepare and pay attention. Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and include extreme fear or anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorders are treatable, and several effective treatments are available.² Consider the following tips to improve the way you are feeling.

Tips to Manage Anxiety

1. Use breathing techniques that focus on slow, deep, belly breathing
2. Be aware of unhelpful thoughts and learn how to challenge them
3. Use mantras, affirmations and anxiety coping statements daily
4. Eat anti-inflammatory foods, drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine
5. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night
6. Exercise often
7. Try meditation
8. Practice yoga

While these tips may reduce anxiety,  speak to your Landmark provider or primary care provider if the condition does not improve.  If you experience the following symptoms for long periods of time, let your care team know. They can create a care plan to help you improve the way you feel.

Share these concerns with your care team if they last longer than 2 weeks:

1. Uncontrollable worry
2. Excessive nervousness
3. Sleep problems
4. Muscle tension
5. Poor concentration
6. Increased heart rate
7. Upset stomach
8. Avoiding fears
9. Feeling irritable
10. Difficulty concentrating
11. Feelings of dread, panic or ‘impending doom’

References

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction

https://www.samhsa.gov/

https://www.nami.org/Home