Every woman worries from time to time about her family, job, finances, and health. We often get nervous about meeting new people, traveling to a new place, or having dinner guests. If you’re a woman with heart disease, it’s normal to worry about heart attacks and stroke, and whether you will survive a planned surgery. However, when the worry becomes excessive, constant, and interferes with daily life, these are symptoms of a medical condition called anxiety.
More than just a case of bad nerves, anxiety can cause you to feel so uncomfortable that you become severely distressed or even paralyzed with fear.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder is made when someone spends at least six months excessively worried about everyday problems. However, incapacitating or troublesome symptoms warranting treatment may exist for shorter periods of time. There are several types of anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety, panic disorders and phobias.
Symptoms
Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:
- Psychological: Chronic, exaggerated worry, tension, and irritability that appear to have no cause or are more intense than the situation warrants.
- Physical: Restlessness, trouble falling or staying asleep, headaches, trembling, twitching, muscle tension, or sweating, often accompany these psychological symptoms
Some women who survive heart events may show certain symptoms of a type of anxiety called post-traumatic stress disorder. These symptoms include:
- Intrusive and recurring memories of the heart event
- Recurring nightmare about the heart event
- Heightened vigilance, or expecting the worst with every new ache and pain
- Emotional distress when passing hospitals or on the anniversary of the heart event
- Avoiding situations that remind them of the heart event
- Becoming distant and detached
Treatment
Both medicines and therapy can successfully treat anxiety. If you recognize yourself having some or all of the symptoms of anxiety, tell your doctor. S/he may prescribe anti-anxiety medicines.
Licensed therapists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, pastoral counselors, clinical social workers, and, in some cases, psychiatrists all offer effective short-term psychotherapy to help you understand anxiety and recover from it. (Sometimes longer-term therapy is needed if the anxiety is rooted in trauma or past life events.)
These therapists offer different types of therapy. Be sure to ask them if they are licensed, about their training, experience treating anxiety, and what approach they plan to use with you. Shop around if you need to until you find a therapist you are comfortable with; if finances are a concern, ask they have a sliding fee scale.
To find a therapist:
- Ask your doctor for a referral
- Call a community mental health center
- Look in your health insurance plan's or HMO's Provider Directory
- Look in The Yellow Pages under "Counselors," Mental Health Services, "Psychologists/Psychiatrists"
- Go online -- two therapy organizations list their members on their Web sites: The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, whose members treat individuals, couples, and families; and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, whose members are ordained clergy who use religious and spiritual resources within therapy
- Call the American Psychological Association for a referral to a clinical psychologist near you and the American Psychiatric Association for a referral to a psychiatrist near you.
Source: National Mental Health Information Center of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
