Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal reaction to various events. However, if your anxiety is keeping you from your responsibilities or the things you enjoy, then you may have a more serious issue. The experienced team at Axis Integrated Mental Health, with offices near Boulder, Denver, and Westminster, Colorado, specializes in anxiety management and can diagnose and treat your disorder to improve your quality of life. For help with your anxiety, call the nearest office or book an appointment online today. 

What is anxiety?

In general, anxiety refers to a feeling of nervousness or fear related to an upcoming event or uncertain outcome. While it’s normal to feel anxious before a job interview or your wedding, if your feelings of anxiety are constant or keeping you from your job or social activities, then you may have an anxiety disorder. 

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

There are different types of anxiety disorders that present with varying symptoms. The types of anxiety disorders include:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD causes you to feel excessive anxiety and worry for six or more months about common, everyday things, such as work and social activities. Common symptoms of GAD include:

• Feeling on-edge
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Insomnia

GAD can make it difficult for you to get to work or enjoy social activities.

Panic disorder

If you suffer from a panic disorder, you may experience panic attacks. Symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Feeling short of breath
• Trembling

If you have a panic disorder, you may worry about when you may experience your next panic attack.

Phobias

Phobia, which refers to an intense fear of an object or situation, is also a type of anxiety disorder. Common phobias include fear of heights, spiders, and flying. Social anxiety is also a type of phobia.

Your risk of developing an anxiety disorder may depend on your genetic profile and environment.

What treatments can address my anxiety?

Your Axis Integrated Mental Health provider develops a personalized plan to help you manage your anxiety disorder based on what type of disorder you suffer from, what symptoms you experience, and how they affect your quality of life. Your treatment plan may include a combination of therapy, nutritional psychiatry coaching, or medication management.

The experienced team at Axis Integrated Mental Health provides evidence-based anxiety treatment in Colorado. Preliminary research indicates that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may offer some benefits for those suffering from GAD.

What's the Difference Between Anxiety and Irritability

Anxiety is a future‑focused emotional state characterized by persistent or excessive worry, fear, and tension, often about events that may never occur. It commonly includes symptoms like restlessness, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.

Irritability, on the other hand, refers to a lowered threshold for frustration or annoyance, snapping at small things, feeling unusually impatient or grumpy. It's an emotional and behavioral response, and not a full anxiety experience on its own.

Importantly, irritability is often a symptom or side effect of anxiety, especially when anxiety is prolonged or unmanaged. The chronic tension and mental fatigue associated with anxiety can make someone more prone to irritability, sometimes even escalating into anger or outbursts at minor triggers.

For a deeper dive into this distinction with real‑life examples and practical tips, check out this insightful blog post: Anxiety vs Irritability: What’s the Difference.

Anxiety can be debilitating and keep you from doing the things you enjoy. The experienced team at Axis Integrated Mental Health can help you gain control over your anxiety disorder so you can get back to the things that make you happy.

For the management of your anxiety disorder, call Axis Integrated Mental Health or book an appointment online today.