Anxiety

What is the cause of anxiety?

The feeling of anxiety is related to a physical response of perceived danger. In these situations the body releases chemicals to prepare for a “fight”  or to run (known as flight”). Sometimes these physical responses occur when there is no real danger. There are multiple causes of anxiety and likely genetics, temperament, and personality styles play a role in determining who will develop anxiety. Environmental risk factors, such as parenting style also combine with the biological risk factors of genetics and temperament to make a child more or less likely to develop an anxiety disorder. 

What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety? 

Sometimes people voice a specific worry or fear (i.e. separation from caregivers, spiders, being in a social situation) or have frequent recalling of trauamatic events (PTSD) . Other times they experiences chronic, excessive anxiety about multiple areas of their lives (Generalized Anxiety). Children & adolescents often present with physical complaints such as a stomachae or headache.

 Why should I see Dr. Tinney?

Persistent anxiety is uncomfortable and can interfere with your daily functioning including missed work or school. It can also lead to uneccessary health problems such as weight gain and some people turn to self-medicating with other substances to avoid the physical feelings of anxiety. Dr. Tinney will provide a comprehensive evaluation that considers medical causes for anxiety as well as biological and environmental influences. In some situations medication is an appropriate treatment, so she will present you with a variety of options and education about medications. However, she also believes in teaching healthy ways to manage stress that don’t include medications. Dr. Tinney is trained in a variety of psychotherapy techniques including evidence-based form known as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), supportive psychotherapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy.