When anxiety stops being useful
Anxiety can lead to excessive worrying alongside other symptoms: issues with sleep and/or appetite, along with other impairments in daily life. Having some anxiety is a normal attribute in life — it's what makes you prepare, check the stove, leave on time.
It becomes worth treating when it stops being proportionate: when the worry runs on without you, when it's costing you sleep, or when you're avoiding things you'd otherwise want to do.
Common symptoms
- Worry that is hard to control or turn off
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension, headaches or stomach upset
- Avoiding situations that trigger the worry
- Panic episodes — racing heart, shortness of breath, a sense of dread
What contributes to anxiety
Family history, temperament, medical conditions, thyroid problems, caffeine, alcohol, certain medications, sleep debt and periods of sustained stress can all contribute. Anxiety also travels with other conditions — it frequently appears alongside depression, ADHD and insomnia, which is one reason a full evaluation matters.
How anxiety is treated
Care is individualized. Therapy helps many people build skills for managing worry and avoidance. Medication is an option for some, and your provider will talk through benefits, risks and alternatives before anything is prescribed. At Zalfi you can receive therapy, psychiatric care, or both — and when appropriate, your clinicians can work together.
This page is general information, not medical advice. It cannot diagnose you and is not a substitute for an evaluation. Conditions treated may vary by clinician and service.
