Anxiety Disorders
Hearing a health care professional say your youth or young adult has an anxiety disorder can be confusing. The good news is that the emotions and behaviors you have been concerned about are actually symptoms of a treatable disorder. By engaging in treatment and entering recovery, people with an anxiety disorder can manage their symptoms and feel better. Recovery does not necessarily mean a cure. It does mean people are actively moving towards wellness.
It is important to talk with a health care provider about treatment options and additional information. Your provider may be a child and adolescent psychiatrist, general psychiatrist, psychologist, pediatrician, social worker, or other health care provider. If you are concerned that your youth or young adult may have an anxiety disorder, it is important to seek a thorough evaluation. The evaluation includes talking about their symptoms, and conducting blood and urine tests, and perhaps other tests to ensure that there is no underlying medical condition that could be causing the symptoms. It is also important to ensure that your youth or young adult can tolerate medication, if recommended as part of a treatment plan.