Everybody feels a sense of anxiousness or nervousness from time to time. It’s a normal part of life. Maybe you have a test coming up at school, a presentation at work, or some other big event and it makes you feel a bit of anxiety. This is normal and healthy. Conversely, when a person is dealing with an anxiety disorder, they have so much stress and so much anxiety that they are not able to live a normal life. What we’re talking about here is not a mild inconvenience, but instead we are talking about a very serious mental illness. It is something that leaves a person with a sense of dread and a sense of fear that is so overwhelming that at times it is physically disabling for them. Thankfully, anxiety disorders can be professionally treated and a person can be shown how to start living a normal life again.
Anxiety can rear its ugly head in many different forms. Some people have what is referred to as panic disorder. Individuals who are dealing with this disorder feel dread and feel fear all of a sudden. There’s no warning, and there is no known trigger. This sense of dread happens repeatedly. They will find themselves sweating, their heart will beat really fast, their chest will hurt, and it may feel like they are choking. Some have described the sensation to something akin to a heart attack.
Other individuals may be battling with social anxiety disorder. This is a disorder that leaves a person extremely self-conscious. When they are in everyday social situations, they feel that people around them are judging them and making bad decisions about them. They are nervous that their every action is going to cause them to be embarrassed and that people are going to ridicule them.
For some people, anxiety is related to very specific events or specific things. For example, they might be afraid of flying, their anxiety might be related to heights, or the anxiety might be related to large bodies of water or talking to the opposite sex.
The medical community does not know what causes anxiety disorders. It is not connected to a character flaw, it has nothing to do with upbringing, and it is not a sign of mental or personal weakness. Like any other illness, it is a disorder that is produced by a combination of factors that causes changes in the way the affected individual’s brain functions when under stress.
Make an appointment at Montana Psychiatry & Brain Health Center to learn about the available treatment options for anxiety disorders. Contact us today to schedule a consultation at our office in Billings.
TMS
by Deb (age 64)
Category: generalThe hoops I jumped through in order to be evaluated were straightforward and efficient. I met with PA Kaitlin for about an hour to discuss my history and previous medications. Then Dr. Amato joined us to further discuss my history, the TMS treatment, and answer any questions. Myrna gathered all of the information and submitted it to my health insurance company to request coverage for TMS. Fortunately, insurance approved the treatment and I was able to begin the next week. I’m sure most people have anxiety about starting a treatment like TMS. No matter how many times it’s described to you, there are many unknowns. How will I feel during treatment? Is it painful? What if this doesn’t work? What if it works for a while but then stops? In all honesty, I was very uncomfortable during the first couple of weeks of treatment. The alternating two seconds of tapping sensation caused some pain during treatment, and at the end of the first week I thought about quitting. But I had sworn to myself that TMS was a last resort and I HAD TO complete the treatment and give it a chance to work. My technician, Heather, told me that some people don’t feel the tapping at all, they only hear it. Guess I wasn’t one of those people! But as the days went by, it became easier to tolerate the treatments. During this time I also saw Lauren weekly for CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). This is highly recommended for people undergoing TMS treatment, and it was a positive complement to my total of 100 minutes each week “under the helmet”. The weekend between weeks three and four, I started to notice subtle improvements in my mood, increased belief in my self-worth, and enthusiasm for simple things like going for walks, meeting friends for lunch, and taking on volunteer work in the community. I hesitated at first to believe that TMS was helping me. I was afraid that I was convincing myself it was working because I so desperately wanted it to! But now that I am past the treatment I can say with cert
TMS
by Barbie (age 68)
Category: generalI feel so blessed to participate in the TMS protocol at MT Psychiatry. After struggling so many years with depression and not getting significant results from medication, particularly of late, I noticed positive results in the first two weeks of treatment. TMS can literally give you back the beauty & joy in living as well as the courage to make positive life changes and improvements in your daily living situation. I heartily encourage anyone to put yourself into the hands of the amazing TMS team who so gently and graciously make this journey with you out of the black hole that is depression. It is my honor and privilege to give the TMS treatment the highest recommendation.
TMS
by Shayne (age 66)
Category: generalI am grateful for the support and caring I have received from Dr. Amato (and Heidi, Heather and Myrna) in my quest for mental health and a fuller more productive life. While the TMS results have been subtle, I feel more positive about my future and I would recommend this team absolutely. Thank you!
TMS
by Carrie (age 65)
Category: generalNot realizing how fuzzy my head was, I thought I was only going through severe anxiety and depression. Through the insight of Pat, I was able to go through TMS treatments which brought down the anxiety and depression immensely and has cleared up the fuzzy, far off substantially. All the personnel treated me with kindness and I’m sure their attitudes helped in my recovery.
TMS
by Bridget (age 47)
Category: generalThe first outcome of TMS I noted happened early in my treatment, at about the beginning of week two. I felt as though my “brain fog” had been chipped away. I wish I could report that I feel my mental health issues are in “remission”, but I can’t do so yet. My hope is that I will see improvement in the weeks to come, now that my TMS cycle has ended. I can say that my brain feels – in some way – different; I can’t explain exactly how. I continue to struggle at this point in time but sill have hope for more improvement.
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