When worry becomes too much
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. An anxiety disorder is different: the worry or fear is intense, lasts for months, and gets in the way of school, work, sleep, or relationships. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in both children and adults, and they respond well to treatment.
Types of anxiety we treat
- Generalized anxiety disorder — persistent, hard-to-control worry
- Separation anxiety, common in younger children
- Specific phobias
- Health-related and performance anxiety
Panic disorder
Panic attacks are sudden surges of intense fear with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest discomfort. Panic disorder develops when attacks recur and people begin to fear or avoid situations where they might happen. Treatment can reduce the frequency of attacks and help people return to activities they have been avoiding.
Social anxiety
Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social or performance situations. In teens it may look like avoiding class participation, lunchrooms, or activities; in adults it can limit career and relationships. We help patients understand these patterns and choose effective treatment.
Anxiety in children and teens
Children may express anxiety through stomachaches, headaches, clinginess, irritability, school refusal, or trouble sleeping. Our child and adolescent psychiatry services include parents as partners and, with consent, coordinate with schools and therapists.
How we treat anxiety
- Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, including screening for related conditions such as depression, ADHD, or OCD
- Medication management when appropriate, with careful monitoring
- Supportive psychotherapy and psychoeducation during visits
- Referral to and coordination with therapists who provide cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure-based treatment
Visit us in Gaithersburg or by telehealth
Care is provided by Vivienne Gomes, M.D., Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Emmanuel Sango, DNP, APRN, CRNP, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. You can see us in person at our office at 18310 Montgomery Village Ave in Gaithersburg, or by secure video if you are located in Maryland at the time of your appointment. See telepsychiatry in Maryland.