Anxiety can occur as a normal reaction to stressful situations, it can serve to alert us of dangers and assist the mind in the preparation and management of potential threats. Anxiety can simply be seen as an increased level of body and mind attentiveness. However, if these feelings remain elevated chronically they can distress us.  Situationally anxiety can rise and fall. Anxiety as a disorder is often different from these feelings. In a disordered state a person’s resting anxiety, independent of a stressor, may be chronically elevated for no apparent reason. This can make anxiety attacks occur more frequently and can even lead to mood depression. If this is present it can be difficult to identify due to its chronic nature. Some individuals experience this elevated resting anxiety for no reason over their entire lifetime. They often develop habits of trying to ignore how they feel or think to manage. Lifetime elevated resting anxiety can be hard to recognize because it is so consistent. It is often ignored or overlooked as a major contributor to depressive episodes. Such an anxiety disorder can make one more likely to be overwhelmed by stressors and makes depression a more likely occurrence. Sometimes an anxiety disorder may seem to present when atypical or excessive feelings of nervousness and/or anxiousness are present, however, many times anxiety as an illness is always present. When trying to break through this confusion of whether this has been ever-present or not we try to assess individuals for excessive thinking.  Generalized anxiety disorder is often associated with excessive worry and restlessness. Many patients say “but I don’t worry” or “I used to worry but I don’t now,” as a way of ruling out an anxiety disorder. However, the most prominent symptoms are exhausting excessive thinking and chronic fatigue. If you find these symptoms to be a problem please contact us about a New Patient evaluation. On the very first visit, we will focus on giving you a comprehensive explanation pertinent to your complaints. Any further decisions on any kind of treatment are completely up to you. If you at a minimum feel frustrated with finding an explanation for what you are feeling and you feel lost please call us. No medication treatment is required and we can assure you that you will feel less lost after even one appointment. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders and can be effectively treated. Left untreated they erode joy, worsen fatigue and disconnection, and make living in the moment almost impossible. Please do not wait.