Anxiety

What happens when I’m anxious?

Anxiety arises when you’re fearful or apprehensive about a future event. When you’re anxious, your brain releases hormones that activate some body systems and shut down others.

This automatic reaction, called the fight-or-flight response, is hardwired into your biochemistry. It serves the essential role of energizing your body so you’re prepared to either face the problem or retreat.

When the threat is over, your body chemistry returns to normal and your anxiety disappears. At least, that’s how it should work. If you have an anxiety disorder, however, your fears don’t go away and your body stays on high alert. Over time, ongoing anxiety affects your mental, physical, social, and emotional health.

What symptoms develop due to anxiety?

There are more than 10 anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and panic disorder. Each type of anxiety has symptoms that are different from the others, for example:

Panic disorder

When you have panic disorder, you experience sudden episodes of intense fear without a known threat. Symptoms include chest pain, a pounding heart, and shortness of breath.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia causes extreme anxiety over situations such as being outside of home alone, being in enclosed places, or being in open spaces.

As a group, however, anxiety disorders cause symptoms such as:

• Irritability
  
• Nervousness
  
• Nausea
  
• Excessive sweating
  
• Increased heart rate
  
• Headaches
  
• Insomnia
  
• Panic
  

You may constantly anticipate people, places, and events that make you anxious and purposefully avoid those circumstances.

What is ketamine and how does it treat anxiety?

Ketamine is a prescription medication that produces different effects depending on the dose. At a high dose, it’s a safe anesthetic that’s often used during children’s surgery. In a small dose, however, ketamine boosts neurotransmitters and balances brain chemicals that regulate anxiety and depression. Studies show that ketamine is especially effective when your anxiety symptoms haven’t improved with other medications.

Dr. Sadighim administers ketamine through an intravenous (IV) infusion. Many patients notice an improvement in symptoms within an hour of their infusion. After one infusion, the results typically last up to seven days; with a series of ketamine infusions, the results may become long-lasting.

If you need help with persistent or treatment-resistant anxiety, call Long Island Ketamine Center or use our request appointment tool.