How to Get an Anxiety Diagnosis

Who Can Diagnose Anxiety?

Anxiety disorders can be diagnosed by a range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed therapists. Psychiatrists, being medical doctors, can also prescribe medication if needed, while psychologists and therapists often focus on therapy-based treatments. It’s essential to consult with a professional who has experience in diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders, as they can provide the most effective treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

At Talkspace, you can connect with a therapist or psychiatrist online for a mental health evaluation and receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from the comfort of your home.

How Does a Doctor Diagnose Anxiety?

There are various criteria that a doctor considers when determining a diagnosis for anxiety.

First, you’ll go through a physical examination to rule out any underlying medical conditions or illnesses that may either be causing your symptoms or masking them.

Personal history & lifestyle

You’ll want to provide accurate information about your personal history and lifestyle habits. It’s important to be completely honest so your doctor can gain better insight into your overall health. You’ll likely be asked about your:

• History of illnesses
• Any alcohol or drug use
• Caffeine consumption
• Use of lab-made hormones
• Use of prescription medications

Symptoms

Assuming that your doctor rules out other possible causes for your symptoms, you might move on to the next steps of scheduling a psychological evaluation. On the day of your appointment, you’ll probably be asked questions about the type, frequency, and severity of your symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety are:

• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Twitching
• Dry mouth
• Trouble focusing
• Angina (chest pain)
• Increased heart rate
• Shaking and trembling
• Fast, quick breathing
• Hot flashes and sweating
• Upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting

These symptoms can also show up strongly and suddenly in an anxiety attack or panic attack. When this happens, it’s a clear sign of how anxiety can affect the body. Knowing this helps us better understand and deal with anxiety in all its forms.

A doctor or mental health professional will then consider criteria outlined in the APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to figure out if you’re suffering from severe anxiety or a related condition — like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

DSM criteria for anxiety disorder can include:

• Experiencing excessive worry and anxiety most days, for at least 6 months
• Symptoms not caused by an underlying mental health condition
• Symptoms not caused by an underlying medical condition
• Symptoms that are significantly disrupting the quality of life

For the DSM-5 criteria, you’ll need to exhibit three of the following six anxiety symptoms:

• Disturbed sleep
• Difficulty focusing
• Muscular tension
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue

Physical & mental health conditions

One thing that can make diagnosing anxiety somewhat difficult is that it shares symptoms with several other physical and mental health conditions. To be sure that your symptoms are caused by anxiety and not another physical or mental health condition, a health care professional will first rule out other possibilities, including:

• Asthma
• Menopause
• Tachycardia
• Chronic angina
• Hyperthyroidism
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Adrenal gland tumors
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)

Some anxiety symptoms are caused by side effects of substance abuse used to treat diabetes, thyroid disorders, hypertension (high blood pressure), and more. This is one reason why it’s so important to have a complete checkup before an anxiety diagnosis can be made.

Steps for Getting an Anxiety Diagnosis

Knowing who can diagnose anxiety and how they do it, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process of getting diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

1. Recognize your symptoms: Begin by acknowledging your symptoms. A doctor or mental health professional will ask you what you’re experiencing so it’s important to know what the signs of anxiety look like.
2. Consult a healthcare provider: Schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional. This could be your primary care physician, who can then refer you to a mental health specialist if necessary. At Talkspace, you can get connected with a mental health professional directly for a diagnosis.
3. Prepare for your appointment: Before your visit, note down your symptoms, how often they occur, and any situations that trigger or worsen them. Also, list any medications or supplements you’re taking.
4. Get your psych evaluation: During the appointment, your care provider will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and any family history of mental health issues. They may use diagnostic tools like questionnaires or the DSM-5 criteria we outlined to assess your anxiety levels.
5. Discuss treatment options: If diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, discuss treatment options with your provider. Treatments can include therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these.
6. Follow-up care: Regular follow-up appointments are crucial to monitor your progress and adjust treatment plans for anxiety as needed.

How to Get an Anxiety Disorder Diagnosis through Talkspace

If you think anxiety symptoms are persistent and interfering with your life, you deserve support. You can get a diagnosis and find relief conveniently with Talkspace. We’ll connect with a licensed provider who will evaluate your symptoms, listen to your concerns, and, if appropriate, diagnose you with anxiety disorder or another condition. 

Talkspace makes it affordable to receive diagnosis and treatment for mental health conditions including anxiety disorder, with online therapy and psychiatry plans that take insurance. Your insurer and health plan will determine the specifics of your coverage and copays, but covered members only pay a copay (usually $25 or less). Separately, many employers cover the cost of Talkspace so employees can receive our care for free. You may also choose to pay with pre-tax dollars using your FSA/HSA card or simply pay out-of-pocket at costs lower than those of most in-person mental health providers.

Here’s how it works:

1. Get started any time by answering a few questions on the Talkspace website or app.
2. You’ll be connected with a therapist within about two days or a psychiatric provider within about a week.
3. If you choose therapy you can message with your therapist as much as you like and also schedule live sessions. If you choose psychiatry you’ll schedule a live video session with your psychiatric provider.

Online therapy provides support for managing Anxiety Disorder through ongoing conversations, while online psychiatry usually involves a prescription for medication and ongoing medication management. 

What to Do if You Get Diagnosed with Anxiety

If you receive an anxiety diagnosis, you have a lot of options and support available. You can learn new coping skills and strategies that will help you anticipate, recognize, and deal with your symptoms as they arise.

It can be smart to focus on learning about managing your excessive worry and anxiety, rather than looking for a “cure” or instant solution. Just know upfront that there’s no easy fix. It’s going to take time, patience, and effort. Consider the following and talk with your therapist about which might be the most effective technique for you. In many cases, a combination of methods will be the most successful in managing symptoms of excessive anxiety.

It’s important to note that treatment plans can vary significantly for the different types of anxiety. For instance, treatment for social anxiety may look different than a generalized anxiety disorder.

Therapy

Regular sessions of talk therapy for anxiety with a professional therapist can allow you to openly express yourself and stay in touch with your goals in a safe, stable environment with unbiased assistance.

Your therapist can help you discover what triggers your anxiety and teach you helpful skills to reduce the frequency and intensity of your symptoms. Many therapists offer online talk therapy sessions, and group therapy can also be very effective.

Lifestyle choices

It’s true that the choices we make can define us. Through this lens, we can choose to change many of our habits in an effort to live a healthier, less stressed, more productive life. This can be especially true when dealing with anxiety.

Consider the following options. Implementing some or all of them in your daily life could be incredibly beneficial in treating anxiety.

• Involve yourself in social situations
• Drink plenty of fresh water every day
• Keep routine schedules to optimize your time and minimize downtime
• Get at least some exercise, every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes
• Write down your thoughts and feelings daily
• Make time to participate in the activities and hobbies you enjoy
• Watch what you eat — focus on low-carb, unprocessed foods

Natural remedies

Natural anxiety relief can be enticing for those who don’t want to take medication or looking for complementary coping strategies outside of therapy. Various natural remedies for anxiety have been found to help people manage anxiety, including diffusing certain essential oils for anxiety, practicing mindfulness meditation, learning pranayama (deep breathing exercises), doing Yoga, taking mineral salt baths, and sun gazing.

Avoid using substances to cope

It might be challenging, but avoiding alcohol and drug use when you suffer from chronic anxiety can be a good idea. For many people, substances are taken in an attempt to numb the pain or to try and feel “normal.” However, more often than not, alcohol and drugs do more harm than good, and can lead to substance abuse. They do nothing to address the underlying psychological issues that are causing the anxiety.

Find support

Research suggests it’s important to have a circle of trusted people you can communicate with openly and freely about your anxiety without fear of judgment. It can be common for people with severe anxiety to self-isolate or have social anxiety disorder, even from the people they’re closest to. Remember that we all need someone to talk to now and then, and that’s OK.

Medication

Several types of prescription medications can be used to treat anxiety. Anxiety medication is typically only used to treat short-term symptoms though, and it’s important to understand that while pharmaceuticals may help to manage some symptoms, they can also cause serious side effects with long-term or excessive use.

Your doctor or therapist are experts at knowing how to diagnose anxiety. Leave the diagnosis to them, and then focus on coming up with a treatment plan. You can learn new coping skills and start establishing new habits that’ll enhance your life.

Talkspace is an online therapy platform that makes getting help for your anxiety easier than ever. In just a few minutes, you can set up appointments that are convenient, affordable, and effective. If you’re ready to learn how to get diagnosed with anxiety and start working towards healing, reach out to Talkspace today.