Who Can Prescribe Anxiety Medication?

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, uneasiness, and dread that can make going about your day-to-day activities difficult or even impossible. Treatments such as medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes can provide a solution for those seeking relief from their symptoms, and of all the treatment opportunities, medication typically provides the most drastic results.

Those who frequently experience anxiety symptoms should visit a primary care physician to rule out other health conditions that can mimic anxiety. Once ruling out other potential conditions, a primary care physician can craft a treatment plan for your anxiety.

For those looking to connect with a doctor with ease, online doctors can prescribe many anti-anxiety medication varieties and are a convenient option.

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What Helps Severe Anxiety?

Various actions can be taken to relieve cases of severe anxiety. Anxiety itself is a feeling of fear, uneasiness, and dread, and for some people, their anxiety may cause them to sweat, feel tense and restless, or have a fast heartbeat. While anxiety is common for the average person to occasionally experience, typically when in a stressful situation, some people have anxiety disorders that can cause more severe and long-lasting symptoms and effects.

Those with anxiety disorders have anxious feelings that do not go away and may worsen over time. This can negatively affect their day-to-day life, with repercussions often observed in schoolwork, job performance, and relationships.

To help manage anxiety, there are various lifestyle changes and home remedies that can help make a difference, including:

  • keeping physically active
  • eating healthy
  • using relaxation techniques and stress management
  • quitting smoking or drinking caffeinated beverages
  • getting enough sleep
  • avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs

While the above tactics can help with anxiety, those with severe anxiety may also need medication or psychotherapy, in addition to these lifestyle changes, to get their anxiety under control.

How Do I Tell My Doctor I Think I Have Anxiety?

When discussing your mental health with a doctor, it is crucial to be as clear and direct as possible. Use a statement such as “I think I have anxiety” or “I have been experiencing frequent bouts of anxiety recently, and I think it is interfering with my life.” Being transparent with your doctor will help them determine which direction to go in.

It’s also important to disclose as much information about your feelings and thoughts during anxious moments as you can. This will also help your doctor make informed decisions about your anxiety and the most effective treatment.

How to Ask Your Doctor for Anxiety Medication?

When you visit a doctor for anxiety, they may first check for illnesses and conditions that can imitate or trigger anxiety symptoms, including:

  • heart disease
  • central nervous system damage
  • infectious diseases
  • hyperthyroidism
  • low blood sugar
  • substance use

Once these conditions have been ruled out, your doctor may then refer you to a mental health professional who can help uncover the root of your anxiety and diagnose the anxiety disorder you are suffering from. This diagnosis also allows them to offer treatment options.

If you would like to ask for anxiety medication, it is essential to be direct about the symptoms you have been experiencing and how long you have been experiencing them.

Listed below are some questions you can ask your doctor when they recommend an anxiety medication:

  • Why do you recommend this medication?
  • What other options are there?
  • Why do you recommend this medication and not the others?
  • How soon can I expect to see results?
  • Are there any side effects I should be aware of?

When you start an anxiety medication, it is crucial to remain in touch with your doctor to discuss if the medicine is working as expected or if anything should be modified. Online doctors make these check-ins seamless and convenient to fit into your busy schedule, allowing you to discuss your mental health with a doctor without having to schedule time into your day to go to the clinic.

In addition, all virtual doctors available to meet with through the DrHouse app are board-certified and capable of writing prescriptions, so from the first prescription to any changes needed, they can help you.

What Kind of Doctor Should You See for Anxiety?

For those who suffer from anxiety symptoms, a great first step is to visit a primary care provider. Many other health conditions can exhibit anxiety symptoms, and your healthcare provider can help rule out these conditions or offer treatment if it is determined you have them.

After ruling out other conditions and considering the anxiety symptoms you have explained to them, your general practitioner can develop a treatment plan that may include prescriptions for anti-anxiety medication. Your primary care provider may also refer you to a mental health professional to aid in your treatment.

There are two mental health professionals whom those with anxiety are often referred to: psychologists and psychiatrists.

Psychologists can provide an expert anxiety diagnosis and offer psychotherapy as a treatment. However, psychologists cannot prescribe anxiety medication in most states, so they often work with a primary care physician to provide you with medication.

The other mental health professional is a psychiatrist, who can prescribe anxiety medication since they are medical doctors specializing in mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders. In addition to prescribing medication, psychiatrists can also offer therapy to aid in your treatment.

Can a PCP Prescribe Anxiety Meds?

A primary care provider (PCP) can prescribe anti-anxiety medication; it is not required to visit a psychiatrist to receive a prescription for anxiety medications.

Can I Get Anxiety Medications Online?

You can receive a prescription for anxiety medication online, but there are limitations on what medicines doctors can prescribe through virtual visits.

The primary limitation is that online doctors cannot prescribe anxiety medications categorized as controlled substances, including benzodiazepines such as Xanax. A physical meeting and examination are required to receive a prescription for these medications.

However, online doctors can prescribe antidepressants, which are typically the first medication prescribed for those with anxiety and are often very effective.

How to Get Anxiety Medication Without Seeing a Doctor?

For those interested in receiving anti-anxiety medication without a doctor, online doctors like those within the DrHouse app can prescribe all anti-anxiety medications not categorized as control substances.

For many individuals, these medications are all that is needed to regain control over their anxiety symptoms. In addition, these medications are often preferred since those designated as controlled substances typically have unwanted and undesirable side effects.

When to See a Doctor About Anxiety?

It is vital to see a doctor if you are experiencing feelings of anxiety that won’t go away or are starting to interfere with your daily life.

In addition, you should see a doctor about your anxiety if it is a harm to your physical well-being. Some people with an anxiety disorder experience anxious symptoms that manifest as physical problems, including digestive issues, sleeping problems, and unexplained muscle aches. If you think your anxiety is negatively affecting your physical health, visit a doctor to prevent these symptoms from worsening.

It is also recommended to visit a doctor if you have anxiety symptoms that persist for six months, specifically if you experience anxious symptoms that are present more days than not over that time.

It’s never too early to discuss anxiety with your doctor, and you don’t have to wait until your anxiety symptoms worsen to seek help. In fact, the sooner you discuss your anxiety with your doctor, the sooner you can feel better.

Get Help From an Online Doctor

For those who believe they are suffering from anxiety, an online doctor is a convenient way to meet with a doctor and discuss treatment options. Online healthcare apps such as DrHouse allow you to meet with a doctor in as little as 15 minutes.

Through the virtual interface, you can explain your concerns regarding anxiety symptoms and discuss treatment options. Any doctor you meet with on DrHouse can also write prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications (as long as they do not qualify as controlled substances).

Key Takeaways

Anxiety is a common feeling to experience occasionally, but some individuals suffer from anxiety disorders that leave them experiencing anxiety more often than they do not. For these individuals, it is important to seek medical help to get their anxiety under control through treatments such as medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes.

When discussing anxiety with a doctor, it is crucial to be as clear, direct, and descriptive as possible so they know what you are experiencing and what your end goal is. For those looking for anxiety medication, you can speak to a primary care physician or psychiatrist for a prescription.

Online services are another excellent resource to discuss anxiety symptoms and receive a prescription for some common anti-anxiety medication options that dispel anxiety symptoms without severe side effects.

Sources:

Content on the DrHouse website is written by our medical content team and reviewed by qualified MDs, PhDs, NPs, and PharmDs. We follow strict content creation guidelines to ensure accurate medical information. However, this content is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For more information read our medical disclaimer.

Always consult with your physician or other qualified health providers about medical concerns. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it based on what you read on this website.

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