Anxiety Disorders in Women

 

Anxiety Disorders in Women
Image: adaa.org

A privately practicing psychotherapist based in the Boston area, Dr. Robin Ohringer accepts clients of all ages who are living with many different types of emotional challenges. Dr. Robin Ohringer has treated numerous patients with anxiety disorders, which often goes undiagnosed in young adult and adult women.

Anxiety is a normal and healthy emotion that helps people adapt to their surroundings, handle challenges, and perform well on difficult tasks. However, in some individuals, anxiety increases to the level at which it interferes with daily life. The resultant disorder is even more prevalent now than it was in the earlier decades of the 20th century, and women are 200 percent likelier than men to develop symptoms.

Although prevalent among women, anxiety is also chronically under-diagnosed within this demographic. Women often feel that nervousness and worry are a normal state of being, not a symptom of the mental illness that it may be. Statistics show that women live with anxiety for an average of nine to 12 years after symptom onset before receiving a diagnosis, and not all diagnosed women ever receive appropriate treatment.

Anxiety is, however, a treatable disorder. Women may respond to counseling, medication, or a combination of the two, depending on symptoms and physiology. A qualified mental health professional is the first step to an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate treatment plan.