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Can A Primary Care Physician Prescribe Anxiety Medication

Mental Health Clinics Treatment Programs Or Hospitals

Why can’t my primary care physician prescribe pain medication

To find a mental health facility or program, use the Mental Health Treatment Facility Locator from the US Department of Health and Human Services. This locator includes public, private and Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. Choose Select Services to specify treatment approach, insurance accepted, preferred language, age groups served and more.

Free and Reduced Cost Clinics: Use this directory to search over 300 free and reduced cost clinics across North Carolina by location, hours of operation, insurance accepted and type of service provided. Choose Behavioral Health from the Services menu.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

Youve probably thought of a million questions you want to ask your doctor. But when youre in the office, theyre easy to forget. Writing them down will help both you and your doctor, and save time. Its a good idea to put the most important questions at the top of the list in case there isnt time for all of them. Here are some questions you may want to ask. Add any others you think are important for your doctor to know.

  • Do I have an anxiety disorder?
  • Is there something else that might be causing my symptoms?
  • What treatment do you recommend?
  • Should I see a psychiatrist or a psychologist?
  • Is there a medication that I can take? Does it have side effects? What can I do to prevent or relieve the side effects?
  • Is there a generic medication I can take? How long will I need to take it?
  • When will I feel better?
  • What else can I do to relieve my symptoms?

The list of questions you make will help you be prepared to answer your doctors questions. Here are some questions your doctor will probably ask you:

Special Benzodiazepine Risk Factors

Anyone who takes benzodiazepines can experience unpleasant or dangerous side effects. But certain individuals are at a higher risk:

People over 65. Older adults are more sensitive to the sedating effects of benzodiazepines. Even small doses can cause confusion, amnesia, loss of balance, and cognitive impairment that looks like dementia. Benzodiazepine use in the elderly is associated with an increased risk of falls, broken hips and legs, and car accidents. Long-term benzodiazepine use also increases the risk of Alzheimers disease and dementia.

People with a history of substance abuse. Because theyre physically addicting and on their own and dangerous when combined with alcohol and other drugs, anyone with a current or former substance abuse problem should use benzodiazepines only with extreme caution.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women. Benzodiazepine use during pregnancy can lead to dependence in the developing baby, with withdrawal following birth. Benzodiazepines are also excreted in breast milk. Therefore, pregnant women need to have a thorough discussion about the risks and benefits of these medications with their prescribing doctor. If medication is necessary, the goal is the smallest effective dose.

The connection between benzodiazepines and accidents

Also Check: What Is The Treatment For Anxiety

Get Anxiety And Depression Medication Online

If you are struggling with anxiety and/or depression, dont go at it alone. You can get anxiety and depression treatment online, right from the comfort of your own home.

Speak with a world-class PlushCare doctor, and discuss your medication and treatment options. Our doctors are highly trained at treating mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. In fact, many of our patients come to PlushCare exclusively for mental health treatment.

Online doctors are convenient and affordable. You can also easily get your prescription refilled online when you run out of medication.

Book now to speak with a doctor as soon as today.

How To Ask Your Doctor For Anti

Can my primary care physician prescribe me antidepressants?

So you think you might benefit from anti-anxiety medications. How do you initiate the conversation?

Its normal to worry about this exchange with your doctor. Many people worry about advocating properly for themselves when asking for medication.

Asking your doctor about anti-anxiety medication is a simple process, though they may have questions about your symptoms and elements of your lifestyle that may need addressing.

They may, for instance, ask about other medications youre taking or your daily caffeine intake, as those things may affect your anxiety.

Before starting you on medication, they may have you make other changes to avoid putting you on a medication that isnt necessary.

If youre drinking six lattes a day, cutting back on the excess caffeinated beverages may solve some of your problems.

This is a good time to ask your own questions and get an expectation for how your treatment may work.

A doctor will be able to explain different medication options and make recommendations based on your particular symptoms.

Theyll also be able to explain how long you can expect medications to take to start working, and how to take them properly.

They will also explain the effects of medications for anxiety, including what may happen as a result of long-term use, and resulting withdrawal symptoms if you discontinue use.

Read Also: Why Am I Getting Anxiety

How Can You Request Records From A Doctor Thats Retiring

Understand costs. HIPAA states you must be granted access to your medical record. Though you own your medical records, some doctors may charge reasonable fees for copying them and getting them to you. This definition varies by state. Your state health department can provide information on maximum allowable costs. Caplan says previous providers will often turn the records over to a new provider free of charge.

Sign a release and transfer. Once you decide how you want your records sent to the physician, the process is straightforward, Dr. Grumet says. Youll usually sign a release indicating youd like your records transferred. Check in with your doctors office for more information.

Types Of Anxiety Disorders

There are several types of anxiety disorders including:

  • General anxiety disorder people who suffer from general anxiety disorder feel excessive worry without reason.
  • Obsessive-compulsive obsessive-compulsive disorders are characterized by an irrational obsession to do something such as keep the house clean.
  • Panic disorder if you have frequent panic attacks, characterized by extreme fear that strikes for no reason, you could have a panic disorder.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after a traumatic event such as a horrible car accident.
  • Social phobia also called social anxiety disorder, is when you obsessively worry about what people think about you or how to manage social situations.

Recommended Reading: Can Anxiety Cause Fast Heart Rate

What Is The Wait Time

Wait times are typically minimal, especially when compared to conventional therapists. Most online doctors offer on-demand care or same-day appointments, although wait times for psychiatrists might be longer due to high demand. For your convenience, we included services that offer easy scheduling and short wait times.

Ii Defining Misprescribing Amidst Incomplete Data And An Inaccurate Conceptual Framework

Learn About The Signs and Dangers of Benzodiazepine (Anxiety Medication) Withdrawal!

When physicians act and prescribe with integrity they enhance trust in the profession and allow for social disclosures and interactions that improve care. In the context of opioid prescribing, courts have recognized that integrity may be challenged by uncertainty about which decisions most decrease suffering and promote well-being, especially when there is considerable pressure to act out of self-protection. Nonetheless, hysicians are responsible for providing the time, skill, and knowledge required for careful prescribing.

The label misprescribing should refer to a set of prescribing behaviors that demonstrably depart from the standard of care, such as issuing prescriptions without appropriate medical purposes or in inappropriate dosages or quantities given the characteristics of the patient to whom they are prescribed. Unfortunately, misprescribing is sometimes distorted and misused to describe an unfortunate outcome, such as when a patient who intends to sell his or her prescription successfully fools a physician or when a patient has an unexpected adverse reaction. The term misprescribing should be clear and should not include a physician who might follow standards of care and nevertheless write a prescription that does not serve a patient well for any number of reasons, such as an unknown allergic reactions, gene-drug interactions, or misinformation provided by a patient.

Read Also: What Anxiety Medication Is Safe With Suboxone

How Severe Are Your Mental Health Symptoms Or Issues

If your mental health symptoms are mild, it’s easier to get all of your needs met by your primary care doctor. Mild to moderate depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health issues that Americans face, and many primary care doctors are already treating them.

Most PCPs are at least somewhat familiar with these conditions and the medications for them. Many patients never need or want more than the antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication their PCP prescribes for them.

However, if your symptoms are complex or severe, you’re more likely to need a psychiatrist. If you’re experiencing any of the following, you need a higher level of care than your PCP can offer:

  • Dissociative episodes.

You also probably need to go to a psychiatrist or other mental health specialist if you are experiencing any combination of symptoms that is making it hard for you to function normally in your daily life. You may need emergency care or you may simply need a psychiatrist who can adjust your medications until your symptoms are under control.

People with severe mental health conditions often have to try more than one medication, have their dosage adjusted several times, or take multiple medications for their symptoms to be fully addressed. A psychiatrist has the expertise to make these adjustments and to address any side effects your medications may cause.

Risk Factors For Anxiety Disorders

Factors that can increase a persons risk for developing an anxiety disorder include:

  • Experiencing a traumatic event such as the death of a parent
  • Functioning under extreme stress
  • Having other mental health conditions
  • Experimenting with drugs or alcohol
  • Having a family history of an anxiety disorder

Also Check: Can Anxiety Cause Sharp Chest Pain

How Does Therapy Help With Anxiety

Therapy can help with anxiety in multiple ways, depending on whats triggering the clients anxiety and what the root causes are. The licensed therapists at Thriveworks in Hoffman Estates, IL tailor their treatment plans toward unique individuals and their specific issues. But therapy helps people with anxiety every day through the following approaches:

  • CBT and DBT
  • Exposure therapy, especially for specific phobias of objects or situations
  • Strength-based approaches
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy
  • Mindfulness
  • Relaxation techniques like deep breathing
  • Trauma-informed therapy
  • Substance abuse and addiction counseling
  • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy
  • Lifestyle modifications
  • Meditation
  • Family therapy or couples counseling

Different types of therapy can tackle different types of anxiety at the source. For example, a therapist might guide someone with panic disorder through mindfulness techniques so they can better manage their panic attacks. Or a therapist might recommend that someone with social anxiety begin to experience social events in small doses through exposure therapy. Other types of anxiety disorder include the following:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Selective mutism

Can Therapy Treat Depression

Leave prescribing to doctors and nurse practitioners

Yes, therapy is an effective treatment approach for depression. Many people with depression choose to try therapy instead of medication or do both at the same time for a faster recovery.

PlushCare is now offering online therapy in California so you can get emotional support from a licensed professional. Our trusted therapists are highly trained to treat many mental health conditions including depression and anxiety.

Youll meet with your therapist once a week to receive on-going care and support as you work through your treatment.

Many therapy patients report improved mood, raised energy levels and reduced stress soon after starting therapy.

Don’t Miss: What Is A Good Natural Supplement For Anxiety

Your Primary Care Provider Can Help Treat Your Mental Health Too

When you think of receiving mental health services, you might think this means an appointment with a counselor, clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. But did you know that primary care providers, such as family doctors and internists, can play an important role in providing mental health services too?

They can and they do: Family physicians are one of the primary sources for mental health care in the United States, says the American Academy of Family Physicians .

Primary care physicians are the primary managers of psychiatric disorders in one-third of their patients, the AAFP reports. And two-thirds of patients with depression receive treatment for their depression in the primary care setting, the AAFP says.

Adults made an annual average of 30 million mental health-related physician office visits between 2012 and 2014, according to data published in 2018 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While psychiatrists provided care for 55 percent of these visits, primary care physicians provided care for 32 percent.

So you dont have to wait for an appointment with a psychiatrist if you feel the need for mental health care services. You can bring up any concerns about your mental or emotional health with your primary care provider.

This has become even more important in the COVID-19 pandemic era, as many lives have been upended due to working from home, remote classes, joblessness, grief and isolation.

See A Mental Health Professional

If your doctor diagnoses you with depression, you may then be referred to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will further evaluate your mood and determine whether or not medication is needed.

Some people will do fine being treated by their primary care physician. Others may benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, especially if symptoms are not improving with the first trial of an antidepressant or the depression is severe from the start.

Research suggests that the combination of medication and therapy is most effective for treating depression. If you would benefit from psychotherapy, your psychiatrist may handle this as well, although some elect to refer patients to another mental health professional, like a psychologist.

Read Also: How Do Anxiety Attacks Happen

Primary Care Physician Vs Psychiatrist

Tessa Chatham Registered Nurse

Tessa Chatham Registered Nurse

Tessa is a MSN prepared Registered Nurse with 10 years of critical care experience in healthcare. When not practicing clinical nursing, she enjoys academic writing and is passionate about helping those affected by medical aliments live healthy lives.

Ken Cosby M.D.

Ken Cosby M.D.

Dr. Ken Cosby received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and completed his research post-doc work at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health including the National Heart Lung Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute.

What Is The Best Medication For Panic And Anxiety

Rise in Anxiety Symptoms and How it Affects Your Health

Anxiety disorders are often treated with a combination of therapy, exercise, a healthy diet, and anti-anxiety medications.

These medications can include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , antidepressants, benzodiazepines , and other medications known to combat the symptoms of anxiety.

Anxiety medications arent right for everybody. Treatment with medication will depend on the cause of your anxiety and your physical health.

Its important to speak with your doctor about your medical history so you can decide with your doctor which anxiety medication is right for you, if any at all.

Anxiety medication is not a cure for anxiety, rather it is a method of symptom management.

With that in mind, lets go over some of the best prescription anti-anxiety medications.

Recommended Reading: What Are Some Anxiety Pills

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