Medical History for Symptoms of Anxiety
During a medical history for severe
anxiety, excessive fears, and episodes of panic, the
health professional asks questions about your symptoms and other general health
questions.
Questions about your symptoms may include:
- When symptoms first started or you first had an
episode of severe anxiety or panic (panic attack).
- What kinds of
symptoms you have and what makes them worse.
- What happens when you
try to control them.
- How much they interfere with your daily
activities.
- How much you worry about having another episode of
severe anxiety or panic.
Questions about your general state of emotional and physical health
might include:
- The amount of stress and anxiety you have in your
life, including any recent changes in your life (such as marriage, divorce,
having a baby).
- Your use of caffeine, nicotine, and
alcohol.
- Whether you take any medicines, including medicines
prescribed by a health professional and nonprescription
medicines.
- Whether you use illegal drugs, particularly cocaine or
methamphetamines.
- Whether you have ever had episodes of
depression.
- Whether you have any health problems, including
problems with your heart or lungs, thyroid gland, or blood sugar
levels.
- Whether anyone in your family has ever had depression,
severe anxiety, excessive fears (phobias), episodes of panic, or problems with
their heart, lung, thyroid gland, or blood sugar levels.
If the health professional suspects that you have severe anxiety,
excessive fears, or episodes of panic, he or she may ask you more specific
questions about your symptoms, including rating how much you are bothered by
them. The health professional may also ask you to keep a diary of your
symptoms. The diary may include listing what you were doing just before you
experienced symptoms, the thoughts you had, your specific physical symptoms,
and how long the symptoms last.
The health professional may also want to talk with family members and
people close to you about your symptoms.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry |
| Last Revised | July 11, 2011 |