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Hi there,

I think that it is worth seeing a doctor or other professional about this. Even though you don't feel this way 24/7, a doctor can still identify what may be causing you to get this anxiety and diagnose you if needed. They can develop a treatment plan with you and give you ways to cope with the anxiety in better ways so you can manage it better. In other words, they can give you ways to get back on track and deal with the anxiety better so it's not a burden. So, it's really worth it!

I think it's okay if you start out with a doctor, but they may recommend seeing a therapist or other mental health professional. They may be able to refer you to someone like a therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist that they think is best for you given your symptoms. Or, if you want, you can start out with a regular therapist or psychiatrist who will be able to do more long-term sessions with you. You can probably find therapists by doing a Google search, looking through your phone book, or giving your doctor a call. I never saw a general physician for what was going on, though, so I won't go over the process of speaking to a regular doctor, first. The first people I saw were Licensed Clinical Social Workers at a counseling center for children. Now I'm seeing someone in my school's clinic who is also an LCSW. But I think it would be okay if you started out with a therapist or other mental health professional.

Every professional has different tactics that they use to help patients. They will probably start out by giving an "intake" sort of session, where you speak to them about what brings you to them. Maybe you can start out by telling them that you have a lot of anxiety, and you can also copy down examples that you gave here, like getting panic attacks (if you want, you can explain what they feel like) during social situations and worrying a lot about school. They may also want to ask you a bit about your family history or childhood, to get to know you a bit. They will need to know a bit about what's going on in order to help you to the best of their ability, and I bet when you explain what is going on, they will be able to ask you questions to guide you in the right direction. But, it doesn't have to be all question and answer. Sometimes they will give you little activities to do, like little art projects showing how you are feeling. They may also give you different ways to control your anxiety, such as meditation or breathing exercises, or different grounding techniques. If one thing doesn't work for you, definitely tell them that! They can try something else. If they think it is necessary, they will discuss the possibility of medication with you.

They certainly won't judge you if you start crying, though. Crying is a good, healthy thing. I know that the LCSW I see now actually even told me that crying is a beautiful thing on a day when I started tearing up almost as soon as I sat down. It shouldn't be pent up inside, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. You're under a lot of pressure right now, I doubt they'll expect you to sit there without any emotion.

So all in all, definitely see someone about this. If you start with a doctor I'm sure they can refer you to the right place, but you can also look into the possibility of counseling centers. You have a lot of courage for wanting to speak to someone about this and I hope all goes well!

-Dez