Don’t Worry About a New Anxiety Test at the Doctor’s Office
Why you may be screened for anxiety disorders at your next appointment
The next time you go for a checkup, don’t be surprised if you get some unusual questions that leave you with questions of your own. Somebody weighs you, checks your blood pressure, and asks if you are worried.
Worried? About what?
A new routine anxiety disorder screening is an example of a health service you may get that leaves you wondering who came up with this and why.
There is a new recommendation out for providers to screen most adults under 65 for anxiety disorders. It’s a screening, not a diagnosis. We all have anxiety now and then. This screening is intended to help identify disorders where anxiety causes serious challenges to normal functioning in life.
How did this get added to the stack of forms you were handed when you walked in the door?
Did your provider come up with this?
Your provider makes decisions about what to include on your visit based on their knowledge, experience, and continuing education.
According to research cited in the recommendation, 40.4% of women and 26.4% of men experience some kind of anxiety…
