So the reality of our recent election is setting in. No matter how you voted, there is a lot of uncertainty ahead in the next few months. If the trend continues, it feels like anything could happen in the home stretch of 2016. We have seen horrible violence both abroad and domestically, and some of it has been been perpetuated by our own citizens against fellow citizens. I’ve had many friends ask me not-so-jokingly if I’ve had an increase in requests for xanax. They have symptoms of insomnia, crying, displaced anger and intense muscle tension. They tell me they may be in to see me soon as a patient.
- An anxiety state defined by our medical coding is “Apprehension or fear of impending actual or imagined danger, vulnerability, or uncertainty” (ICD 10 code 2016-17 where ICD means International Classification of Diseases). While generalized anxiety disorder is defined as persistent physical symptoms of anxiety for 6 months, an anxiety state may be temporary. If this temporary state is interfering with your ability to live your life you may need some short term medical help. In a couple of weeks I imagine some people will meet the criteria for an adjustment disorder or even depression. Here are two definitions from the ICD codes that qualify a diagnosis of adjustment disorder- they sound pretty relevant right now don’t they?
- A category of psychiatric disorders which are characterized by emotional or behavioral symptoms that develop within 3 months of a stressor and do not persist for more than an additional 6 months after the stressor is no longer present.
- Social, psychological, or emotional difficulties in adapting to a new culture or similar difficulties in adapting to one’s own culture as the result of rapid social or cultural changes.
The bottom line is that if you are concerned about how you’re handling the turmoil of this year, especially with the recent election, please talk to someone about it. We want to help you and throw you a life preserver if needed.