How to Talk to Your Doctor About Stress & Anxiety

May 1, 2025

We all feel stress and anxiety from time to time; it’s a part of the human experience [1]. But, when your stress and anxiety start to take a toll on your mental wellbeing and prevent you from feeling content in your everyday life, it’s smart to speak with a professional about it. Therapists and psychiatrists are trained to tackle mental health issues like these, but your primary care doctor can also be a great resource to speak to about your concerns. They can address your feelings in relation to your health history, and can help diagnose a potential condition, make treatment recommendations, and provide advice on dealing with stress and anxiety [2]. They can also direct you toward a mental health practitioner who would work well with your needs. Although you may be hesitant to bring up your mental health at your next primary care appointment, keeping this a secret is never the right path. Sharing your struggles and asking for help is a sign of strength and taking control over your health.

Prepare for Your Doctor’s Appointment

If you’ve been experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety in your day-to-day life, your mind likely feels overwhelmed. Maybe it’s full of racing thoughts that never seem to halt. Or, perhaps you’re so overwhelmed by your emotions that your head feels cloudy and numb. Whatever you are feeling, know that talking about it is the first step in getting the help you deserve. Prepare for your doctor’s appointment by writing down your feelings as they arise, instead of depending on your memory at the actual appointment.

Stress and anxiety can fluctuate [3], and you may be feeling great the day of your appointment. Because of your calm mood, you may simply forget about all the hard times you’ve been having lately and push this matter under the rug. By preparing ahead of time and writing down how you feel when you are anxious and what triggers your stress, you have something concrete to reference during your appointment.

Think about when your anxiety and stress arise most often—is it in the morning, right when you wake up? Is it at night while you lie in bed? Or, is it throughout the work day? Additionally, note some of the sensations that come with these feelings. Do you experience a fast heart rate, sweaty palms, or shortness of breath [4]? Or, maybe you feel dizzy, unable to concentrate, or panicked [5]? These can all be symptoms of mental health conditions that your doctor should be made aware of.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Anxiety

Before you speak with your doctor about your anxiety and stress levels, write down a list of questions that may help you gain the clarity you need. Remember, your doctor is trained to help you understand your feelings and address your concerns. Never hesitate to share your thoughts and questions, and don’t worry about asking too much. There’s no such thing as too many questions at the doctor’s office! Some ideas for questions include:

“Is it possible I have an anxiety disorder? What type of anxiety disorder could this be?”
“What are the possible causes of what I’m feeling?”
“What are my treatment options?”
“Are there any lifestyle changes that might help?”
“Should I see a specialist, like someone who focuses on mental illness?”
“What are the potential side effects of any medications you might recommend?”
“How often will we check in on how I’m feeling?”

Your doctor’s responses will help you gain insight into your potential condition and will likely help you feel more comfortable navigating it moving forward. They may be able to recommend specialists you should speak to or guide you through some lifestyle adjustments that may help alleviate your anxiety.

Stay Connected With Your Doctor

It’s important to find a doctor with whom you feel comfortable talking about vulnerable topics, like mental health. Your primary care physician is a great starting point, especially if this issue is new to you and you already feel fairly comfortable with them. However, you should also feel inclined to ask for referrals to mental health specialists who can provide more in-depth care and expertise on your condition of concern. Your primary care doctor will likely be able to help you recognize whether your feelings indicate an anxiety disorder and introduce some lifestyle habits or medications that may help, which may feel like enough for you. But, many individuals may require more extensive care, especially if your condition is more severe [6]. A mental health practitioner specializing in anxiety can provide many more resources and a deeper understanding of the condition.

Whether you are seeing your primary care physician or a mental health specialist to care for your mental health, one thing is key for success: communication. Ongoing communication, follow-up appointments, and honesty are important parts of managing your conditions effectively. This will help you get the most out of your appointments.

Understanding Diagnosis and Treatment Options

The diagnosis and treatment journey may feel daunting at first, but it’s a necessary path for caring for your mental health. Fortunately, your healthcare provider will be there for you every step of the way. In this section, we’ll outline the common process of diagnosing and treating anxiety.

The journey to diagnosis typically starts with a conversation between you and your primary care physician about how you’ve been feeling and potentially having your provider administer a questionnaire such as the GAD-7. From there, if they feel like your experiences may indicate an anxiety disorder, your primary care provider can diagnose and treat your anxiety or they may refer you to a mental health specialist [7]. Your first appointment with your mental health specialist is called an intake appointment [8]. In this appointment, the specialist will conduct a psychological evaluation. This may sound scary, but it only involves a more detailed conversation about your symptoms, your family history with mental health conditions, and how much your symptoms are affecting your life [9]. Your specialist will consider your responses and schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss your diagnosis, if any. From there, the two of you will discuss whether you’d like to move forward with therapy, or possibly medication, if they see fit. Remember, psychiatrists mostly deal with prescribing medication (though they may provide some therapy) and therapists mainly provide counseling [10].

Treatment can look different for people. It all depends on the severity of your condition and what helps support you the most. For many, therapy helps work through emotional blocks, finding the root cause of your issues and learning healthy coping mechanisms. There are many types of therapy focusing on different methods of improving your mental health. Some of the most common types of therapy for improving anxiety include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy [11], but there are many other modes of therapy that may be successful.

Your specialist may recommend that you consider taking medication to lessen your symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety disorders can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and medications like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs, can help balance out the hormones contributing to your symptoms [11]. Although many may feel hesitant to take medication for their anxiety, studies found that medication intervention was more successful than psychotherapy alone for treating mental health disorders [12].

Another treatment method your specialist will recommend is changing unhealthy lifestyle choices. Factors like poor diet, lack of exercise, and not getting enough sleep can contribute to mental health issues [13]. Therefore, your specialist can help you create a plan to improve on these lifestyle choices.

No matter what treatment path you end up taking, make sure to consistently communicate with your doctor and specialist about what is and isn’t working.

Struggling with mental health issues like stress and anxiety can be extremely difficult, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Your doctor is there to provide insight, advice, and referrals to help improve your mental health and support you throughout your journey. Preparing ahead of your appointment can help you feel more confident during your conversation with your doctor, and ensure you don’t forget any important points you wish to address. Remember, the end goal is to work with your doctor as a team and find a treatment plan that works best for your needs. Book an appointment with Greater Good Health today if you’re a senior who would like to discuss symptoms of anxiety and stress.

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