Maybe your mind runs ahead of you all day, rehearsing conversations, bracing for bad news, checking and rechecking. Your shoulders stay tight, sleep comes late, and even good days carry a low hum of tension. People tell you to just relax. If it were that simple, you would have done it already.
Common experiences
- Worry that’s hard to switch off, even when things are going fine
- Feeling keyed up, restless, or on edge
- Tight muscles, headaches, or an unsettled stomach
- Trouble falling asleep because your mind won’t slow down
- Snapping at people more than you’d like
- Putting off calls, plans, or tasks because they feel like too much
- Replaying conversations long after they’re over
- Feeling worn out early in the day from being on alert
Anxiety is an alarm system working overtime.
Anxiety starts with something useful: a built-in alarm that helps you notice danger and get ready for it. For some people, that alarm becomes oversensitive and goes off for everyday things, like an email, a bill, or a quiet moment before bed. Genetics, ongoing stress, poor sleep, health conditions, and life events can all turn up its volume.
None of that is a flaw in your character, and it isn’t something you can push through by trying harder. It’s a pattern in how your brain and body respond to stress, and patterns can change with the right support.
Your first visit: understanding your anxiety
Your first appointment is a 60-minute psychiatric evaluation. We use that time to understand what you’re dealing with before any decisions are made.
What the evaluation covers
- Your symptoms: when the worry started, what sets it off, and how it shapes your days
- Your medical and psychiatric history, including physical conditions that can mimic anxiety
- Medications you’ve tried before, and how they worked for you
- Sleep, caffeine and alcohol, and how you’re managing at home and at work
- Your personal context: relationships, stressors, and what you want to feel different
Your treatment plan may include
- Medication management when clinically appropriate, with a clear explanation of options, benefits, and side effects
- Education about anxiety and what tends to help
- Regular follow-ups to see how you’re doing and adjust
- Referral to therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, when it would help
Medication is one tool, used with a clear purpose. The goal is steadier days and a quieter mind, not changing who you are.
How care works at Mode Psychiatry
Good psychiatric care takes time, teamwork, and honest explanations. Here is what that looks like for you.
Time to tell the whole story
Your first visit is a full 60 minutes, so we understand your history and what matters to you before recommending anything.
Decisions made together
You set the pace. We talk through the options, and nothing changes in your plan without your input.
Clear answers in plain language
You’ll know what your diagnosis means, why a treatment is suggested, and what to watch for. Ask anything, at any visit.
Care from home, anywhere in Florida.
Every visit happens by secure video, so getting care fits into your life instead of taking it over.
- Secure, HIPAA-compliant video visits from your phone or computer
- Available anywhere in Florida; you just need to be in the state during each visit
- No commute, no waiting room, no time off just to travel
- Consistent 30-minute follow-ups with a provider who knows your history
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a diagnosis before I book?
No. Many people come in knowing only that worry is taking up too much of their life. Working out what’s behind it is part of the evaluation.
Will I have to take medication?
No. Medication is one option, not a requirement. If it could help, we’ll go through the choices, benefits, and side effects together, and you’ll have a say in every decision. Some people start medication, some focus on therapy first, and some do both.
Can anxiety affect my sleep and my body, too?
Very often. Racing thoughts at bedtime, tense muscles, headaches, and stomach trouble are all common with anxiety. We look at the whole picture, and if sleep is a big part of it, sleep becomes part of the plan.
What happens at the first appointment?
It’s a 60-minute video visit. We’ll go over your symptoms, medical and psychiatric history, past medications, sleep, and daily life, and talk about what you’d like to be different. Medication may come up, but no decision is forced or rushed. You’ll leave with clear next steps and a follow-up date.
Do you take insurance?
Yes. We’re in network with Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare through Headway, and self-pay is available ($250 for the 60-minute evaluation, $125 for 30-minute follow-ups). We’ll verify your coverage before your first visit, so you know what to expect.
Is care available in Russian?
Yes. The entire process, from the first evaluation to follow-up visits, can be done in Russian, in English, or switching between the two.
You don’t have to keep managing this alone.
Getting help for anxiety doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’d like your days to feel lighter. Booking takes a few minutes, and we’ll take it from there.
Written by Nick Dolin, PMHNP-BC. This page is general information, not medical advice.