Anxiety Treatment Online in Ireland — What Works, What to Expect

Recognising anxiety

Anxiety is the body’s normal stress response — but when it is intrusive, persistent, and disabling, it is treatable. Common patterns: generalised anxiety (constant worry), panic disorder (sudden episodes), social anxiety, and health anxiety.

Validated assessment

Tools like the GAD-7 give a numerical score that helps track severity over time. Sleep, work impact, and quality of life are also reviewed.

Treatment options

• Lifestyle — sleep, exercise, caffeine and alcohol reduction
• Self-help — apps and books with structured CBT content
• Talk therapy — CBT is gold-standard; available privately and through some HSE pathways
• Medication — SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram) and SNRIs are the usual first-line; not benzodiazepines

What to expect from an SSRI

Initial side effects (nausea, headache, sleep disturbance) often peak in week 1–2 and settle. Benefit usually emerges over 4–6 weeks. We start low, review at 2 and 6 weeks, and continue successful treatment for at least 6–12 months.

Crisis support

FAQs