Can a primary care provider treat anxiety and depression? Yes. Primary care is often the first and best place to start. At Urgent Care & Family Medicine in Conway, SC, our family medicine providers screen for anxiety and depression, look for physical causes that can affect mood, discuss treatment options including medicine when appropriate, and help connect you with counseling. Many people with mild to moderate anxiety or depression are successfully treated in primary care. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 right away.
Ready to talk about how you have been feeling? Call our Conway clinic to schedule a private visit.
Why Start With Primary Care?
Many people are not sure where to turn when they feel anxious, down, or overwhelmed. Primary care offers several advantages:
- Your provider can look at your whole health, including sleep, medicines, and other conditions
- It is often easier to get an appointment than with a specialist
- You can talk with someone you already know and trust
- Physical causes of mood symptoms can be checked with lab work
- Your provider can coordinate referrals to counselors or psychiatrists when needed
Talking about mental health is a normal part of medical care. You do not need to wait until things feel unbearable.
What Are the Signs of Depression?
Depression is more than a bad day or a sad week. Common signs that last two weeks or longer include:
- Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless most of the day
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Low energy or feeling slowed down
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Irritability
- Thoughts of death or suicide
What Are the Signs of Anxiety?
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. An anxiety disorder is more likely when worry is hard to control, lasts for months, and gets in the way of daily life. Signs can include:
- Constant or excessive worry
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Muscle tension
- Trouble sleeping
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Panic attacks, with a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, or a sense of doom
- Avoiding places or situations because of fear
Anxiety and depression often happen together, and both are very treatable.
Anxiety or low mood getting in the way? Call 843-347-2121. Our providers are here to listen.
What Happens at a Primary Care Visit for Anxiety or Depression?
Your provider will ask about your symptoms, how long they have lasted, and how they affect your work, relationships, and daily life. You may fill out short questionnaires, such as the PHQ-9 for depression or the GAD-7 for anxiety. These are not tests you pass or fail. They help measure how severe your symptoms are and track progress over time.
Your provider will also ask about sleep, alcohol and substance use, stress, family history, and any thoughts of self-harm. These questions are asked of everyone, and your honest answers help your provider keep you safe and choose the right treatment.
Can Physical Health Problems Affect Mood?
Yes. Several medical conditions can cause or worsen anxiety and depression symptoms, including:
- Thyroid problems. Read more in our post on fatigue and thyroid problems.
- Anemia and some vitamin deficiencies
- Diabetes and blood sugar swings
- Chronic pain
- Sleep apnea
- Side effects of some medicines
- Heavy alcohol use
Your provider may order blood work through our on-site lab to rule out these causes.
How Are Anxiety and Depression Treated?
Therapy
Talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, helps people change unhelpful thought patterns and build coping skills. It works well for both anxiety and depression, and its benefits often last after therapy ends. Your provider can help you find a counselor.
Medicine
Medicines such as SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly used for both anxiety and depression. They usually take four to six weeks to reach their full effect. Your provider will start with a low dose, check in on how you are doing, and adjust as needed. Do not stop these medicines suddenly without talking to your provider first.
Lifestyle Support
Regular physical activity, consistent sleep, time outdoors, limiting alcohol, and staying connected with people you trust all support mental health. These steps are not a replacement for treatment, but they make treatment work better.
When Is It an Emergency?
Get help right away if you or someone you know:
- Is thinking about suicide or self-harm
- Has a plan or means to hurt themselves
- Is hearing or seeing things others do not
- Cannot care for basic needs
Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline any time, day or night, or call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Is My Visit Private?
Yes. Your mental health information is protected by federal privacy laws, and our team treats every patient with respect and discretion. You can share as much or as little as you are comfortable with, though more detail helps your provider help you.
Why Choose Urgent Care & Family Medicine in Conway?
Our clinic at 235 Singleton Ridge Road is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Our family medicine team treats the whole person, and we offer ongoing follow-up so you are not navigating treatment alone. Learn why it helps to have a primary care provider in Conway.
How Can You Prepare for Your Visit?
It can be hard to put feelings into words, especially in a short appointment. A little preparation helps. Before your visit, jot down your main symptoms, when they started, and what makes them better or worse. Note how you have been sleeping and eating, and whether you have had panic attacks. List all medicines and supplements you take, including anything you have tried for sleep or stress. If a family member has had anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition, mention it, since these conditions can run in families. Some people find it helpful to bring a trusted friend or family member for support. Most of all, try to be open. Your provider has heard it all before and is there to help, not to judge.
What If the First Treatment Does Not Work?
Finding the right treatment sometimes takes more than one try. That is normal. If a medicine causes side effects or does not help enough after several weeks, your provider may adjust the dose, switch to a different medicine, or add therapy. Some people do best with a combination of medicine and counseling. Keep your follow-up appointments, and call sooner if you feel worse, notice new side effects, or have any thoughts of harming yourself. If your symptoms are severe or complex, your provider can refer you to a psychiatrist for specialized care while still supporting your overall health.
How Can Family and Friends Help?
If someone you love is struggling, listen without trying to fix everything, encourage them to talk with a provider, and offer practical help like a ride to an appointment. Take any mention of suicide seriously, and call or text 988 for guidance on how to help.
Can Stress Show Up as Physical Symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety and depression often show up in the body as well as the mind. Headaches, stomach upset, muscle tension, chest tightness, fatigue, and changes in appetite are all common. Sometimes people visit a provider for these physical symptoms without realizing that stress or mood may be part of the picture. Your provider will make sure nothing else is going on, and then help you address both the physical and emotional sides of how you feel.
Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whatever you are going through, you do not have to handle it alone.
Take the first step toward feeling like yourself again. Call our Conway clinic or request an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a family medicine provider prescribe anxiety or depression medicine?
Yes. Primary care providers commonly prescribe and manage medicines for anxiety and depression and adjust them over time.
How long does depression medicine take to work?
Many antidepressants take about four to six weeks to reach their full effect. Some people notice improvements in sleep or energy sooner.
Do I need a referral to see a counselor?
It depends on your insurance and the counselor. Your provider can help you find options and make a referral if needed.
What should I do in a mental health crisis?
Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Will my provider check for physical causes?
Yes. Your provider may order lab work to check for thyroid problems, anemia, and other conditions that can affect mood.