Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, when severe anxiety disorder becomes an illness, it can trigger physical symptoms as well as emotional ones. This can include a feeling of agitation, muscle tension, and stomach problems.
A psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist will employ screening tools to determine if you suffer from an anxiety disorder. They will also inquire about your medical history and run tests to rule out other medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms.
1. Headaches
The majority of people experience anxiety from time to some point. But it’s not the same as being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, which is when the symptoms are more frequent or do not go away. Anxiety can also interfere with your everyday life or cause you to avoid social situations.1
Headaches are a common physical symptom that is associated with anxiety. They can range from your normal tension headache2 up to a full-blown migraine in some people. This is due to the fact that many people tighten their muscles as part of the fight-or-flight response, and holding those muscles rigidly for long periods of time can cause pain.3
Another physical symptom of anxiety is lightheadedness or dizziness. This could be due to rapid heart rate, hyperventilating or an amalgamation of both. It could be a sign you are suffering from a serious medical condition like heart disease. Talk to your doctor to determine.
You may also feel weak, especially in your legs or arms. This can be a sign of stress. This is because your nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline which help you react to a threat by speeding up your heartbeat and preparing your entire body for an attack. Over time, however, those hormones can have the opposite impact on your health and can make you feel shaky or weak. You may also feel dizzy, weak, or weak.
You may experience worse symptoms if your stressed and are having trouble sleeping. Try to take a break before bed and stick to an established routine so that you can rest better. Exercise can also be beneficial. Exercise can also help. Talk to your doctor If you’re still having trouble sleeping.
2. Stomach problems
The body tightens up when you are anxious, and if you have chronic anxiety it can cause constant discomfort. Your muscles might ache and your stomach may feel off or you can develop diarrhea. Your gastrointestinal system can also be affected by the constant release of stress hormones and this can lead to constipation, bloating or irritable bowel syndrome.
It is possible to experience stomach problems when you suffer from any separation anxiety disorder treatments disorder, but people who suffer from panic disorders are more likely to experience them. Panic attacks are sudden feelings of terror or impending doom that occur in specific situations or for no reason according to the American Psychiatric Association. You might feel as if you’re experiencing a heart attack or that you are unable to breathe. You may also experience chest pains or a rapid pulse.
Long-term anxiety may increase your chances of developing other health problems. The hormones that trigger anxiety symptoms can help us respond to a danger, but if we’re constantly alert, our immune system can be affected. This can make you more susceptible to the common cold, and other diseases.
Your doctor can anxiety disorders go away diagnose anxiety disorders by conducting a an examination of your body and asking you about your symptoms. They can rule out any other reasons, such as heart disease or thyroid problems prior to determining you have anxiety. A mental health professional will also be able to provide assistance and assist in managing your symptoms. They can assist you in learning relaxation techniques and help you work through any underlying traumas or negative experiences which might have contributed to best general Anxiety Disorder Medication. They can also help you identify a treatment plan that is right for you. Ask your doctor to refer you, or look online for directories that feature an anxiety specialist.
3. Muscle tension
Many people are aware that a racing pulse and jittery hand are signs of anxiety. However, they don’t know that chronic muscle tension can be a sign of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and even specific fears. If someone suffers from these symptoms frequently, they may begin to lose their range of motion and suffer from persistent pain in the back, neck and shoulders.
Tense muscles are a typical symptom of anxiety disorder because the body’s fight-or flight response triggers a cascade of bodily reactions that trigger us to physically react to perceived threats. A moderate level of anxiety triggers these responses as part of our natural survival instinct, but they can cause long-term problems with muscles when they are frequent or over a long period of time.
When a real threat occurs, your adrenal glands churn out hormones that increase the speed at which your heart beats so that it can pump more blood to the large muscles in your arms and legs in case you have to flee or fight threat. These increased heart rates also increase the speed at which your lungs fill with oxygen. The combination of stress and hyperventilation can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.
When you have an anxiety disorder,, your body can’t return to its normal state of rest between stress responses. You are constantly anxious throughout the day because of the anxiety disorder, and you keep your sympathetic nervous system in high alert. This leads to the continuous tensing of your muscles and can eventually cause long-term pain, according to the American Psychological Association. It can also affect the digestive system, causing stomachaches, constipation, diarrhea or irritable-bowel syndrome.
4. Dizziness
You might feel dizzy or out of balance if you are anxious. The reason for this has to be due to the nervous system’s response to anxiety. Your body tenses up whenever you think about something that worries or scares you, and then relaxes once the threat passes. If you are experiencing these symptoms often and you feel your anxiety is chronic it could be that you suffer from an anxiety disorder.
It can be difficult to fall asleep or concentrate when you are constantly stressed. It also affects your body, and could cause you to gain weight, as per the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety can also have an influence on your menstrual cycles. It’s because it could cause you to skip or experience irregular menstrual cycles due to the inability to release hormones that induce ovulation, according to the American Psychological Association.
You may be more prone to anxiety if you suffer from high blood pressure or heart issues. It’s important to control these medical conditions to reduce your risk. Tell your therapist if you are suffering from any of the following conditions.
Other things that can increase your risk for anxiety are traumatic events like being in a car accident or having surgery. A recurring medical condition like asthma or an ongoing health issue, such as diabetes, can also create anxiety. There are treatments for anxiety disorders. Talk therapy or psychotherapy such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can aid. CBT teaches you how to transform negative thoughts and behaviors that cause anxiety to positive ones. You can also learn to practice relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing. You can also take supplements to help calm your mind and body.
5. Sweating
Anxiety is a term that encompasses an array of emotions that can cause your heart to beat and your stomach to ache and your muscles to become tight. Sometimes, these symptoms aren’t enough to cause anxiety disorder, but when they’re ongoing they can get out of hand. You might also experience sweating, chills and other physical symptoms that cause you to seek medical care.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health sweating is a typical physical sign of anxiety disorders. When your body’s fight or flight response kicks in, it increases the rate of blood circulation to prepare you for fight or escape. The increased heart rate can cause you to feel dizzy and out of breath. Breathing faster than normal–also known as hyperventilation–can enhance many of these physical symptoms by upsetting the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body, according to U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Dyspnea is the feeling of not breathing. It’s an indication that your anxiety has become too intense to manage.
Your healthcare provider will determine if there is an anxiety disorder by looking at your symptoms and how they impact your daily life. They’ll begin by asking about your experiences in the past and current concerns. They may also conduct tests to look for other health issues that could be causing them, like imaging scans and blood tests. In some instances, they might recommend medications to ease your symptoms, such as strong antiperspirants containing aluminium, nerve-blocking drugs, or botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections around the sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive therapy and relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation.
