Are You Responsible For An Anxiety Disorder Physical Symptoms Budget? 12 Tips On How To Spend Your Money
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
Everyone experiences anxiety at times, but when anxiety becomes a condition it can cause physical as well as emotional symptoms. They can be characterized by a feeling anxiety, muscle tension and stomach issues.
A psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist utilizes screening tools to determine whether you suffer from anxiety disorder. They will also ask about your medical history, and conduct tests to rule out other health conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
1. Headaches
The majority of people experience anxiety from time to some point. But that's different from having an anxiety disorder, that is, when the feelings are more frequent or don't go away. Anxiety can also interfere with your everyday life or cause you to avoid social situations.1
One of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety is headaches. They can range from a tension headache2 to a full-blown, migraine in some people. This is because a lot of people tense their bodies as part of their fight-or-flight response and holding their muscles for prolonged periods of time can lead to pain.3
Another symptom of anxiety is lightheadedness or dizziness. This could be due to a fast heart rate, hyperventilating, or an amalgamation of both. generalized anxiety disorder symptoms could also be an indication of a serious medical condition like heart disease, so it's crucial to have your heart checked out by your physician.
You might also feel weak, particularly in your arms or legs. This could be a sign of anxiety. This is because the nervous system releases adrenaline and cortisol which aid in responding to threats by increasing your heart rate and preparing your body for a possible attack. In time these hormones can have a negative impact on your health, making you feel weak, shaky or dizzy.
If you have trouble getting enough sleep because of anxiety, it could make your symptoms worse. Try to relax before bed and follow an established routine to get more rest. Exercise can also be helpful. Aerobic exercise can release brain chemicals that cut stress and boost your mood, and it can aid in falling asleep more easily. Talk to your doctor If you're still struggling to sleep.
2. Stomach issues
Anxiety can cause the body to tighten up, and chronic anxiety can cause pain that persists for a long time. Your muscles may ache and your stomach may be irritable, or you may get diarrhea. Stress hormones can also impact the digestive system, leading to constipation or irritablebowel syndrome.
You can experience stomach issues in any anxiety disorder, but people who suffer from panic disorders are more likely to experience these issues. Panic attacks are sudden, intense feelings of fear or dread that occur in specific situations or without explanation according to the American Psychiatric Association. You might feel as if you're experiencing an attack on your heart or you're not breathing, and you may experience chest pain and a rapid heartbeat.
Long-term anxiety can increase your risk of other health issues as well. The hormones that cause anxiety symptoms help us to respond to threats and if we're on high alert, our immune system can be affected. This can make you more susceptible to contracting the common cold and other illnesses.
Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders through a an examination of your body and asking you about your symptoms. Before diagnosing anxiety, they'll determine if there are other causes such as thyroid or heart problems. A mental health professional will be able to provide support and help manage your symptoms. They can help you learn techniques for relaxation and work through any underlying traumas or negative experiences which could have triggered anxiety. They can also help you determine the best treatment option that is suitable for you. Ask your doctor to refer you, or look up directories online for an anxiety specialist.
3. Muscle tension
Many people are aware that a racing pulse and a jittery hand are indicators of anxiety. However, they do not know that chronic muscle tension could be a sign of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder panic disorder, and specific fears. If a person suffers from these symptoms frequently they could begin to lose their range of motion and experience chronic pain in their back, neck, and shoulders.
Tense muscles are a common sign of anxiety disorders because the body's fight-or-flight response triggers a chain of reactions that result in us physically reacting to perceived threats. Moderate anxiety levels elicit these responses as part of our natural survival instinct however, they can cause long-term muscle issues when they happen frequently or over a long period of time.
If a serious threat is present your adrenal glands pump out hormones that speed up how fast your heart beats, so that it can pump more blood to the large muscles in your arms and legs in case you need to escape or fight the threat. The increased heart rates also increase the speed at which your lungs fill up with oxygen. The combination of stress and hyperventilation can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.
When you have an anxiety disorder, however your body isn't able to return to its normal state of relaxation between stress-related responses. You feel stressed all the time because of the anxiety disorder, and you keep your sympathetic nervous system on high alert. This leads to the chronic tension of your muscles, which could eventually result in chronic 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 be shaky or unbalanced when you are stressed. The reason is to be due to the nervous system's response to anxiety. The body gets tense when you think about something that scares or worries you, and then it relaxes when the threat is gone. If you are experiencing these symptoms often and you feel your anxiety is persistent it could be that you suffer from an anxiety disorder.
If you're constantly stressed frequently, it can be hard to focus or sleep enough. It also wreaks havoc on your body and may cause you to gain weight, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety also has a major influence on the menstrual cycle. This is because it can cause you to miss or experience irregular menstrual cycles due to the inability to release hormones that induce ovulation, according to the American Psychological Association.
You can be more susceptible to anxiety if you suffer from high blood pressure or heart issues. It is important to manage these medical conditions to decrease your risk. Tell your therapist if you have any of these conditions.
Other factors that increase your risk of anxiety are traumatic events, such as being in a car accident or having surgery. A recurring medical condition like asthma or chronic health issues like diabetes can cause anxiety. The good news is that there are solutions which can alleviate anxiety disorders. Talk therapy or psychotherapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be helpful. CBT teaches you how to change negative behavior patterns and thoughts that cause anxiety into positive ones. You can also learn relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation. You can also take supplements to help calm your mind and body.
5. Sweating
Anxiety is a term that encompasses a wide range of feelings that can cause your heart rate to rise and your stomach to ache and your muscles to tighten. Oftentimes, these feelings aren't enough to cause anxiety disorder--but when they're chronic they can become out of control. You might also experience sweating, chills and other physical symptoms that prompt you to seek medical treatment.
Sweating is a typical physical sign of anxiety disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. When your body's "fight-or-flight" response kicks in it boosts the speed of blood circulation to prepare you for combat. This boost in 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 a feeling that you are unable to breathe. This could be a sign that your anxiety has grown too severe to handle.
Your doctor will test you for an anxiety disorder based on your reported symptoms and how they impact your daily routine. They'll start by asking you about your past experiences and your current concerns. They may also conduct tests to identify other health issues that may be causing them, such as bloodwork and imaging scans. In some cases they may suggest medications to ease your symptoms, such as powerful antiperspirants made of aluminium, nerve blocker medications or botulinum toxins type A (Botox) injections in the sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy and relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.