Its NOT all in your Head: Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety is much more than just a feeling. As the body’s fight or flight response gets activated, it starts a complex chain of reactions in your body that can trigger a wide range of physical symptoms. An important part of anxiety treatment is to learn about your body’s response to anxiety. Here are some common physical symptoms of anxiety:
• Pounding heart: Pounding or rapid heart beat is a pretty common symptom of anxiety. A lot pf people mistake it for a heart attack and rush to the ER.
• Sweating: Sweaty palms or upper body perspiration
• Stomach upset or dizziness: Some report a queasy stomach accompanied by nausea or dizziness
• Frequent urination or diarrhea: Upset stomach or irritable bowel syndrome or an irritated bladder can be traced back to anxiety symptoms
• Shortness of breath: This is usually accompanied by a pounding or rapid heart beat. Shortness of breath can also result in visits to the doctor’s office or the ER.
• Tremors and twitches: Tenseness of muscles can cause tremors and twitches
• Muscle tension: Shoulder or backache are common symptoms of muscle tension as a result of anxiety. A warm bath or a massage can provide short-term relief.
• Headaches
• Fatigue: Anxiety can be overwhelming and fighting chronic anxiety takes a lot of energy and many people experience a significant loss of energy
• Insomnia: Anxiety can refuse to let our minds shut off our thoughts. We play out fearful thoughts and worse case scenarios in our heads during the quiet hours of the night, unable to sleep and get much needed sleep.
Each of these symptoms are uncomfortable at the least and overwhelming at worst. Moreover, when you experience any one of the symptoms over a prolonged period of time, it can trigger other symptoms. Here is an example: Muscle tension that causes shoulder and backache will make it harder to sleep which will in turn cause fatigue. Pushing through fatigue and being functional and productive during the day gets harder and harder and will result in more anxiety and often depressed mood.
Identifying the source of the physical symptoms as anxiety rather than a physical ailment is the most important step toward resolving the problem. The good news is that Anxiety is very treatable and no one should have to live with it. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is very effective in anxiety treatment and helping you learn tools and strategies that you can use.
About Rochna: Rochna Hazra is trained in Marriage and Family Therapy at Virginia Tech. She includes the emotional, psychological, spiritual and family aspects of a person in her work. Originally from India, she combines the Eastern traditions of mindfulness, non-judgment and a holistic approach to healing with the Western approach of realism and solution-focused action.
Rochna uses Cognitive-Behaviorial techniques to help you overcome anxiety.
Rochna is also a Certified Advanced Relapse Prevention Specialist and trained in Sex Addiction and Mindfulness-based Therapy and Relapse Prevention.
Click here to learn more about Anxiety Treatment and my practice in Leesburg, Virginia
