Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions that affect the mind and the body. When you experience a panic or anxiety attack, you are experiencing the full psychosomatic manifestation of the anxiety in your mind all throughout your body.
Symptoms of the heart
During a severe anxiety attack or a panic attack, it can feel as though you are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack. Most often, there will not be the left-side symptoms specific to an actual heart problem. If you start experiencing numbness or tingling down your left arm, shoulder, or jaw, contact your doctor. Common symptoms include feeling tightness in the chest. Beyond just feeling chest restriction, it can often feel like the chest is being clamped together or that there is a heavy weight being placed on the chest. Increased heart rate happens due to the adrenaline and cortisol pumping through the blood as a result of the fight or flight system kicking in. Growing anxiety or panic can also result in a pounding heart, feeling heart palpitations, and a high heart rate.
Symptoms of the body
Adrenaline and cortisol are stress hormones which encourage the body to take action in the face of real or perceived threats. Without any action these stimulating hormones can cause feelings of uneasiness like trembling and shaking, as well as discomfort like nausea, dizziness, upset stomach, lightheadedness, or feeling like you are about to faint. Other physical symptoms can include experiencing some numbness, tingling in the limbs, sweating, chills, or even a hot flash like a sudden fever.
Symptoms of the lungs
Anxiety is known to cause people to feel like they can’t breathe. Sensations of not being able to breathe can come from the tightening of the chest sensations, making it feel as though there is no way to take a deep breath. As a result, you feel a shortness of breath which can cause psychological sensations of not getting enough air, feeling smothered by your environment, or experiencing some kind of choking.
Learning to live with an anxiety disorder takes time and recovery. Avalon By The Sea offers a range of treatment programs to help you through your journey of therapeutic recovery for healing mind, body, and spirit from anxiety disorders. For a confidential assessment and more information, call us today: 888-958-7511
