Why DOES anxiety cause dizziness?

[Suziewuzie]

I don't mean when I'm having a panic attack, I just mean when I'm walking around a supermarket or even pottering around at home - why do I feel dizzy?? I get that I have anxiety, I just don't understand how it can make me feel like I'm going to fall over so much?! Just curious I suppose as I like to understand everything 😊

[Catherine S]

It's more than likely connected to your breathing, which is different when we're anxious when we tend to overbreathe which upsets the balance between oxygen and carbon monoxide and can produce the dizziness.

ISB x

[Beckie4567]

Omg I can totally relate to this I woke up a week ago with a panic attack and the day after had dizzyness 24 /7 for about a week.the more I focussed on it the worse it was.i began to relax and not think about it and I'm alot better.still not 100% but alot better hang in there it will get better x

[MyNameIsTerry]

There are plenty of possibilities including you recently starting a SSRI as these tend to have those as common side effects. And you have been having insomnia too, so this can knock you about a bit.

Other things to consider can be dehydration, dips in blood sugar or BP, etc the kind of things you will known more about than any of us being you are a nurse. Think about how certain health conditions cause the body to burn through nutrients at a quicker rate and how that affects patients. Anxiety has that affect too with the body being in fight or flight far too often for far too long. Even muscle stiffness in the neck area could contribute.

There is also the issue of neurotransmitters. The brain keeps these in balance and it does a very good job. Despite how low Serotonin can be observed in some people with anxiety/depression disorders, the brain is still keeping it at efficient enough levels to prevent detrimental impacts to the brain. But you have other ones too which impact on these disorders such as Glutamate, the largest neurotransmitter, an excitory one. Too much of this and your thoughts are racing and then in steps it's inhibitory opposite, GABA, to balance out that effect. So, perhaps due to these ebbs & flows we experience side effects while the brain is balancing?

Diazepam works in the GABA system. Diazepam makes you drowsy, dizzy, etc. So, I wonder what part the brain's response is playing in trying to balance out and how that translates into physical sensations.

[Suziewuzie]

I definitely don't feel like it's to do with my breathing, it happens when I'm super chilled out watching TV and stuff, feels like someone has tipped the room on its side.
It happened all the time before I started on any anxiety meds too. I do have low blood pressure & suffer with migraines so maybe that's a lot to do with it.
Just been having a lovely day catching up with my boxset & suddenly just felt so dizzy, it's really scary :(

[MyNameIsTerry]

Could it be an inner ear issue?

There is some useful information in here about Debs & pulisa that might be worth a look? The OP has been suffering a lot of dizziness but just so you are aware, the thread is titled as a brain tumour worry. It has useful information in a certain types of vertigo and ways to correct it. With you saying 'everything is tipped on it's side' I'm wondering whether something like this may be a consideration. Plus these are all active members.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=178684

[AlexandriaUK]

I call them head zaps, one minute sitting quite next it feels like iv been tipped or going to feint but don't, then after I get a woozy head till iv slept, had eyes checked etc just one of those horrid things not even anxiety LOL

[Mike_NY]

My vision will be fine, then i'll be walking to work and i'll start thinking about anxiety related stuff then everything seems to kind of shake each time I put a foot down when i'm walking. I've become so sensitive to anything stress or anxiety related the past few months. When I am having a panic attack, I feel like everything is spinning and I feel dizzy and off balance and i'm afraid to try to walk around the office in case I fall over.

[FamilyMan]

I definitely don't feel like it's to do with my breathing, it happens when I'm super chilled out watching TV and stuff, feels like someone has tipped the room on its side.
It happened all the time before I started on any anxiety meds too. I do have low blood pressure & suffer with migraines so maybe that's a lot to do with it.
Just been having a lovely day catching up with my boxset & suddenly just felt so dizzy, it's really scary :(

This is exactly what I get. I always feel like I'm tipping to the right. Its only happened a handful of times, annoyingly twice while trying to ride my bike. It coincides with times at which I'm most stressed/anxious. Not sure of the physiology of it, but its certainly scary at the time.

[scottishxlass]

its down to titinus i think!