Sudden spells of head pressure

[Ditapage]

When I am already feeling somewhat panicky (you know, that fun rising anxiety feeling when you just want to run away but you just ordered your food at the restaurant - ugh - and the person sitting opposite you has no idea you're not at all focused on what they're talking to you about because you've started feeling detached from the present) I get this intense spell in my head that feels like it's full of pressure and I'm about to lose consciousness. I never do, but it feels like it should progress to something but then I regain composure. It's indescribable.

It happens most often at restaurants in sit down situations. I don't know if it's to do with breathing. It's not often mentioned as a panic symptom so i am obsessed with what it is. It seems to occur when I most cannot run away, which tells me there's an anxiety component to it, but i still worry it's some kind of seizure.

Can anyone relate to sudden head pressure, that causes a doomy feeling of detachment but doesn't progress to a full blown panic attack?

[insideout20]

Hi, I get something similar, its like a chill or something goes through my head but stays there, like intense tingling, I often get times where I feel like I'm just going to lose consciousness for a brief second but this can be at anytime not when this happens

[montys]

Yeah, I actually get something really similar. It's when I feel that I'm feeling especially panicky but not on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. It's a dull, throbbing headache in the front of my head above my left eye.

[PanickyGuy]

Yep. I get pressure at the back of my head mostly and a lightheaded feeling and then sometimes there are these split-second lost of consciousness or spacey type of feeling in my head, like I'm blacking out for a moment or having some kind a damn seizure. Similar to what Insideout just described.

I put it most of it down to tension in the neck and shoulders along with anxiety, but that occasional split-second blackout feeling is a new weird sensation for me recently and I'm wandering by the way it happens, as quickly as it comes and goes, if it's not another psychosomatic symptom or from the tension in the neck\shoulder issue.

[Ditapage]

Thanks for the support everyone. Greatly appreciated.

Insideout: i have had what you've described. I am terrified of suddenly losing consciousness and have had this fear since 2012 after my first panic attack and I think this weird feeling in the head either triggers the fear or the fear triggers the sensation. Probably the latter.


Montys: yes, that's exactly it. It feels like it SHOULD turn into full blown panic but we pull ourselves together and it doesn't lead anywhere. I should probably stop obsessing about it because it doesn't occur when I am not in a panicky state and I'm sure seizures aren't that selective, they will just happen. It must be adrenaline related. All I know is I'm usually already super anxious when they come on.

Panicky guy: I get a weird tension, pressure in the back of my head too. The front head is different beast but it all triggers THE beast, so what's the difference. I think tension in neck and shoulders could be right, that train of thought will at least help me stop thinking seizures and strokes. My GP won't even entertain the idea of seizures. Sigh. The "I'm gonna black out any second now" feeling is horrible. It really makes me feel like I have no control over my body.

Thanks again for the help :)

[insideout20]

it's strange because when this happens to me I seem to yawn constantly even though I feel I get a good sleep do you guys get that 2 ? I hate that feeling it's as though for a few seconds your just going to collapse and that you have no feeling or emotion

I wish we had specialist anxiety doctors at the gp surgery who could help us more with our symptoms

[Ditapage]

Yeah I absolutely get that. Pretty sure one form of panic attack for me is immense tiredness and an overwhelming "gonna pass out"'feeling that feels nothing like that relaxed sleep state before bed or taking naps. I'm not tired.

The yawning is actually the body's way of taking in more oxygen. I used to get this a lot. I'm reading about chronic hyperventilation syndrome and fatigue is a symptom as well as a long list of other panic symptoms. I don't think we breathe properly, I think the anxious state itself changes that. I'm noticing a few rounds of belly breathing can alleviate this weak tired feeling.

[insideout20]

when you get tired do you feel half drunk ? like when you walk and talk etc ?

[PanickyGuy]

it's strange because when this happens to me I seem to yawn constantly even though I feel I get a good sleep do you guys get that 2 ? I hate that feeling it's as though for a few seconds your just going to collapse and that you have no feeling or emotion

I wish we had specialist anxiety doctors at the gp surgery who could help us more with our symptoms

Yeah the yawning thing can be related to the anxiety and panic from what I noticed. I've even caught myself trying to force myself to yawn at times. Even during a panic attack. Lol It's like I'm looking for relief to feel calm or relaxed in some way, like I'm overcompensating. So it seems to be a separate thing from actually feeling tired enough and you yawn as the normal end result.

[Ditapage]

when you get tired do you feel half drunk ? like when you walk and talk etc ?


Yep. I have only been drunk once in my life and I hate the drowsy out of control sensation. But anxiety seems to do the same thing. It seriously feels like I have been shot with a tranquilizer dart! It's so scary. Especially when it comes with chest pressure. Apparently depressed people feel this sensation but it's their normal while we are overly anxious about every body sensation so it's almost unbearable for us.

[insideout20]

Yep. I have only been drunk once in my life and I hate the drowsy out of control sensation. But anxiety seems to do the same thing. It seriously feels like I have been shot with a tranquilizer dart! It's so scary. Especially when it comes with chest pressure. Apparently depressed people feel this sensation but it's their normal while we are overly anxious about every body sensation so it's almost unbearable for us.

i just don't know whats going on, I know if I don't sleep well I get this feeling but now I am sleeping well and I am getting it, I think it must be sleep apnea but I don't know

for the past weeks my eyes have been blurry but when I blink it goes away, I see little flashes of blue and yellow sometimes, I keep typing letters in the wrong order, like ltille instead of little and I feel drowsy and drained

I am worried

[Ditapage]

Does this happen at a particular time of the day?

I think when we are anxious our sleep is not as restful as we think. It's frustrating because we can't control our subconscious thoughts when we are sleep where the anxiety exists. I go through periods of waking up feeling like I didn't sleep at all.

Typing letters in the wrong order is just the sign of a tired mind. Worrying about it would be creating more tension and more fatigue. Are you depressed or feeling bored and unstimulated at your job? I ask because all three things create lethargy but when we are anxious we react to anything that makes us feel "off." where a normal mind not thrashed by anxiety would reason it's just tiredness.

I've had relief from this by going for a walk or a mental vacation (close your eyes and picture somewhere you would want to be) when it hits. Dehydration causes drowsiness too, air quality, even conversation when our brain is so tired. The more tired we feel the more we worry about it and the more tension is created leading to even more fatigue.

Eyesight can also make you tired if you need glasses. Have you seen an optometrist? I get terribly drowsy just being in front of a computer, too.

I've also been looking into Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome as a cause for fatigue.