Hey Guys,
I have just wrote an article that I wanted to share with you!
Best,
Jon
Physical Symptoms Explained
People think of anxiety as a deep, complex, mental condition. It all starts in the mind, by the feeling of strong emotions, such as fear, anger and frustration. When you experience anxiety or panic your bodyīs nervous system goes into fight or flight mode, and some immediate physiological changes occur.
We start experiencing physical symptoms and then we become afraid of how we feel, which keeps us feeling anxious. If you could remove how we feel, if we could remove the fear, then we wouldnīt be anxous any longer. And to remove the fear we must change how we think about the symptoms. And this starts by seeing that they are not dangerous things that we should fear, but harmless physiological reactions.
When we do so then we see that anxiety is not some deep, complex condition, but you being bluffed by the symptoms and feelings that you are experiencing.
Removing The Fear
We become frightened of what is happening to our bodies, and fear the worst, such as some medical condition like a heart problem. However, when you understand the role of adrenaline and tension in your sensitized nervous system then the fear and doubts are taken away. We can take comfort in the fact that our bodies are only reacting to the anxious way we are thinking and there is nothing wrong with us apart from worrying too much.
Itīs always recommended to get checked out by a doctor to get peace of mind. But if you have been assured that your physical symptoms are due to anxiety then you can be sure that it is adrenaline and tension causing them.
There is a simple physiological reason why you experience these symptoms. Your body is simply responding to how you feel. So there is no health condition, there is nothing wrong with you. You can have peace of mind that these symptoms are not just felt by you but by other anxiety sufferers also. Adrenaline, and tension, together with a sensitized nervous system, which are fuelled by your anxious mind are the cause.
Your heart can palpitate, your stomach can churn, you can sweat, shake and tremble but you will never come to any harm. Apart from muscles aches and you worrying to yourself, adrenaline and tension can never, and will never hurt you. So if you have physical symptoms from anxiety then thereīs no need to worry about them! They are simply physiological responses to thinking anxiously, which is causing adrenaline to be released, which in turn is causing tension and organs and glands to over-react. Itīs a totally natural physiological response.
And because your nervous system is tired from all the worrying you are doing it exaggeratedly records your emotions bringing on the symptoms more easily. So it takes less strong emotions to cause the adrenaline to be released.
You need to know why you get the symptoms. So then when you experience them you know what is happening to you. However I must say that I am not a doctor so I cannot diagnose you 100% accurately. Hot, shaky hands for example can be caused by excessive adrenaline being released into them, but they can also be due to a condition called hyperthyroidism.
But from reading the causes of your symptoms you can begin to see them in their true light and stop being scared of them. After all is the adrenaline rushing through your body really such a bad thing. Some people even enjoy it. It gives them a thrill. People who enjoy rollercoasters for example, they love the feeling of adrenaline going through their bodies. The only difference is that they are experiencing excitement, whereas, you are experiencing fear. But the symptoms are the same.
After reading about the symptoms you will un-mask them. Then next time you are entering a difficult situation and your heart palpitates and you feel tense or shaky, you know it is because of adrenaline being released because you are thinking anxiously. So you can take comfort in this and calm down.
You will realize that by worrying about it you are releasing more adrenaline and adding to the symptoms. And that by instead facing, accepting, floating and letting time pass you are dealing with yourself the right way, and allowing the symptoms to subside, as the flow of adrenaline will be reduced.
But donīt just take my word for it. These physiological reactions are scientific fact. It was Dr Claire Weekes, who was twice nominated for the nobel prize for her work into the anxiety state, was awarded an OBE by the Queen of England and had her own programme on the BBC, who first highlighted all this.
Anyway please read about the symptoms and give yourself the peace of mind that you deserve!
Heart palpitations
This is where your heart may feel like it is pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly. It is caused by a surge of adrenaline into the blood stream which is released by you feeling nervous, anxious, or even excited. Also you may experience some soreness or pain in the heart region. Donīt worry this is due to tension from adrenaline being released into muscles in the area.
Sensitization of the nervous system exaggerrates the heart beat. If itīs been checked by the doctor and nothing was found to be wrong then have faith that it is just caused by adrenaline!
Your heart can tolerate up to 200 beats a minute for days without any bad effect. Yet in panic attacks the highest it gets to is around 160. The heart is a very powerful organ so have peace of mind that it can cope with the extra work. However, it is made worse by caffeine, alcohol, recreational drugs and a lack of sleep.
Donīt try to control it, or make it better, instead just practise accepting it! Take deep breaths, exhale slowly and sag your body. The palpitations will improve in their own time!
Nausea
Adrenaline thatīs released into the stomach muscles causes nausea or stomach churning. On each side of spine run main invuluntary nerves or lines and out of them are feeder lines. A feeder line runs into each muscle in your stomach and nerve terminals supply adrenline into each muscle. Adrenline causes muscles to tense, it relaxes, and then more adrenaline is released, then the process repeats.
If you have a lot of adrenaline its like a running tap, so muscles stay tensed. Then they start to ache. Worrying keeps the symptoms alive, its coming from your mind. Changing your mood makes symptom go away. In other words donīt worry about it and stop fighting against it.
Hot Trembling Hands
This is because of the over-sensitization of adrenaline-resleasing nerves. The blood carries adrenaline to the hand muscles causing them to shake. Also the blood vessels dilate causing more blood to flow into the area causing your hands to feel hot.
Tingling, Burning, Numbness
This is caused by hyperventilating, which causes too much oxygen to enter the blood stream causing it to become too alkaline. When there isnīt enough carbon dioxide the body restricts blood flow to the extremities which results in these sensations.
Tension Headaches
This is caused by the tightening of the muscles in the upper back, neck and head. The cause of this are your emotions. Feeling fear, anger and stress excite your nervous system to release adrenaline into the area.
Also due to tensing scalp muscles and adrenaline being released into muscles in area you may get a darting pain, this is due to constant tension making the muscles fatigued.
This is totally harmless. Let the tension happen it will subside in itīs own time. You being agitated makes it worse. Adrenaline is simply a chemical in your body. Donīt see it as anything more than this!
Panic Spasms
This is when fear seems to sweep in sudden, involuntary movements over your body, from your stomach to your arms, legs and even face. Its very unsettling to experience as you can feel the fear come over your body.
Sudden releases of adrenaline cause your muscles to jolt. Also the adrenaline together with the tension you add causes the muscles to become tired. This is due to a sudden release of adrenaline and nothing more. It really is nothing than a chemical in your body. So why worry about it!
Dehydration can also make the spasms worse, so keep well hydrated!
Slowly Beating Heart
The involuntary nervous system is what responds to our moods. It is made up of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. Normally they keep each other in check. But when under stress the sympathetic nerves react stronger casuing more adrenaline to be released. However at times the parasympathetic nerves react stronger and the sympathetic nerves are oppresses. This causes the slow heart beats.
This is called a vasovagal attack and is nothing to be concerned about. Take deep breaths and let the moment pass in itīs own time!
Missed Heart Beats
This is when your heart seems to suddenly break its rhythm. This happens when the heart is over-stimulated by adrenaline and causes your heart to temporarily alter itīs beat. It can also happen from excessive caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. The medical name for this is arrhythmia. It can also include random pounding of the heart and a speeding up of beating.
Trembling Turns
These are when you suddenly feel weak, your muscles such as leg muscles seem to lose their strength. The name for this is hypoglycamic attacks, and they are due to your sugar levels in your blood being too low. To counteract this eat every two to three hours to keep your blood sugar levels up.
Jelly-Legs
This is caused by the release of adrenaline into the muscles of your legs causing them to go weak. Your legs will still get you to wherever you want to go. Stop fighting against it and let your legs feel heavy, let your body sag and float forward slowly.
Chest Tension/Difficulty In Taking Deep Breaths
Adrenaline being released into the chest muscles can cause the muscles to tighten and become tense. This can make it difficult to take a deep breath. You may further tense against this yourself which makes it worse. You will still be able to get enough air into each breath so donīt worry about it. Try to deal with yourself and take deep breaths and slowly exhale, and let go of trying to control it so much.
Feeling Of A Lump In The Throat
This is due to tension in the throat muscle, called the globus hystericus, which may cause the muscles to spasm. It is harmless to experience. Once the flow of adrenaline is reduced it will subside. However tense it may be you will still be able to swallow and breath. So donīt fear it!
Sweat Glands
A sensitized nervous system easily overactivates sweat glands. The more sensitized the more it overactivates them. The medical term for this is Hyperhidrosis. Donīt be alarmed by your sweating. Just let it happen. As you recover these symptoms will fall away in intensity and return to normal levels.
Blurred Vision
The pressure you feel behind your eyes is because of fatigue of eye muscles. The muscles behind your eyes become tired and this affects the focusing mechanism. You may even get flashing before eyes, bolts of lightening, or lose color, these are all due to fatigue of the eye muscles.
Blurred vision may be due to the eyes becoming too focused on one point, and as a result the outside blurs. In addition, panic attacks often cause hyperventilation, and that can cause your vision to blur along with lightheadedness.
A Weak Bladder
The nervous system controls the functioning of your bladder. When under stress adrenaline gives the feeling of urgency. So you may feel the need to urinate frequently. It is simply a result of overactive nerves controlling the bladder. So donīt worry about it!
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Adrenaline directly affects the network of nerves found within the bowel, known as the enteric nervous system. Feeling anxious results in stimulation along the pathways down to the gut so it is less likely to have normal control. And as your nervous system is sensitized this pathway loses itīs control more readily meaning you may need frequent trips to the toilet.
Blushing
The reason you get this is because of your nervous system. It controls the blood vessels supplying blood to face and neck. In the summer or when you are in hot weather the vessels tighten, and in weather the vessels open. It is simply a warming mechanism to regulate the temperature of your body.
Strong emotional reactions cause a lack of control of blood vessels meaning the vessels open too easily and facial flushing occurs. Just let it happen. Be indifferent to it. If you blush you blush. Does it really matter?
Tension, Aches, And Shooting Pains
As mentioned above when in an anxious state the bodyīs fight-or-flight response is activated. Adrenaline is released throughout the body via the blood stream. This prepares your body for action. The muscles become tense. However no action is taken, so the adrenaline stays in the muscles and isnīt used up, like it would be if you were to run.
Also you may tense against the tension you feel, in a vain attempt to counteract it, or get rid of it. This further excites the release of adrenaline causing further tension. This constant tension means your muscles become tired, and then they ache and even shooting pains may occur. There is nothing wrong with your body, it is simply adrenaline acting on your muscles.
Light Headedness
Breathing fast, shallow breaths, also called hyperventilating, causes you to inhale too much oxygen. If too much oxygen is in the blood stream, then it become too alkaline, causing tingles and light headedness. Breathing into a paper bag helps combat this as you inhale less oxygen making the blood less alkaline.
Also adrenaline in arms and legs can cause blood vessels to expand, and they take in extra blood. But the extra blood comes from the top of your body such as your head, causing you to become light headed.
By being aware of this you can see how by adding more fear you are making it worse. So instead let it happen, stop fighting and then your body will naturally return to normal.
Not Being Bluffed Again
Now that you know the real reason behind these symptoms you cannot be fooled by them in the same way again. They may catch you off-guard and when you experience these symptoms youīre mind races. And you get carried away with your thoughts of the moment.
But instead try to learn how to deal with yourself. Say to yourself ĻMy body is releasing adrenaline. There is nothing wrong with me. I am going to let it happen and not fight agaisnt it. It will subside in itīs own time.Ļ
Because this is the truth. By not fighting or tensing against it, and not letting your mind get carried away the adrenaline will start to subside, the tension will lessen and the palpitations or whatever symptoms you are experiencing will fall away.
This takes practise of course. You may have been reacting with fear for so long that it has become a deeply engrained habit to fight and be anxious. But as you practise coping with it the right way you see it as a bluff. And you take back control.
Taking Back Your Power
Usually sufferers rely on medication or some other aids to help them when they feel the symptoms but you can rely on yourself, You can see the symptoms for what they really are. You get your power and your confidence back. You can understand that it is fear, adrenaline, tension and sensitization that is causing your symptoms and how by fighting against them and worrying you are releasing more adrenaline and causing them to become worse.
Practise facing the symptoms, tell yourself itīs because of adrenaline. Practise taking deep breaths, exhaling slowly, letting go of tension by sagging, and then letting time pass for the adrenaline to calm down in itīs own time. And then you will see that you can be in control.
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