How anxiety effects the body?
The word “anxiety” has been taken from “Greek†which means “to constrictâ€, grab the sensation of tightness physically. We are living in the age of uncertainty, quick life and technology which leads us to anxiety, fear and depression. To get rid of these feelings people start taking drugs, alcohol etc. In scientific language anxiety is known as “fight/flight†response. Many times anxiety is normal and a part of human living but if it is more than the normal level it affects our daily activities and then it becomes a disorder. Normal anxiety is a protective response. Anxiety affects the body both physically and mentally.
Effects of anxiety on nervous system
Whenever the body perceives some danger our brain give signals to the nerves of autonomic nervous system that consists of two parts i.e. sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The first one gives out the energy for “primed†action of body. Anxiety sometimes immediately shifts the attention to the environment and surroundings because of which a person cannot think about the daily routine and work. The other one helps the body to come back in normal state. Severe anxiety can cause depression, disturbance in relationships, tension and the person may remain in the constant state of worry.
Effects of anxiety on cardiovascular system
Adrenaline is released into the blood which compells the sympathetic nervous system to heighten the rate of heart beat which further increases the flow of blood and the transportation of oxygen to the different parts of body. The increased rate of blood flow strengthens the muscles of biceps and thighs for the quick action. And if the heart rate decreases you may feel alarming but there is not much to worry about because your heart won’t stop beating.
Effects of anxiety on chest
When the body experiences anxiety it heightens the breathing rate and the action of body quickens. This can even cause choking, breathlessness, pain in the chest, gastric problem etc. when the breathing rate increases and body performs no quick action then the supply of blood to the brain decreases which cause dizziness, confusion, blurred vision etc.
Throat lump and difficulty to swallow
This symptom is known as globus hystericus. In this case throat muscle contract because of anxiety. It makes you feel that you are not able to swallow food properly. It will not cause any harm to you and with the anxiety it will also go.
Effects on sweat glands
Because of anxiety body sweats more making the skin slippery so that it cannot be grabbed easily and also cools the body as it gets heated.
Skin
As the flow of blood is more in the muscles it decreases in the fine blood vessels which cause a slight change in the color of your skin from pinkish to white. When your body comes to normal state the skin regains its color.
Effects on respiratory system
During anxiety the rate of blood flow is increased in the muscles whereas blood is needed in the digestive system so as to absorb nutrients from the food. When required amount of blood does not reach to the digestive system then the rate of digestion is slowed down causing diarrhea, heartburn, constipation, indigestion etc.
Dryness in mouth and sore eyes
Because most of the body fluids and blood is sent to the muscles for quick action so your mouth feels dry during anxiety. The best way to get rid of it is to drink water or take some sweets so that your mouth gets lubricated. The dryness will pass away with the anxiety and causes no harm. Anxiety also decreases the lubrication of eyes which make them feel sore and dry.
Insomnia
Sometimes anxiety causes sleeplessness or excess of sleep which is called insomnia. Anxiety and stress also causes bad dreams which may disturb us but have no direct affect on the body.
Depression and suicidal attempt
Severe anxiety may lead to depression and compels the person even to commit suicide.
Effects on endocrine system
The work of this system is to release hormones for the different parts of the body. Its work is only to secrete hormones but cannot control the amount of hormones to be released. This work is done by brain. During anxiety the signals from the brain get distracted and effects slightly on the secretion of these hormones. When the body comes back to normal state the secretion also returns to its normal rate.
Effects on behavior
Anxiety makes the body to act quickly like: – to talk, move or respond in a quick manner. Many times you behave in confused and irrational way. This may also make you to do things which you usually avoid. If no action is performed then the body responses in shivering, tension, stress, guilty, foot tapping, improper speaking etc. These things help the body to give away the feeling of anxiety.
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i think i suffer from anxiety im not sure, my symptoms are all the same i was wondering if it ever goes away for good because its driving me to think im going mad and my surroundings seem unreal is this common because its scares me.
Hi Denise,
I just started suffering from anxiety a couple months ago. It was really foreign to me, and I didn’t undestand it. It really frightened me. After a couple of weeks I went to see my doctor and was prescribed some anti-anxiety medication. This really helped soothe my physical symptoms. I also think anxiety is an invitation to look at the things we are frightened of and the things that are out of our control. It can be an inviation to live more freely, once we recognize what our limits really are. I hope that you are able to understand and handle your anxiety.
Hello Denise,
I hope that by now you have recieved help for the symptoms you mentioned before. I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t worried about something. Anxiety has been a way of life for me, and the amazing part of it is that I am only just understanding that it is not all of who I am. I have blindly gone about my life without really doing much about it. Then, my husband of 13 years died in the latter part of Marchof ‘09, and I feel devastated because I have a young daughter to raise now. I can no longer hide from the world. My shield (husband) has been plucked from me. I had become quite comfortable with my avoidance of the anxiety issues i continually shoved nicely under the carpet. Of course, it is much more complicated than that. With anxiety come self-doubt, actually I am not sure which comes first. I don’t believe it matters at this point.
I am planning on seeing my doctor to discuss what meds may be beneficial for me. I think I will consider homeopathic meds first though. Anyway, I sincerely wish you are doing better.
Ria
I am suffering anxiety since last 3 months
Now i am able to sort out how to re-cop myself. First of all find the cause of anxiety what is the fear what are the thoughts which are teasing you. These thoughts are not in your conscious mind but in subconscious mind. Take them in your conscious mind from subconscious and accept them as they are. Don’t try to avoid these thoughts just accept them as they are.
i am only 13 and for as long as i can remember i have had anxiety. :( and im still trying to cope with it.
I lost my job in April and have been unemployed since then. I had a lot of stress at work before but somehow I managed to deal with it. Now that I’m not working, I have too much time for my mind to focus on all the negative things around me. I don’t think that my life is all that bad, but that’s just what seems to stick in my head. My anxiety comes and goes in waves – along with increased heart rate and palpitations and trouble getting to sleep. Since this started, I feel like no one around me takes the way I feel as seriously as I do. I feel so weak because I can’t control my own thoughts. The only relief I get is when I have something to do that takes my concentration or the occasional anti-depressant. I don’t want to keep taking them because that seems like just a bandaid. STRESS SUCKS!!! Tom Petty said it very bluntly – ” you don’t know how it feels…to be me.” I hope everyone finds that one thing that makes a difference. good luck!
this article explains alot of the symptoms i am curious about. ive had some hard sicknesses with the flu, thoat infection, and a cold. my stomach is i guess “damaged” and is getting more acid than normal, therefore i am on an anti acid. this will take a few weeks the doctor said. not really going into this concern too much i became worried and questioned the doctor. (not to his face haha) i kindof then searched for something to explain why i get feelings of grossness at moments. i get like some common effects on my body like headaches which i make into possible life threatening illnesses just by worrying. and with the stomach acid i am nautious at times and have been having anxiety attacks usually when i am out doing something. i have no reason to believe it is something seriously wrong with me because of multiple doctor visits and 2 blood tests quite recently and all signs told me i am ok, but i do hate it alot and worry. so anxiety does effect “sick people” i guess is what im trying to say
Hi im 17 years old i suffer from anxiety. What i feel is pain in my chest everyday. My heart beats soo fast and so much that it hurts. Sometimes i’ll lay in bed for up to five hours just shaking and feel very afaird. I know that this anxiety is all in my mind, but it seems that no matter what i do or try in think. I just can’t seem to turn it off. I went to the doctor for this but all they had gave me was tips on how to ease the anxiety. Not much help at all. Sometimes i feel as if im losing my mind. Sometimes i do ask myself that have i gone crazy? I know im not. I just wish there was some kind of help. Because coping with it is not very fun. All i want is a break from this. Cause im 17 i shouldn’t feel like im dieing everyday:( Well its idk if this is wrong to say but i kinda feel lil better to know that im not the only one who stuggles with anxiety, because it is very real and needs to be taken seriouly…
Its pretty insaine, it sounds much like me, every thing down to a T. iv been going threw this for quite some time now, and its effecting my relationship severly.iam very confuised during an argument, my mind gose blank and i get everything mixed up and my heart constanly hurts. its effecting my sex life as well,its as if i suddenly turn shy and dont know what to do or some thing. with the dream issue, i have very desturbing nightmares hadnt had a good dream in a very long time. all i do is worry, mostly about my relationship present and future of it. Im becoming worried now that hes not going to want me any more beacuse of this problem. the stress and worry is getting out of hand i cant controll it. i really need some help
hello i am 16 years old and i am suffering from anxiety. my whole body feels heavy, my stomach is tight, im not taking deep breaths, i have a lump in my throat, its difficult to swallow things, i feel
nerves tingling everywhere in my body, i have extreme fatigue, my chest feels heavy, i hardly have an appetite and i get naesous sometimes and sometimes i have insomnia. Im going to start thearpy next week i really hope it helps me
i guess you can tell i cant sleep and when i take valium i cant get out of bed its a bugger iim constantly battling this overwhelming feeling of butterflys which makes me tingle down the arns and chest i smoke and i think that dosent help any suggestions from you guys about another type of antianxiety tablet i could take, as for you 17 year olds suffering anxiety hang in there my lovellys youve got your hole life ahead and trust me ive been coping this condition since your age and im now 52 . i love you all for being honest and able to speak up as i find you often feel lonely or no one understands and just thinks your a pain in the bum bye take care .id love to hear someones response if you dont mind
Hi, I have had anxiety on and off most of mt life, I am now 56yrs old, nearly 57yrs old. My youngest daughter suffers it too, and she tried to commit suicide at 11yrs because of it. Struggling on ones own is common as we all feel we are odd at times for the things we feel anxious about. My family, eg. other sibblings, mother and father all poo poo it, but now that I let the secret out when I feel like I do, it’s easier, and also my daughter and husband share how they feel a times, the 3 of us have become very close these days. My youngest daughter collapsed with severe ME 11yrs ago and has not walked yet again since, my husband suffers ME too but manages to continue working. like depression, anixety is a hidden illness, and it is real, we need to seek the help we need without shame if we are to manage to conquor it. We live in an ever unstable changing world, where the goal post of security keeps on moving, no wonder so many of us suffer with it. Admitting how we feel is real is the first step to seeking the help we need if we’re to learn to overcome aniety. We all suffer this state from time to time in our lives. Keep your chins up folks, and realise you are not alone.
I have been struggling with anxiety for some time now. Most recently it seems to be at its worst when im working. I am an Assistant Manager at the Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets which is a very busy mall. Being the person I am I want to try and help every person I can and deliver the perfect sale. I know in reality it is impossible for one person or even three or four to help all of say 40 people. But still the drive is there. The store I work in is always a mess and for myself I am a very neat person..this drives me nuts…..While at work almost as soon as I walk in the door. I can feel my body tense up, my vision glasses over a bit and I even feel dizzy. Its horrible and scary and depressing and discouraging….and honestly makes me feel that this high volume atmosphere just isnt for me. It has been making me feel like I want to quit retail immediately. But all in all I march on… and all of us here march on… because its what we have to do…. there are ways to cope and relieve these feelings and I personally have been educating myself. Ive researched online breathing and relaxation excersises. Ive even been doing yoga. Anxiety is a horrible feeling and it does make me focus on just the feelings I get. And unfortunately I spend 40 to 45 hours a week at this mall. And as we all know feeling like this makes us extremely tired so it is definitely a large part of my life. But I know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and life is great that it is just another bump in the road… a bump that needs attention but just another bump and I can and will overcome. We all can and will.
I am actively looking for a new job.. I do feel that this high volume retail enviornment is not for me as a person. But I will still continue to work on my anxiety because its is all about being happy and having a good quality of life
Hi I am 20 years old, I have had anxiety for the past few years, it has gotten worse just recently. My heart started hurting, I couldn’t breathe as good, I have diziness. A few weeks ago I had some chest pains, and I stood up to go use the bathroom and I felt really dizzy, I freaked out and went to the ER immediately. They did some x-rays and they said everything was fine. I just feel scared for my life every single day, and it’s terrible, anxiety sucks, it runs in my family. This article was really helpful and reassured me that I am going to be fine, but it is still hard to get it out of my head. Hopefully someday it will go away when I’m not so stressed.
i have anxiety for more than 300 years now sex is slow but times are hard but if you have a chance drink more energy drinks to make you feel more relax and this will cure anyones anxiety at leat one gallon of red bull a day will make you feel relax and with no anxiety