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Relief for anxiety chest pain


Anxiety Chest Pain: Signs, Symptoms & How to Treat

If you’re one of the 40 million Americans who live with an anxiety disorder, chances are you’ve experienced not just mental and emotional symptoms, but physical symptoms—especially if you have experienced a panic or anxiety attack. The physical symptoms of anxiety can be painful, annoying, and sometimes even scary.

One symptom that can be particularly worrisome is pain in and around the chest—a feeling some anxiety sufferers experience regularly, often during anxiety or panic attacks.

Because the chest is home to important organs like the lungs and heart, it’s understandable that feelings of discomfort in this area may frighten you. Unfortunately, this can lead to even more anxiety.

We created this guide to instead help calm your nerves.

In this article, you’ll learn why anxiety chest pain happens, what it feels like, how long it lasts, how to make it stop, and more.

You’ll also learn the difference between anxiety-related chest pain and heart attack-related chest pain, and when you should seek help from a medical professional.  

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Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pain?

Yes. Many people who experience anxiety also experience chest pain, especially during anxiety or panic attacks. 

Though it can be frightening and painful, anxiety sufferers can take some comfort in knowing that there’s a reason for this uncomfortable symptom: It’s your brain and body trying to protect you from a real or perceived stressor. 

Anxiety Chest Pain Symptoms

Anxiety chest pain can feel different to different people. Symptoms in the chest area can be described as:

  • Sharp, shooting, or stabbing pain
  • Persistent, dull aching
  • Tightness, tension, or pressure
  • A burning sensation 
  • Numbness in certain areas
  • Twitching or spasms

These uncomfortable feelings can come on gradually, or all at once.

It is more typical, however, for chest pain to present itself during panic or anxiety attacks that come on quickly, and for the sufferer to already feel anxious before the chest pain starts. 

Why Does Anxiety Cause Chest Pain?

Anxiety is the body’s response to a real or perceived stressor, and anxiety and panic attacks can produce a number of physical symptoms in addition to mental turmoil.

When you’re anxious, your body enters what’s typically referred to as a “fight or flight” state, preparing to help you battle against (or flee from) something that could hurt you.

Your body does this in many ways, including increasing your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, and by triggering the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline.

Many of these “fight or flight” responses can cause chest pain. Common causes for chest pain include: 

  • Muscle tension: This is typically a result of stress and can manifest itself as tightness in the muscles in the chest.  
  • Increased heart rate: This can lead to feelings of pounding in the chest, heart palpitations, and coronary artery spasms.
  • Hyperventilation: This is a result of shortness of breath, and can cause changes to the level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
  • Increased blood pressure: This can increase oxygen demand in the heart and put a strain on the smaller blood vessels due to increased blood flow.

How Long Does Anxiety Chest Pain Last?

Though it can feel alarming, anxiety chest pain is fleeting. Pain typically lasts around 10 minutes, though other anxiety or panic attack symptoms (like dizziness, shortness of breath, or nausea) may last longer.

If your symptoms continue, are getting worse, or are just concerning, call your doctor, visit an urgent care center, or be evaluated through a telehealth appointment as soon as possible.

Some panic or anxiety attack sufferers may also feel soreness in the chest area for a few hours after the attack, due to the intense muscle contractions in the wall of the chest that took place during the attack.

How to Stop Anxiety Chest Pain

In order to stop anxiety chest pain, you have to go straight to the source: your anxiety.

Luckily, there are simple techniques you can use and lifestyle changes you can implement to help manage your anxiety or panic, many of which are free and easy to do. 

Deep breathing

Breathing deeply from your diaphragm is an effective way to reduce anxiety by slowing the heart and breathing rate, and can even stop a panic or anxiety attack in its tracks.

Though you can find many different types of breathing exercises online, a simple but effective exercise is as follows: Put one hand on your belly, and your other hand on your chest.

Take a slow, deep breath through your nose and allow your belly to push out the hand on your belly. The hand on your chest should not move. Exhale your breath through pursed lips and allow the hand on your belly to move inwards again, pushing all the air out. Repeat this 10 times. 

Meditation

Meditation and other relaxation exercises (like journaling, counting, and visualizing) can be effective tools in calming the brain and slowing anxious thoughts.

Meditation is a practice that has been used for thousands of years, and even a few minutes can help wipe away stress and restore inner peace. Many web sites (including YouTube) offer free guided meditations, and no equipment is needed.

Exercise

Getting up and getting active is one of the best ways to help reduce your anxiety—and regular exercise is a great way to keep generalized anxiety in check.

Not only can it act as a welcome distraction from racing thoughts, but exercise can also decrease muscle tension and increase serotonin and other anti-anxiety neurochemicals. 

Limit alcohol, caffeine, and smoking

While smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and caffeine can feel like they’re helping quell your anxiety, studies show that all three can actually make it worse.

If you don’t want to quit any of them completely, take note of which you have consumed before you feel anxious to try to pinpoint which may be negatively impacting you, and limit your intake accordingly. 

Sleep

While sleep may be the last thing on your mind in the middle of an anxiety or panic attack, getting enough sleep is important for keeping your anxiety in check.

Sleep deficiency has been linked to anxiety, depression, and other forms of illness. Adults should aim for seven to nine hours a night for healthy functioning and wellness.

Anxiety Chest Pain vs. Heart Attack

Anxiety chest pain is so alarming because we associate chest pain with heart attacks. And it’s fair to feel concerned—about 735,000 people in the U.S. have heart attacks each year, and chest pain is one of the common symptoms.  

But studies show that 80% of people who go to the emergency room with chest pain are not having a heart attack, and 58% of that group suffer from moderate to severe anxiety.  

Though pain related to a heart attack and anxiety chest pain can feel similar, there are several differences between the two that can help you determine which you may be experiencing. 

For example, while anxiety chest pain can feel different from person to person, it tends to limit itself to just the chest.

Most people experiencing heart attack chest pain, on the other hand, explain it as a squeezing, heavy, and/or aching pain that radiates outwards from the chest to the arms, shoulders, and jaw (also known as angina). 

There are also differences when it comes to when the pain starts, and how long it lasts.

Anxiety chest pain tends to start when the body is at rest, and, as previously mentioned, lasts for approximately 10 minutes (this can vary, though).

Conversely, heart attack chest pain typically starts slowly when the body is active, and the pain gradually increases in intensity. Chest pain during a heart attack also tends to get worse with exertion and lasts longer than pain related to anxiety.

Interestingly, 30% of people experiencing a heart attack do not report chest pain. Other heart attack symptoms may include nausea, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, back pain, and exhaustion.

If you think you are experiencing a heart attack, seek medical attention as soon as possible. 

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When to See a Doctor

Even if you suffer from anxiety, chest pain shouldn’t be ignored.

If you are experiencing persistent chest pain, seek medical advice to pinpoint the cause and rule out a heart problem, like coronary artery disease.

It may just be anxiety-related chest pain, but it’s always better to be sure. Both anxiety-related chest pain and heart conditions are treatable with the proper healthcare.

If anxiety and its symptoms are impacting your quality of life, a therapist and/or doctor can suggest therapy (like cognitive behavioral therapy) or prescribe medication to help get your anxiety under control.

This medical care can be life-changing by helping get symptoms—including chest pain—to subside. 

How K Health Can Help

Stress and anxiety are among the most under-reported and under-treated diseases in America. Nearly 20% of adults in the US suffer from mental health illness and fewer than half receive treatment. Our mission is to increase access to treatment for those suffering in silence.

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K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

K Health has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.

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  • What is Anxiety and Depression? (n.d.)
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  • Panic Disorder and Chest Pain: Mechanisms, Morbidity, and Management. (2002).
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181226/

  • Heart attack. (n.d.).
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  • Chest pain and its importance in patients with panic disorder. (2008).
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  • Anxiety Associated With Increased Risk for Emergency Department Recidivism in Patients With Low-Risk Chest Pain. (2018).
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30086878/

  • A test of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on general and specific self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms: an experimental extension. (2010).
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20231014/

  • Can exercise help treat anxiety? (2019).
    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-exercise-help-treat-anxiety-2019102418096

  • Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation. (2020).
    https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uz2255

  • Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. (2020).
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  • Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – At-a-Glance. (2014).
    https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_470704.pdf

  • A review of the affects of worry and generalized anxiety disorder upon cardiovascular health and coronary heart disease. (2012).
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13548506.2012.749355

  • Treatment of anxiety disorders. (2017).
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573566/

What It Feels Like, Causes, and Remedies

Feeling worried, fearful, or nervous from time to time is quite normal for most people. These are typical reactions to atypical moments in everyday life.

Some people experience anxiety frequently. Symptoms can move beyond feelings of concern or worry to other physical reactions. Occasionally, these symptoms are mistakenly associated with other conditions.

As an example, chest pain is sometimes a symptom of anxiety. Often the result of a panic attack or heightened reaction, chest pain is a concern because of the possible connection to heart attacks and other heart conditions.

If you experience frequent anxiety, learning to understand your chest pain can help you find symptom relief and identify when you need additional medical help.

Anxiety symptoms are rarely the same from person to person. Some days, symptoms aren’t even the same for the same person. Anxiety presents itself in a variety of ways, and that makes detecting or understanding symptoms difficult.

Chest pain associated with anxiety feels different for each person. Some people may experience chest pain on a gradual basis. For others, the pain may be sudden and unexpected. Anxiety chest pain can be described as:

  • sharp, shooting pain
  • persistent chest aching
  • an unusual muscle twitch or spasm in your chest
  • burning, numbness, or a dull ache
  • stabbing pressure
  • chest tension or tightness

If you don’t have a history of chest pain with anxiety, you may be alarmed. Many people assume they’re having a heart attack and go to the hospital’s emergency department for treatment.

An estimated 25 to 50 percent of patients who come to the emergency department with low risk chest pain (chest pain not related to a heart attack) experience moderate to severe anxiety, according to 2018 research.

If you visit a hospital emergency room and the doctors don’t find a specific cause for your chest pain, consider consulting with your doctor about other possible causes, including anxiety.

Chest pain is a concerning symptom, and it’s usually best to seek emergency medical attention if you’re experiencing it. Even if the chest pain cause is anxiety, it’s better to know than to risk missing valuable time if you’re having a heart attack.

People describe chest pain in a number of ways when they’re having a heart attack. Some examples include:

  • chest pain that radiates to other parts of your body, such as down your arms or up to your jaw
  • chest pain that worsens with exertion
  • nausea along with chest pain
  • pressure in the chest, as if someone has put something heavy on your chest
  • rapid heart rate
  • shortness of breath
  • squeezing sensation in the chest

An estimated 30 percent of patients who are having a heart attack don’t have chest pain, according to 2020 research. Some people report symptoms like back pain and fatigue as part of their heart attack symptoms.

While doctors know there is a connection between anxiety and chest pain, you still shouldn’t ignore your symptoms and seek medical attention.

Call your local emergency services if you’re having chest pain. Don’t attempt to drive yourself to the hospital. Emergency personnel can evaluate you and determine whether you’re having a cardiac event or if there’s another reason for your chest pain.

When you’re anxious, your body can and often does produce physical reactions like sweating or shortness of breath.

When you become anxious, your brain and body set off an immediate stress response. This includes a physiological change. Your body may tighten up or grow tense.

A stress response can also include a psychological or emotional response. You may become aggressive or upset more easily. These responses are referred to as the fight-or-flight response. When you become stressed or anxious, your body prepares to fight back or run away.

If you experience this fight-or-flight stress reaction infrequently, your body should fully recover within 30 minutes. But if you experience it frequently, your body can’t recover as quickly. This can lead to increased muscle tension, and this tension may become painful in your chest.

Likewise, in an even more stressful moment, your heart rate may increase, and the force of your heartbeats can grow stronger. That combined with tight chest muscles can make you feel unusual pain.

If you feel anxious, there are some simple techniques you can try. These techniques may not work every time, but they’re a great starting point when you need help managing your anxiety.

Practice deep breathing

Focused, deep breaths can calm both your mind and your body. Find a quiet room or area, and inhale for a count of 10. Hold for a second, and then exhale for a count of 10. Repeat this several times as you feel your heart rate fall.

Take stock of the situation

Accept your feelings of anxiety, recognize them, and then work through putting them in perspective.

Are you worried about something you can’t control? Are you fearful of an outcome that’s unlikely? Are you dreading a situation you can’t control the outcome of? Talk your way through your feelings to find the source, and then work to put them into perspective.

Picture a beautiful scene

If you’re feeling anxious, try visualizing a place that instantly calms you. This can be especially helpful if you’re feeling anxious while in a situation you can’t avoid, like a stressful meeting. Practice deep breathing while you envision this location.

Use a relaxation app

Smartphone apps for anxiety can walk you through stress reduction techniques and exercises. There are also meditation apps that may help you quiet your mind when you’re feeling anxious. Many of these apps are free, so you can try out several to find one that works for you.

Be proactive about your physical health

Are you taking good care of your body? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating well? Taking good care of your body is also taking good care of your mind. While this won’t help treat anxiety chest pain, it may help you reduce your risk for anxiety and subsequent chest pain in the future.

If your anxiety and chest pain are severe or chronic, you may need to consult with a therapist. They can talk you through situations that cause anxiety and share coping techniques.

These techniques may not come naturally to you if you’re often anxious. This is where a healthcare professional can help.

A therapist or doctor may be able to teach you coping techniques that help you feel in control and secure. When you begin to regain a sense of calm, your symptoms, including chest pain, will subside.

If coaching techniques or mental exercises aren’t successful, you may need to consider a prescription. Anti-anxiety medications have side effects and risks. But using them as a stopgap while you learn how to cope with symptoms can be helpful.

Chest pain shouldn’t be ignored. If you’re experiencing it, seek medical attention to rule out a heart condition. If your chest pain is found to be related to anxiety, then you can work with a therapist or doctor to learn coping techniques or determine the best treatment for you.

Identifying anxiety as the cause of your chest pain is an important step in treating your condition. As you learn to manage the side effects of anxiety, you’ll also learn to manage unintended complications like chest pain.

While you can’t know for sure if or when you’ll experience anxiety chest pain again, preparing yourself with coping techniques and practices will help you feel more prepared and in control.

Read this article in Spanish.

Anxiety and chest pain - Phoenix Center

Can anxiety cause chest pain?

Anxiety can be one of the causes of chest pain, which is as frightening as a potential heart attack.

Many patients with high anxiety come to the emergency room for chest pain because it can be so scary and it's very difficult to tell if it's caused by a heart problem.

According to researchers, the symptoms of a heart attack (one of which is chest pain) and anxiety-related chest pain are similar. But chest pain doesn't always signal a heart attack.

Understanding the difference is important because a heart attack is a life-threatening condition. The causes of anxiety are usually not life-threatening. In other words, a heart attack is the result of a physical problem (usually a blockage in an artery), and anxiety is associated with anxiety and especially fear.

The physical symptoms of anxiety may come on intensely or come on gradually, then peak in intensity and remain steady or decrease.

Symptoms of may include:

  • severe palpitations
  • tingling or numbness, usually in the arms and legs
  • dull, constant aching soreness
  • chest tightness
  • gastrointestinal disorders
  • nausea and vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • burning sensation inside the body or on the skin
  • headaches and muscle tension
  • muscle twitches or spasms
  • rapid breathing

There are significant differences between anxiety chest pain and heart attack chest pain.

Heart attack :

  • Pain usually more like intense pressure or like someone is grabbing your chest and squeezing very hard. It may also be accompanied by a sensation of pain or burning, and some may even confuse it with heartburn.
  • The pain gradually increases and does not go away with time .
  • Pain begins in the chest but radiates to the neck, jaw, shoulder, one or both arms, upper back, or upper abdomen.
  • Sweating, nausea and dizziness May accompany chest pain, more so in women than in men.
  • Chest pain occurs during exercise and not necessarily at times of stress.
  • Symptoms last longer and do not just go away; can lead to devastating effects that may be permanent.
  • Although many of the symptoms of a heart attack resemble those of an anxiety attack (shortness of breath, sweating, nausea and vomiting, palpitations, etc.), there is usually no anxiety in a heart attack preceding chest pain.
  • Chest pain observed during a heart attack may be the result of physical activity and overexertion, such as lifting a heavy box or shoveling snow, in people with comorbid cardiovascular disease.

Psychiatrists say that chest pain usually manifests itself during an anxiety attack or panic attack .

The most common anxiety reported by people is a feeling of tightness in the center of the chest .

While anxiety-related chest pain can vary from person to person, it is usually limited to the chest. On the other hand, most people experiencing heart attack chest pain describes a constrictive, heavy, or aching pain that radiates outward from the chest to the arms, shoulders, back, and/or jaw. Heart-related chest pain also tends to last more than a few minutes or is paroxysmal.

Often people with anxiety over-focus on their physiological symptoms. This leads to increased symptoms as well as a pattern of catastrophic negative thoughts that create a state of fear of losing control.

It is important to understand that anxiety is related to self-doubt. In other words, it is the body's response to real or perceived stress.

How to relieve chest pain

There are many ways to relieve anxious chest pain , including:

  • Start with slowing your breathing , which can also help you get rid of your thoughts. Try inhaling slowly for a count of 5 (you should see your stomach rise or fill like a balloon) through your nose and slowly exhale for a count of 5 through your mouth. Repeat this cycle several times until you get rid of all unwanted sensations. Practice daily as you feel your anxiety rise.
  • Try progressive relaxation techniques , including focusing on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This can help you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation.
  • Take your attention away from what makes you uncomfortable.
  • Call someone close . If you're seeing a doctor or therapist, give them a call.
  • Listen to something soothing music .
  • Biofeedback works wonders for some people. While some types (such as those that measure brain waves) are performed in professional settings, there are wearable devices and apps that can measure heart rate, control breathing, and relax muscles.
  • If you have been prescribed anti-anxiety drugs make sure you don't miss a dose.

Lifestyle changes to prevent chest pain

Simple changes in your lifestyle can go a long way in preventing anxiety chest pain. These include:

  • Regular breathing exercises .
  • It's very important to get regular exercise and especially cardiovascular and aerobic exercise so that you can relieve tension, improve your mood, lower your stress levels and increase your overall self-confidence to prevent anxiety.
  • Avoid caffeine, cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as they may increase anxiety.
  • Blood Sugar Stabilization can also prevent anxiety attacks by avoiding sudden spikes in glucose levels. This is achieved through a regular and well-balanced, healthy diet.

When to see a doctor for chest pain

  • If your chest pain was not preceded by a stressful situation
  • Pain appeared suddenly without any explanation (e.g. overexertion)
  • You are short of breath
  • Pain moves or appears outside the chest
  • You are about to faint or faint
  • You become confused or disoriented
  • Pain accompanied by sweating, rapid or irregular pulse, nausea or vomiting

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TEXT: Yana Karimova

Everyone experiences anxiety, anxiety and fear at certain moments. But sometimes they literally interfere with life - then we are talking about pathological anxiety or an anxiety disorder. The Blueprint tells you how to recognize them.

What are anxiety disorders?

Is any anxiety a disorder?

In psychiatry, this is a group of disorders associated with increased feelings of anxiety and fear - and the resulting behavioral abnormalities. According to WHO, 264 million people suffered from anxiety disorders in 2015. According to some studies, these are the most common mental disorders (at least in the US).

This category includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others. Individuals with specific phobias usually know the cause of their anxiety—for example, in the case of agoraphobia, anxiety is exacerbated when the person is in open spaces. But generalized anxiety disorder is easy to overlook: anxiety is not directed at anything in particular, and there can be almost more physiological symptoms than psychological ones.

No. Alisa Plyaskina, a psychologist at the HSE Center for Psychological Counseling, explains: “Some people are more sensitive and perceive different situations more vividly and emotionally, including with greater anxiety. This does not make them the owners of an anxiety disorder - just such a personality trait, it is within the normal range.

Does such a person need to see a specialist? Yes, if he does not cope with his experiences and emotions, does not enjoy life, cannot perform some usual daily activities or important life tasks for him - related, for example, to work or relationships.

Plyaskina clarifies that increased anxiety can be situational. That is, it can manifest itself in response to an unstable social or economic environment, life changes, or very intensive long-term work. Anything that increases excitability increases anxiety.

Your body is malfunctioning

You are constantly on edge

You get tired more easily than usual

You have some pain

You have trouble sleeping

Click on the symptoms to read more

How do you know if your anxiety is most likely generalized anxiety disorder?

You can’t stop worrying

Your body is scared even when you don’t

It’s hard for you to work and relax

All this ruins your life

You can’t stop worrying fine.

But anxiety disorder makes you constantly worry about the most ordinary things: household and work responsibilities, health, finances, or the prospect of being late for work.

At the same time, anxiety is clearly disproportionate to its cause. For example, not having time to get into a subway car seems to be no less frightening prospect than missing a plane. You cannot cope with this emotion: you postpone, reschedule or cancel things because of anxiety. Anxiety spreads to different areas of your life: you feel it at work, at home, and with friends. It does not pass for at least six months. Another sign is an unreasonable feeling that something terrible is bound to happen soon.

You are constantly on edge

You can't sit still, everything in the world irritates you, and is it easy to scare you? Looks like a few more signs of an anxiety disorder. According to studies, many patients with this diagnosis noticed increased irritability and restlessness.

You get tired more easily than usual

Sometimes fatigue has simple reasons - maybe you haven't been on vacation for a long time. But if you get tired quickly or just feel tired all the time, it could be due to elevated levels of the hormone cortisol, insomnia, or chronic pain — the three companions of anxiety.

It is difficult for you to work and rest

Anxiety disorders affect the efficiency at work: they reduce the ability to concentrate and affect short-term memory. But besides this, they interfere with quality rest: due to anxiety and the feeling that there are too many thoughts in your head, you cannot really relax.

You have trouble sleeping

People with anxiety disorders often complain of insomnia: it is difficult for them to fall asleep in the evening, and they constantly wake up at night. Despite the fact that scientists have found a connection between insomnia and anxiety disorders, the nature of this connection is still unknown. According to some studies, insomniacs are at a higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder, according to others, chronic insomnia tends to begin at the same time as or after the anxiety disorder. According to the third, they mutually influence each other.

Your body is scared even when you are not.

Fear activates our sympathetic system: the body prepares to respond to danger. The pulse and breathing quicken, the mouth becomes dry, sweat appears on the forehead, palms and back. The problem is that with an anxiety disorder, this happens even without reason for fear and anxiety. If you feel dizzy, you tremble and you are thrown into heat or cold - this is right here.

Something hurts you

Anxiety disorders are associated with seemingly different pain syndromes such as tension headache, chest pain, chronic pain (fibromyalgia, migraine, arthritis), as well as pain in the abdomen, muscles and cases of pain that cannot be explained. This is also due to the fact that stress changes our perception of pain and can cause hyperalgesia - increased sensitivity to pain.

Your body is malfunctioning

Anxiety disorders can also be indicated by symptoms that seem to be quite far from psychiatry and neurology. For example, the need to go to the toilet often. Also associated with anxiety disorders are gastrointestinal disorders - nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

All this is ruining your life

Generalized anxiety disorder differs from stress-induced anxiety in part because the symptoms greatly affect the quality of life: they interfere with normal activities, work, building and maintaining relationships.

What to do next

The first thing is to contact a specialist

Even if you have found several signs from the list above, you should not get carried away with self-diagnosis. Only a psychiatrist can make a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, guided by special diagnostic criteria. When he determines whether a patient has an anxiety disorder, he is faced with the task of ruling out other possible diseases with similar symptoms. Under the guise of anxiety, a variety of diagnoses can be hidden: from depression and Alzheimer's disease to diabetes and hyperthyroidism.

If anxiety affects the quality of life, it makes sense not to wait for additional symptoms or announced six months and contact a psychotherapist. Or to a psychologist - if he has a suspicion that a psychiatric consultation is needed, he will refer you to the appropriate doctor.

In modern medicine, anxiety disorders are treated with pharmacotherapy (drugs), psychotherapy, and a combination of the two. Different schools of psychotherapy have different approaches to understanding and treating generalized anxiety disorder. One of the effective types of psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral, and its combination with medications is recommended as the main treatment strategy.

Second, lifestyle changes

"Home" methods are not a substitute for qualified anxiety care, but they can relieve symptoms of anxiety. By leading a healthier and more mindful lifestyle, we can reduce our stress levels—and thereby reduce our anxiety.

Meditate more often and breathe deeply

Do not forget about physical activity

Do not deprive yourself
of sleep

Limit bad habits

Think about healthy eating

Click tips to read more

Meditate more often and breathe deeply

Some research shows that mindful breathing, mindfulness-based stress reduction meditation, and yoga help relieve symptoms of anxiety. Perhaps this is due to the use of deep breathing practices in them, the stress-reducing effect of which has been proven by a large number of studies.

Do not forget about physical activity

The American Association for the Study of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders recommends regular exercise such as running, walking, cycling, or dancing three to five times a week for half an hour.

Do not deprive yourself of sleep

Although we have already mentioned the relationship between anxiety and insomnia, it is worth repeating that lack of sleep reduces the body's ability to resist stress and increases anxiety. Therefore, if you notice anxiety behind you, you should try to improve sleep hygiene - sleep enough time, go to bed and get up on time.

Limit bad habits

Alcohol, smoking and caffeine abuse are associated with increased anxiety. What's more, those who avoid coffee and cigarettes are less likely to develop generalized anxiety disorder.

Think Healthy Eating

Research shows that certain foods and dietary habits have a positive effect on mental health and anxiety in particular. For example, probiotics and fermented foods (such as kefir and yogurt), omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids (found in sea fish and spinach), fruits and vegetables have proven themselves well. In 2010, a study was conducted with the participation of more than 1000 women. It showed that those whose diet included vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, and whole grains were less likely to be depressed and anxious than those whose diet included fried foods, high amounts of sugar, refined grains, and beer.

“Emotional overload, lack of sleep and adequate rest — all this increases our excitability and, consequently, anxiety. In such cases, it will not be superfluous to try to unload yourself, rest more, improve sleep and see if it becomes easier as a result. Although I, as a representative of the profession, of course, believe that in any case it can be useful for a person to go to a psychologist and try to solve their problems not alone, but with a specialist, ”concludes Plyaskina.

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