How Anxiety Manifests in the Body

Although anxiety is a mental health condition, its influence can reach far beyond a person’s mind. Sometimes, symptoms manifest physically in the body in the form of pain, sickness, stomach problems, breathing issues, and more.

These symptoms can be debilitating, and they can also be frightening if you are unsure what could be causing them. In some cases, anxiety symptoms can even resemble medical emergencies. Recognizing symptoms and finding ways to relieve them can drastically improve a person’s day-to-day life.

Anxiety Explained

The American Psychological Association described anxiety as an emotional response in your body to a perceived threat. This condition causes you to feel worried or nervous about something, particularly when you are anticipating something that might be about to happen. 

There are three main types of anxiety:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This is the most common form of anxiety and normally involves a general and persistent feeling of worry about everyday things such as your job, family members, regular tasks, etc. 
• Panic Disorder: Built more around feelings of fear, this condition is mainly characterized by the repeated appearance of panic attacks and hyperventilation. 
• Social Anxiety Disorder: In this disorder, one typically feels anxious and worried about social situations. They are more likely to avoid going out, and tasks that involve interactions with others can take a huge emotional toll. 

Regardless of what type of anxiety disorder you have, all three share these common psychological symptoms: 

• An ongoing feeling of fearfulness
• Enhanced irritability
• Feelings of restlessness
• Overthinking
• Persistent worry

Physical Symptoms

While the psychological symptoms and signs of anxiety might be more easily recognized, the physical side can be harder to identify. Examples of physical symptoms include:

• Changes in breathing: The tension your body feels as a result of anxiety can cause changes in your breathing patterns. It is common to breathe quickly and shallowly, which leads to hyperventilation. Some people may do the opposite and hold their breath for too long because their body is tensed up. 
• Gastrointestinal & stomach issues: There is a strong link between anxiety and problems with your stomach/digestive system. It is often one of the earliest warning signs of anxiety, particularly if you suffer from constipation, stomach pain, and other digestive issues that can’t be pinned on different medical conditions. 
• Increase heart rate: Anxiety triggers your body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to an uptake of adrenaline, which causes a higher heart rate. 
• Nausea: Intense feelings of worry and fear can make you feel nauseous and sick, particularly when faced with a major trigger of your anxiety disorder. 
• Sweating, cold extremities & lightheadedness: These symptoms also manifest due to a fight-or-flight response. Your body essentially thinks there is an emergency, and it will pump blood to the most important organs. This makes you sweat and experience cold fingers or toes, as well as lightheadedness, as a lot of blood is pulled from different parts of your body at once. 
• Tight muscles: Your body tenses as a response to how you feel, which causes muscle tightness, particularly around your neck and shoulders. 

Long-Term Effects of Anxiety

When you experience one or more of these symptoms, it puts your entire body under significant stress as it works harder to handle them. This can lead to long-term health issues down the road.

The human body knows how to handle stress in small loads, but when it’s constantly on high alert due to anxiety, you may end up with what is known as chronic stress. This can cause long-term musculoskeletal problems due to the increased muscular tension in your body. It can also lead to chronic neck and back pain, regular tension headaches, and migraines. 

Chronic stress also causes persistent gastrointestinal issues because your body feels tense and alert. This makes it harder for your brain to send the right signals to the digestive system, often leading to constipation, diarrhea, and other issues.  

When your body remains in fight or flight mode, it may also lead to other long-term issues, such as a lack of sex drive, difficulty breathing/exacerbation of existing respiratory issues, and high blood pressure.

Easing Symptoms

Learning strategies to alleviate these physical symptoms can help reduce the stress on your body and prevent long-term physical health problems from arising. After identifying physical symptoms in yourself, the next step is taking action. This can involve: 

• Finding distractions: Although they can feel all-consuming, it is possible to learn how to distract your mind from anxious thoughts. You can direct your energy toward accomplishing a task, focusing on a creative project, talking to a friend, etc. 
• Learning strategies for relaxation: Focusing on various relaxation techniques can help bring your heart rate down and establish a sense of calmness. Breathing exercises and yoga are two ways to help calm down your brain and body.
• Seeking professional help: In some cases, professional help is necessary. You can work with experienced professionals to identify and address the root causes of issues and manage symptoms effectively.

Local Anxiety Relief

At Jackson House, we want you to know that you are not alone in finding relief for your anxiety symptoms. We offer personalized treatment for anxiety and support every step of the way, creating treatment plans tailored to your individual needs and helping you tackle the source of your anxiety. 

Reach out today to learn more about how we can help treat symptoms of anxiety and support you on the road to feeling your best physically and mentally.