Do you feel these strange physical sensations? You may be suffering from anxiety
Anxiety can affect our bodies in a variety of ways. Check out the strange physical sensations and how anxiety is linked to them.
Anxiety can affect us in a variety of ways. There is an extensive link between anxiety and the nervous system, or rather a nervous system dysregulation. Thinking of it in terms of our body's fight or flight system going into overdrive helps us understand why chronic stress and anxiety can cause our bodies to react in potentially unpleasant ways. Our entire body can get affected by anxiety. It can cause many physical symptoms, such as sweating hands, shaking legs, and a fast heart rate. However, there are several ways to relieve these symptoms. Knowing that lots of physical sensations are caused by anxiety can reassure an anxious mind that they are not suffering from a more serious health condition. (Also read: Is it depression or is it anxiety? Here's how to understand your emotions )
Ron Yap, Mental Health Expert and Educator revealed how physical sensations are linked to anxiety in his recent Instagram post.
1. Flatulence
Also known as unwanted gas, flatulence occurs when your gut, also known as your second nervous system, is dysregulated because of stress causing indigestion and other issues.
2. Butterflies in the stomach/stomach knots
Anxiety also causes contractions in your gut and stomach which results in these sensations and also other problems like acid reflux.
3. Coldness and 'static' sensations
Ever feel those weird 'TV static sensations in your limbs? It could be because anxiety constricts your blood vessels, reducing blood flow to our fingers and toes, and also causing shivering.
4. Derealization/ Dissociation
This refers to a feeling of being detached from your body as if you are an outside observer instead of a participant. It commonly occurs in stressful environments like crowds.
5. Eye and vision problems
A high level of stress and anxiety can cause our vision to blur due to high levels of adrenaline, which also makes our eyes very sensitive.
6. Skin rashes and allergies
Our nervous system goes into overdrive when we are anxious, causing more allergic reactions and issues like skin rashes and acne.
7. Heart palpitations and chest pains
When we are stressed, our heart tends to work harder to get more oxygen to other parts of our body, causing rapid heart beating. It's also why our breath rate tends to go up as well.
8. Tinnitus (ear ringing) and hearing issues
Tinnitus, or ear ringing, is frequently interlinked with anxiety with researchers thinking that it might act as an alarm signal for stress. It also presents itself as humming, whistling, hissing or more and can cause hearing loss.
