Can Anxiety Cause Dizziness?
Anxiety can come with several different symptoms. If you or someone you love has an anxiety disorder, you’re probably aware of typical symptoms like excessive worry or difficulty concentrating.
However, anxiety is much more than just worrying. There are various types of anxiety disorders, each with a distinct set of symptoms.
In some cases, anxiety can manifest in physical ways. This may lead some people to wonder whether anxiety causes dizziness.
We’ll explore the answer in full detail below. We’ll discuss physical sensations associated with anxiety, as well as ways to manage these symptoms.
How Does Anxiety Feel?
The feelings associated with anxiety can vary, based upon a person’s unique circumstances, and the specific type of anxiety disorder they have. There are various different anxiety disorders, and each one presents a little differently.
One common anxiety disorder people may be referencing when they use the term “anxiety” is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In addition to ongoing, uncontrollable anxiety, a person with GAD may experience fatigue, restlessness, sleep problems, irritability, headaches, muscle pain, and stomach aches.
Some people with anxiety disorders experience panic attacks. These are intense bouts of fear in which a person feels uncomfortable. During a panic attack, a person also experiences physical sensations, such as sweating, racing heart, chest pain, trembling, and tingling.
Social anxiety disorder is another condition that can cause physical sensations related to anxiety. People with social anxiety disorder are fearful of negative judgment in social settings. They may experience blushing, sweating, trembling, stomachaches, and a pounding heart when in social settings.
As you can see, anxiety disorders tend to come along with physical symptoms, in addition to the classic symptoms of fear and worry.
Can Anxiety Cause Dizziness?
Dizziness seems to be a relatively common problem in people with anxiety. In one study, 80.8% of patients experiencing dizziness had moderate to severe anxiety.
This suggests a significant overlap between anxiety and dizziness. So, does this mean anxiety causes dizziness? It’s possible that it can.
In some cases, anxiety can cause dizziness. In other instances, dizziness may cause anxiety.
So, for some people, anxiety disorders can be a cause of dizziness.
Why Does Anxiety Cause Dizziness?
There are several reasons that anxiety may cause a person to feel dizzy. First, when a person is anxious, they may experience a drop in blood pressure. This can lead to a condition called vasovagal syncope. Vasovagal syncope is linked to dizziness, and in some cases, fainting.
Furthermore, some people with anxiety may feel dizzy in response to subjective emotional reactions. For instance, the feeling of stress can make a person perceive that they’re dizzy.
Finally, some people may find themselves hyperventilating when anxious. This can cause low oxygen levels, leading to dizziness or fainting.
How to Stop Anxiety Dizziness?
If you struggle with dizziness when anxious, you can practice coping strategies to help you manage this symptom. Consider the techniques below.
Slow Down and Breathe Deeply
In my experience treating patients with anxiety, deep breathing can be incredibly effective for alleviating symptoms like dizziness. Slow down, and take deep breaths so that you get adequate oxygen levels.
With some deep breathing, you’ll likely feel less dizzy. Focus on breathing in for a count of four, and back out for a count of four.
Stay Hydrated
When you’re feeling intense emotions related to anxiety, sipping on water can help. Dehydration can also cause imbalances in physiological processes within the body, potentially leading to dizziness.
Concentrate on One Spot
Patients often report that concentrating on one spot helps them to feel less dizzy. Take a seat, and focus on a spot on the wall or floor until the feeling of dizziness has passed.
Seek Treatment
Coping strategies can be beneficial during the moment you’re experiencing dizziness, but anxiety treatment addresses the root cause of the problem. When you engage in treatment, you can learn to overcome anxiety, so it has less of an impact on your daily life.
If you’re not sure where to turn, consider the mental health app headspace. This app is full of resources, including mindfulness tools, mental health coaching, and clinical services like therapy.
Treatment of Anxiety and Dizziness
Anxiety can cause physical symptoms, including dizziness, but you do not have to live with these unpleasant sensations forever. Through anxiety treatment, you can lessen the negative effect that anxiety symptoms can have on daily functioning.
With the anxiety treatments below, you are likely to find that symptoms like dizziness decline in frequency and intensity.
Therapy
Anxiety is often treated with therapy, also known as talk therapy or psychotherapy. This involves sitting down with a licensed mental health professional to discuss emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.
A specific type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be especially beneficial for treating anxiety. CBT helps you to replace unhelpful, distorted thoughts with more rational ways of thinking. This can lessen anxiety symptoms.
A therapist can help you determine the best type of therapy for your situation. If you’re looking for a therapist, consider working with BetterHelp. This online therapy platform connects you to a licensed therapist from the comfort and privacy of home. Visit the BetterHelp webpage today to learn more or get started.
Medication
There are several different medications that can reduce anxiety symptoms. A doctor will work with you to determine which medication is the best fit for you.
Antidepressant medications are often used to treat anxiety disorders, because these medications can alleviate fear and worry. There is also a class of medications called benzodiazepines, used specifically for treating anxiety. I advise patients to use these medications with caution, because long-term use of benzodiazepines can lead to abuse and dependence.
Interestingly, some anxiety medications may cause dizziness as a side effect. In my experience with patients taking medications for anxiety, these side effects tend to improve over time, as the body adjusts to the medication. Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about side effects.
Lifestyle Changes
When I work with a patient who has anxiety or another mental health condition, I always recommend healthy lifestyle changes. Lifestyle modifications can help you develop healthy coping skills that make anxiety and dizziness easier to manage.
Some lifestyle changes that can be helpful include:
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- Following a nutritious diet: Caring for your body through healthy nutrition can improve anxiety symptoms. Be sure to eat a diet that provides adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources while limiting added sugars and processed foods.
- Get plenty of exercise: Physical activity is a great stress reliever, and it can be beneficial for reducing anxiety symptoms. While any increase in physical activity will help, you should aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activities like brisk walking or riding a bike.
- Prioritize sleep: Experts generally recommend that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Make time for an adequate amount of nightly sleep. Develop a consistent bedtime routine, ensure that your room is cool and dark, and go to bed around the same time each day.
FAQs
If you’re concerned about anxiety and dizziness, the answers to the following questions are also helpful.
How Do I Know If My Dizziness Is Anxiety?
Sometimes, it’s difficult to determine which comes first: the anxiety or the dizziness. Anxiety may cause dizziness, but it’s also possible for dizziness to result in anxiety symptoms.
First, you can get to the bottom of it by seeing a doctor to rule out medical causes of dizziness. If you have a medical condition that better explains the dizziness, anxiety may not be the cause.
If a medical condition doesn’t explain the dizziness, anxiety may be to blame. Think about your triggers for anxiety. Do you tend to experience dizziness when triggered? In this case, anxiety may be to blame.
It’s also important to consider whether you experience other anxiety symptoms. If you also experience excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, or panic attack symptoms like a racing heart, anxiety could be causing your dizziness.
Does Anxiety Medication Stop Dizziness?
Anxiety medications can reduce the symptoms of anxiety. So, if you experience dizziness as a result of anxiety, medications may help.
Research shows that a specific type of medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can reduce subjective sensations of dizziness in people with anxiety.
Based on this finding, some people who experience anxiety and dizziness may experience relief when they take medications like SSRIs. Medication doesn’t work for everyone, so results can vary.
It’s also important to remember that sometimes, dizziness can be a side effect of anxiety medications. For many people, this and other side effects reduce in intensity with time. Talk with your doctor about potential side effects, including dizziness.
How Do You Know if Dizziness Is Serious?
The subjective experience of dizziness is not unusual in people with anxiety. However, in rare cases, dizziness may be serious.
If you’re someone who experiences dizziness regularly due to anxiety, it likely isn’t cause for concern, especially if you’re in treatment and able to manage dizzy spells through healthy coping strategies.
However, dizziness that does not improve or respond to treatment may signify an underlying medical condition. If you experience chronic, severe dizziness, see a doctor to rule out underlying medical concerns.
Dizziness that doesn’t go away or that is accompanied by other symptoms like fainting or shortness of breath can be a cause for concern. If you’re worried about a medical emergency, visit the emergency department at your nearest hospital.
How Do I Stop Getting Dizzy?
The treatment for dizziness depends upon its cause. If dizziness is caused by anxiety, you can stop it by seeking treatment and practicing healthy coping strategies, such as deep breathing.
If dizziness doesn’t improve with anxiety treatment, you may have an underlying medical condition that is causing your symptoms. Visit a doctor to determine the cause and the appropriate course of treatment.
Conclusion
People who live with an anxiety disorder may experience dizziness as a symptom of anxiety. When you have anxiety, you may hyperventilate or experience drops in blood pressure. Both of these situations can lead to dizziness.
When you’re panicked or feeling intense emotions, you might also subjectively feel dizzy. This is common and treatable.
With anxiety treatment, you can reduce the negative effects that anxiety symptoms like dizziness have on your daily life. If dizziness doesn’t improve with anxiety treatment, see a doctor to determine if a medical problem is causing you to feel dizzy.
Sources:
1)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
2)https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/omujecm/issue/83825/1282996
4)https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/anxiety-and-dizziness#anxiety-and-dizziness
5)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10682806/
7)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/649401
