The Dizziness due to anxiety Are one of the most typical symptoms that appear when we experience high sensations of this disorder.
However, dizziness can also be a source of anxiety, so when these symptoms appear the body may respond with more anxious sensations.
This fact demonstrates that the relationship between dizziness and anxiety is very close and, moreover, it is not based on a simple unidirectional relationship, but that both alterations can be fed back together.
The reason why symptoms and anxiety are so closely linked rests with the Vestibular system , An ear apparatus that is related to both balance and spatial control.
This system consists of two enlargements: the utricle and the sacculus, and both are responsible for reporting the position of the head in relation to the ground, so when there are alterations in this region can experience dizziness easily.
The vestibular system consists of an inner ear on each side, making them specific areas of the brain And the nerves that connect them.
Also, this apparatus is closely related to the brain areas responsible for the brain, so the interaction between these two body regions causes the interaction dizziness-anxiety.
Sensation of numbness
The dizziness that accompanies anxiety is often described as a sensation of stun or stun.
This sensation is usually slightly different from the sensation of a"normal"dizziness in which the feelings of vertigo or body discomfort may be more noticeable.
Likewise, in anxiety dizziness there may be a sensation of movement or that turns the head inside rather than the environment.
Sometimes a slight swaying sensation appears even when one is standing still, so certain spaces such as shops, crowded shopping centers or open spaces may cause a feeling of imbalance.
Keep in mind that when people perform an anxiety response, not only do they invade thoughts of nervousness, but our whole body responds in an anxious way.
In this way, the brain is in charge of activating the entire organism when it detects a dangerous or anxious situation.
Physiological Responses
The heart rate increases, muscle tension becomes more noticeable, dilate the pupils, increase sweating...
These symptoms are easily recognized as responses of the body to an anxiety situation, because when we are nervous the body can adopt a form characterized by these feelings.
The dizziness appears in a similar way. When we are anxious, our brain as well as our body modifies its functioning, reason why very unpleasant sensations can appear.
Thus, physiological changes in the brain also affect other regions, and the vestibular system is usually one of the most sensitive in these situations, a fact that explains the onset of dizziness.
In fact, some research shows that in situations of anxiety the vestibular system is affected in practically all cases.
However, in some cases the alteration of this region of the inner ear does not result in a feeling of dizziness.
Thus, anxiety dizziness is understood as a response of the organism to a certain physiological activation caused by an anxious state.
In addition, as we said at the outset, the relationship between brain regions that control anxiety and the vestibular system (device that controls dizziness) is bidirectional, so just as anxiety can induce dizziness, dizziness can induce anxiety .
Usually the most notorious relationship is the one that we expose in this article, that is to say, the anxiety like generator of dizziness.
The main factor: the interpretation of the brain
However, the main factor that maintains the states of anxiety is the interpretation that makes the brain on the anxious state of the body.
In this way, if we overactivate the organism, tighten the muscles or hyperventilate, the brain can interpret these symptoms as anxious and respond with a state of anxiety.
The same thing happens with dizziness. That is, as dizziness is a typical symptom of anxiety, the brain can interpret it as such and respond with thoughts of nervousness.
To simplify the explanation, the brain could function in these terms;
"As the vestibular system is performing a typical anxiety (dizziness) operation, I may be in a situation of danger and should perform an anxiety response."
Obviously, since dizziness is not the only physical symptom of anxiety (there are many more) a simple dizziness does not usually lead to a state of anxiety.
However, if the dizziness appears in an anxious context, that is, you are already nervous before it appears and other physical symptoms of anxiety appear, it can cause a greater sense of anxiety.
They are dangerous?
Dizziness from anxiety is usually persistent over time and, although in some cases it has a brief onset, it may manifest for days and weeks in an interrupted fashion.
In these cases, some people feel that the sensation they experience can best be described with the word instability rather than dizziness.
In any case, it is very likely that before these sensations what is happening is an anxiety dizziness that appears through the mechanisms explained in the previous section.
These symptoms are often very annoying and people who experience it may have the perception of going around (without feeling that everything is spinning) in a persistent and continuous way.
Likewise, this type of dizziness usually makes it difficult to fix the gaze and can sometimes precipitate the sensation that it is the beginning of something worse (falling, fainting, having a serious illness, etc.).
Thus, dizziness can lead to even more anxiety and nervousness To think in these terms.
This fact is highly negative since the person can enter a loop that costs a lot to leave.
Feeling dizzy may cause negative thoughts But what is more important is that the dizziness is caused by anxiety itself, so if dizziness increases nervousness, dizziness will also increase and a vicious cycle difficult to overcome.
In these situations, the first thing to do, or rather to know and be aware of, is that anxiety dizziness is not dangerous.
When anxiety is the cause of dizziness, there is little to worry about as in these cases, the sensation of instability and dizziness does not indicate a serious physical problem or a malfunction of the brain.
In fact, the only thing these symptoms indicate is a state of anxiety, that is, it is a sign that you are nervous.
Thus, to be able to end this symptom more than annoying what has to be intervened and reduce is anxiety, as dizziness will not disappear as long as there are high levels of nervousness.
However, if you reduce or even Eliminate the anxiety state , The feeling of dizziness will disappear automatically.
How should it be treated?
From the above it is shown that anxiety dizziness is overcome by treating anxiety in the same way that depression sadness is overcome Treating depression .
Also, we have also seen how anxiety dizziness per se are not dangerous, so the appearance of these symptoms should not cause an excessive alarm.
However, dizziness and dizziness are symptoms that can frighten and greatly limit people's daily lives.
Likewise, dizziness is an inexhaustible source of discomfort, quality of life And increase suffering.
Also, keep in mind that although dizziness is not dangerous in itself, it can have negative consequences, as it can increase anxiety and trigger a panic attack.
For all this and because nobody wants to live with dizziness and dizziness, it is important that these symptoms are treated properly when they appear.
The first requirement to treat this type of problem is based on performing a medical examination to rule out any other health problems that may originate or be involved in dizziness.
Once this fact has been ruled out, you can start treating dizziness through anxiety interventions through psychotherapy.
The goal of psychological therapy will not focus on reducing dizziness but will be based on reducing anxiety, as the anxious state disappears dizziness also disappear.
Thus, anxiety dizziness is treated through psychological techniques for anxiety.
Today there are many treatments that are effective in reducing anxiety levels. He Relaxation training , The exhibition, the Cognitive therapy wave Problem resolution Are some examples.
Technique of detection and coping of the dreaded consequence (DACT)
However, in order not to perform a review of all the psychological techniques for anxiety, which may be excessively long, I will comment on a psychological strategy that is especially effective in treating such cases.
It is the technique of detection and coping of the dreaded consequence (DACT), a psychological strategy that allows to detect the sources of discomfort and to find solutions that allow to reduce the emotional and physical symptoms.
The technique is based on that anxiety generates feelings and feelings of discomfort: overwhelm, nervousness, block, etc.
However, this discomfort is only a symptom (or several) of anxiety, so what is really relevant is not the discomfort itself, but the feeling of doubt or uncertainty to which it is associated.
In this way, a person may be overwhelmed or worried about the dizziness he experiences frequently. This would be his discomfort.
However, if we think about what are the reasons for this feeling of discomfort may appear doubts or uncertainties.
"I am worried that dizziness may indicate that I am sick, it may be a sign that something is wrong in my head, that I have a mental disorder, that I will lose my job because of dizziness or that everything will go wrong hereafter ".
These approaches that can be made by anyone with anxiety dizziness would be the second point, that is, uncertainty, which is the cause of discomfort.
Once you reach this point, you must start looking for solutions.
These solutions can be thought (seek alternative thoughts to those that generate discomfort) or behavior (look for activities that eliminate those thoughts).
In cases of anxiety dizziness in which the fear of dizziness is the only source of nervousness, the search for solutions of thought can be as simple as being informed well about the nature of dizziness, awareness that what is suffering is anxiety and Rationalize to the point of not fearing such dizziness.
If this does not work, the search for behavioral solutions can be employed, which can be based on a simple relaxation exercise.
If the person is able to acquire a state of corporal relaxation, he will notice how his dizziness disappears, so he will begin to live and to understand in first person the relation between anxiety and dizziness.
In more complicated cases, that is, in more serious anxiety problems, the person may not be able to perform this exercise alone, so it requires a psychotherapist who applies this psychological technique.
In these cases, the therapist must investigate the aspects that the person is not able to face and realize a cognitive restructuring that allows to overcome the fears and the anxieties.
References
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