Does Anxiety Cause Shortness of breath?
You might have ever faced the situation of breathing difficulty when you panic. This happens during anxiety attacks. Anxiety is a mental illness and the brain’s way of responding to any stressful scenario. Controlled levels of stress are normal but uncontrolled levels can affect both physical and mental health. With the help of this article, we want you to be empowered with the knowledge of what anxiety is and how it can cause shortness of breath. After reading this article, you will get a complete insight that what is the link between anxiety and breathing problems. So let’s get started to take a deep dive into this article to learn about whether anxiety causes shortness of breath and some significant strategies to deal with anxiety-induced breathing problems.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a common mental state that involves a sense of fear, sadness, or uneasiness. In addition, anxiety is a body’s natural response in case of any emergency condition. Anxiety prepares the mind to deal with the situation, makes the person more active and also boosts their energy. But if the condition persists for a longer time then it can transform to anxiety and more severe forms. Although it’s a mental illness, affected individuals also experience various physical symptoms that make it difficult for them to perform their day-to-day functioning. Whenever they get exposed to any stressful or distressing situation, they panic. Their body starts shaking along with sweating in case of fear or any kind of environmental stress. Moreover, they remain restless, and their anxious thoughts restrict them from living a normal life. Therefore experiencing long-term anxiety can be overwhelming and should be treated early.
What are the other common symptoms of anxiety other than shortness of breath?
A large number of people usually experience shortness of breath as compared to other common symptoms which are as follows:
- Nausea
- Chest pain
- Difficulty in concentration
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Dryness of mouth
- Memory issues
- Anger outbursts
- Chills
- Dizziness
- Slow activity of the digestive system
What triggers the anxiety?
The human body comprises various systems that perform specialized functions. Among all, there is a sympathetic system that prepares the body to deal with emergencies. In case of any threat or fear, signals are transferred to the brain which in turn activates this system that in turn releases the stress hormones such as adrenaline. Due to the effect of this chemical neurotransmitter, flight and flight responses are generated in the body. This also results in various physical changes such as elevated cardiac rate, respiratory rate, and inhibition of gastric activity. When the person gets relieved from stress, all the body functions get normal.
What are the main causes of anxiety?
Just like other common mental illnesses, anxiety is also caused by various factors. There is no scientific evidence that only a single factor is responsible for the onset of anxiety disorder. There are a few common causes of anxiety disorders which in turn can lead to physical issues such as shortness of breath etc.
Brain changes
Those individuals who are suffering from anxiety experience various negative changes in the brain as compared to the normal individuals. Different studies have reported clear differences in the brain after anxiety attacks. Moreover, the amygdala which is the prominent part of the brain also exhibits increased activity.
Genetics
Genes are also responsible for the onset of anxiety attacks. If one of your parents is suffering from an anxiety disorder then there is a greater probability that you will also suffer from anxiety. However, the exact gene that is responsible for the development of anxiety disorder is not known.
Chemical imbalances
Neurotransmitters play a significant role in maintaining brain activity. Epinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and GABA are the major hormones that specifically regulate the activity of the brain. If the level of any of these hormones gets altered then it can lead to the occurrence of anxiety disorder.
Environmental stress factors
Various environmental stressors can direct individuals towards stressful situations. Different factors can act as a source of stress such as personal loss, financial loss, death of loved ones, and the sudden incident of any natural disaster. Any of these factors can develop anxious thoughts in the minds of individuals and then can lead to shortness of breath.
What are the main types of anxiety disorders?
The following are the main types of anxiety disorder:
Generalized anxiety disorder
This type of anxiety disorder involves an excessive state of worrying or sadness. Due to prolonged stress periods, individuals face various difficulties in different phases of their lives. Moreover, they face difficulty in paying attention to important life details. Especially if any child is suffering from generalized anxiety disorder then he or she fails to concentrate in class and achieve excellence in their personal, social as well as academic life.
Panic disorder
Panic disorder is also a common type of anxiety disorder. Individuals with panic disorder experience panic attacks when they get exposed to any frightening situation or remember any previous life situation. Affected individuals also experience palpitations, nausea, vomiting, numbness, trembling, shaking of hands, chest pain as well as shortness of breath.
Social anxiety disorder
As the name indicates, this involves the fear of social interaction. Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder always prefer to stay alone instead of engaging in any social activity. Moreover, they mostly remain in fear that they get embarrassed or humiliated in front of people. If the symptoms of social anxiety disorder are left untreated then symptoms can stay for months or more.
Phobia
Phobia involves the fear of any object, situation, or other thing. Different individuals have different fears of different things and therefore, they also respond differently to each situation. Some individuals have a fear of heights while some have a fear of water fire or any other thing etc.
Learn More: Can anxiety cause diarrhea? What’s the major link?
Can anxiety cause shortness of breath?
There is a strong association between mental and physical health. If you are having any certain psychological issues then there is a greater probability that you will get certain physical symptoms in your body. Among them, shortness of breath is more common when individuals experience anxiety or panic after getting exposed to any undesired situation. Different studies have reported the fact that shortness of breath can stem from anxiety.
Dyspnea
Dyspnea is a medical term that is specifically used for the shortness of breath which makes the person feel that he can’t get enough air in the lungs. Affected individuals think that they have to work harder to grasp the air and then breathe.
What are the common forms of dyspnea?
There are two different forms of dyspnea which are as follows
Acute dyspnea
Acute dyspnea is mild as compared to chronic dyspnea. Moreover, the extent and duration of symptoms is also reduced. Symptoms only last for a few hours and days. Among different causes, anxiety is the major cause of acute dyspnea. However, cardiac arrest or any blockage of vessels or arteries are also the major causes of acute form of dyspnea.
Chronic dyspnea
As the name indicates, this form is more severe as compared to the acute one. In addition, the symptoms also last longer than an acute form of dyspnea. Severe conditions such as severe cardiac failure, asthma, and COPD can cause the onset of chronic dyspnea.
Can stress and anxiety cause shortness of breath?
When a person gets panic then there are various ways through which anxiety manifests in his body. The physical response becomes more obvious and different symptoms appear. During panic attacks, the body’s stress response gets activated which in turn causes the release of two major stress hormones which are as follows:
- Cortisol
- Adrenaline
The process of hyperventilation occurs which initiates the occurrence of shortness of breath.
The breathing rate gets elevated as the requirement of blood supply to the lungs increases. The person immediately starts thinking that he cannot respire normally and that his lungs are not efficiently working. Moreover, the affected individual also feels the tightening of chest muscles. Under the stress effect, different sugar molecules are released in the bloodstream.
In that case, although physical reaction is induced by anxiety this concept in mind can also elevate the rate of unconsciousness and anxiety attacks. In addition, their mind also generates different anxious thoughts and they also start thinking that they are having a cardiac issue or any other serious medical issue.
Moreover, the muscles present around the lungs or in the periphery also get tense due to more requirement of oxygen by the lungs. This in turn also affects the functioning of the lungs and contributes more to the increasing extent of panic attacks.
Under the effect of hyperventilation, various other effects appear which include:
- Sleeping issues
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Extreme tightness in the chest
- Decreased levels of carbon dioxide in blood
How can you tell that shortness of breath is from anxiety?
Anxiety can induce shortness of breath but still, various other factors can induce breathing issues. Therefore, the affected individual should be evaluated to identify whether he or she is suffering from anxiety or having some other physical or physiological issues. For this, each individual should be familiar with all common symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety comprises various symptoms other than shortness of breath. Therefore if you also feel nervousness, uneasiness, unconsciousness, intrusive thoughts, emotional instability, and irritable behavior then it’s an indication that you are having anxiety.
Furthermore, other than symptoms, you should also analyze the duration of your anxiety duration and the extent of the symptoms. As the normal stress goes away the stress factors vanish but if your anxiety is prolonged then you should consider your mental health to get treated.
After the self-evaluation, immediately communicate with the mental health experts to get the best treatment and mental health support to overcome the anxiety and shortness of breath. You don’t need to search for any platform as you are at the finest place. Inland Empire Behavioral Group is one of the premier mental health platforms that provides the ideal treatment and support for anxiety and shortness of breath.
Learn More: Can anxiety cause nausea? What’s their association?
What are the main preventive strategies for anxiety and shortness of breath?
Before handling your shortness of breath, you should first consider the strategies that you can use to prevent your anxiety triggers or anxiety attacks. Always think that anxiety is just like a natural disaster and you have to prepare yourself before the incident. So there are various strategies that you can use to cope with your anxiety.
List down your triggers
Always remember that your mind is the source of all anxious thoughts and also the main center to deal with them. When you feel normal and not having any panic or anxiety attacks then think about your previous anxiety attack. Try to find out the trigger factors of your anxiety and then allow your mind to think about the strategies to prevent the anxiety or anxiety attacks. Take a diary and write down all the points.
In this way, your mind’s thinking capabilities will also get enhanced and ultimately you will find both triggers and coping strategies for anxiety. Other than triggers you can also write down your sensations and all other mental health concerns that you can share with the mental health experts and seek the best guide to overcome your anxiety and associated symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Physical exercise
Whether you are suffering from any mental health issue or having trouble in your life activities due to certain arising physical symptoms, a physical workout is the best option. When you work hard or perform any strenuous activity, the rate of blood supply to different body parts increases. As the shortness of breath results from the reduced blood supply, exercise can help in this regard. Due to the physical activity or workout, blood pressure in the blood vessels that supply blood to the lungs increases and each cell of the lungs receives a sufficient supply of blood.
Various researchers have reported that during exercise, the level of stress hormones decreases and the soothing hormones are released in the blood that suppress the stress.
Breathing exercises
Whenever you feel a panic attack, you can leverage mindful breathing techniques to feel relaxed during the panic attacks. First, closely analyze your mental health and the state of your physical health. Place a hand on your rib cage and start inhaling gradually and slowly. Meanwhile, try to think about the positive and fruitful memories to feel calm and relaxed. First, take a deep breath for 10 to 15 seconds and then exhale out to cut down the pressure on your lungs.
Grounding techniques
Individuals suffering from anxiety experience the lost connection of mind from reality. Therefore, grounding techniques play a significant role in dealing with such situations. They are ideal for paying attention to everything in day-to-day functioning and making life easier with sound mental health. There are different factors which are involved in the grounding techniques such as:
Make a habit of standing in front of a mirror and talking with yourself. Recall all the events of a day and focus on your personality and your surroundings. Then think about different situations and how your body feels in different situations and prepare your mind to deal with each situation.
If you think that you are having emotional intensity then try to visualize them as it will reduce the intensity and you will see things from a different perspective.
Then look at your fist and do some movements. First, close your fist and then think that you have gathered all your worries in your hand. Then take a deep breath, open your first slowly and start thinking that you are just removing all your worries from your life. By repeating this activity every day, you will surely feel the effects of this grounding technique on your mind and overall health.
Moreover, another major component of the grounding technique is to distract your mind whenever you feel stressed. Whether you are working or sitting alone and free, then try to distract your mind from your anxious thoughts. For this, you can place different things in your close periphery or own space to mend your mind positively.
Environmental stressors
The environment is full of pollutants which can have adverse effects on both physical and mental health. Air contains various pollutants which can affect the mind and body. Therefore, each affected individual should take some preventive strategies to avoid the intake of pollutants that can harm the mind, body, and soul.
Weight management
A diet full of nutrients is extremely important to make the mind and body healthy. Try to avoid the intake of fat-containing products to maintain your cholesterol level in the blood. Moreover, also try to remove the high fat-containing milk or dairy products. Add fresh green leafy vegetables and fruit to your diet. Your main goal should be the intake of healthy food items with effective weight management. To maintain a body weight that is healthy for your body as well as for your mind.
Lifestyle changes
Your lifestyle also matters a lot in making your mind healthy and active. Make sure that you are taking adequate sleep to relax your mind. Moreover, if you have any sleeping issues then try to treat them first to prevent anxiety. Likewise, make a daily routine of waking early in the morning and going to bed on time for sleep.
Medications and Psychotherapy
At Inland Empire Behavioral Group, you can find experts who not only recommend psychiatric medications to treat anxiety but also provide effective medication management plans. Other than medication management, you can find top-notch therapy to overcome anxiety and shortness of breath.
Medications are the best way to manage the symptoms of any mental illness such as anxiety. Mental health professionals recommend different psychiatric medications to treat anxiety attacks. The main purpose of each recommended psychiatric medication is to reduce the frequency of all anxiety or panic attacks. The most common anti-anxiety medications are as follows:
- Alprazolam
- Tranylcypromine
- Escitalopram
- Paroxetine
Psychotherapy
As the name indicates, psychotherapy is a specialized therapy that is used to deal with different cognitive issues. With the help of talk therapy, you can reframe all your anxious thoughts which induce anxiety and shortness of breath. There are different types of psychotherapies but the most common are as follows:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common type of psychotherapy that is used to treat or manage anxiety. This involves the direct communication of affected individuals with the mental health experts and getting the best treatment or coping strategies for the anxiety and associated shortness of breath. By joining the cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, individuals learn how they can avoid stressful situations. Moreover, they also learn how they can alter their thoughts and avoid the onset of anxiety attacks.
Cognitive behavioral experts believe that social interaction is the best key to dealing with fear or phobias inducing anxiety. They teach them different social skills to interact with others and better participate in society.
Exposure therapy
This therapy involves the exposure of individuals to their fear. During the therapy sessions, individuals are first asked to share their all fears and make a list of them. Then the therapist asks them to rank their fears and then face them gradually. Individuals are first exposed to their fear and train their brains to tackle the situation. First, they exhibit the response but they adapt to the situation with time. So exposure therapy plays a significant role in overcoming the fear and the onset of the symptoms of anxiety disorder.
Concluding remarks
Anxiety involves different common symptoms but one of the most unpleasant or uncomfortable physical symptoms is the shortness of breath. The body’s sympathetic system gets activated which in turn causes the activation of a fight or flight response. Moreover, stress hormones are also released, affecting the functioning of different body organs. Hyperventilation becomes more prominent which makes the condition more noticeable. Different factors explain the fact that anxiety causes shortness of breath. However, with effective management strategies, you can eradicate this issue. Moreover, Inland Empire Behavioral Group is a premier mental health platform that provides the best mental health professionals who offer exceptional assistance in treating and preventing anxiety-induced breathing problems. Moreover, you can also find the finest treatment for other mental illnesses including depression, OCD, eating disorders, and ADHD.
