Yes. However, people can describe a symptom in different ways even though it's the same symptom. Also, we don't have all anxiety symptoms described on our public pages even though we have them all described in the Recovery Support area. We're planning on putting all anxiety symptoms on our public pages in the months ahead. But if you're a member and have a symptom we don't have described, again, yes, we'd like to hear about it so that we can include ALL anxiety symptoms in our materials.
This symptom is referred to as tinnitus, which can cause all kinds of sounds in the head, including an effervescent-like sound. You can find our public page about it here:www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/ringing-in-the-ears/ Or, we have a much more detailed description and remedy in the Recovery Support area.
Mr. Folk, I am at the end of the rope. Hit the rock bottom. My muscles burn/ itch extremely bad. The forehead inches really bad, sometimes the temples... sometimes my neck muscles or upper back muscles. The depersonalization is really bad and scarry. Everybody is pushing me to take medication, but I am very scared of it. Can I ever recover without medication? I am so scared. I am in such pain. Even though I am not scared of anything or agitated, I feel I am injected with pure fear. What can I do?
I'm sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment. I suggest becoming a member of our Recovery Support area and learning about what you are dealing with. The more you know, the better off you'll be. Second, I recommend connecting with one of our recommended anxiety disorder therapists. Working with a therapist is the most effective way to overcome anxiety disorder and hyperstimulation. The therapist can answer your questions and help you get headed in the right direction. Otherwise, we can spend a lot of time and energy spinning our wheels and remaining sick. Because there's a lot to learn, I can't include that in a few comments. That's why I suggest joining the Recovery Support area, as we explain much of it there. Since all of us can overcome a struggle with anxiety disorder and hyperstimulation, there isn't any reason to remain stuck. Getting the right information and doing the required work free us from it. While the road to lasting recovery isn't quick or easy (in most cases), it is sure. If you start doing the right work now, you can experience results down the road. For more information: • www.anxietycentre.com/treatment/ • www.anxietycentre.com/articles/anxiety-disorder-recovery/ • www.anxietycentre.com/faq/anxiety-recovery-can-you-feel-normal-again/ • www.anxietycentre.com/therapy/anxiety-disorder-therapy/ • www.anxietycentre.com/faq/can-everyone-recover-from-anxiety-disorder/ • www.anxietycentre.com/therapy/anxiety-coaching-therapy-program/
@@anxietycentre thank you for your reply. I am not a member because I don't want to get into more reading and searching about the condition. I had my share of studying medication, conditions (ms, tumors, fungi infection etc.). I read a lot of studies about medication and I am terrified about their effects. I stopped reading and researching a while ago and when I find myself reading again makes me going back to the depths of agony. --even writing this instead of living life is not the best approach; but I am trying to find relief and reassurance The free part of your website is the most comprehensive in regards of anxiety. I really apreciate what you do for all the sufferers. Thank you! Mr. Folk and your staff. In regards of my sensations, they are so cruel... it is agonizing to live like this. The itchiness and disociation are so bad... To tell the truth, writing here I am hoping for reasurance, even if the agony is so severe, even if it is going on for so long (many many years)... and maybe a word of advice... I am in great distress. I understand this is not the place (not enough time nor space) to receive counseling... I am just trying to vent and receive some relief.
Sorry, I wasn't trying to counsel you, but give you some information that would be helpful. Since there's a lot to learn about anxiety and hyperstimulation to be successful, I was trying to point you in the right direction to get you on the road to recovery. While venting can be helpful at times, it doesn't provide the information or skills necessary to overcome anxiety, hyperstimulation, and symptoms.
Ime the same though been going on years the pain but ime going to take ldn to help it.much calm down then do more mental work where us your worsed problem
Its common i get these from anxiety and panic just before i get myself out of bed in the mornings had them for 2 months since all this started it feels so scary.
Jim us it common temperature changes IE for me I can go outside t shirt shorts in winter though summer ime to hot.une not concerned with it I've had it 30 years but as discussed pain symptoms are my problem but just wanted to no the link
Jim could you please explain what is the difference between acute hyperstimulation, what is a stress build up, and what is chronic overstimulation? are they different? and what their symptom experience would be and how long it would take to heal? can you give an example for each? (please be specific regarding which one you are talking about so i understand, thank you)
Hyperstimulation is another term for chronic stress. However, we can hyperstimulate the body quickly via worry since worry can stress the body in a hurry. Research has shown that it can take up to four times as long to recover from the effects of stress as it does to become stressed. For instance, if you intensely worry for a few weeks, it could take several weeks to recover from that once you stop worrying. Otherwise, the body can recover relatively quickly from normal stress, such as within a few days to a week or so once the stress has been relieved. Because each body is physically and chemically unique, the effects of stress will vary from person to person. Therefore, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer I can provide. We have much more information about this in the Recovery Support area (in chapters 6, 9, 10, and 14). If you are a Recovery Support member, I suggest checking out those sections for more information, including how to stop worrying about stress and anxiety symptoms.
@@anxietycentre thank you for the response. Ive read everything to be honest. I understand that if we push the body too long or too much that it will present symptoms. Where i get confused on the website is that im stuck with the notion of "if we get a strong symptom" after a stressful period that then means that we got over our stress threshold and that the body became chronically hyperstimulated. Instead of it being we had a really stressful week that will not result in chronic hyperstimulation. Or maybe we got really scared the day before or something. Thats why i got scared with the article with the threshold, and thats why ask these questions. it would help greatly with overcoming my fear of chronic hyperstimulation. Any ideas regarding that?
We can get acute symptoms from acute stress. They usually subside within a day to a week or so after stress has been sufficiently reduced. We can also get chronic symptoms from chronic stress (hyperstimulation). They typically take far longer to subside once stress has been sufficiently reduced. Since both acute and chronic stress symptoms are merely symptoms of stress, which subside as stress is reduced and the body has sufficient time to recover, there's no reason to be concerned about either. Addressing Level Two recovery work and regular healthy stress management practices can prevent both. If you are worrying about stress, I suggest connecting with a therapist to help you address that fear. Since there's no reason to worry about stress or its symptoms, that fear can be overcome with the right help and work.
@@anxietycentre i agree! But is there an inbetween between acute(short period like a day or 2) and chronic (months)? Such as a build up of unhealthy stress of a week or two weeks? (Like having an overly stressful week or two where we didnt manage stress well)? And that will result in like a week to a couple of weeks to heal? (Where would you classify that?)
Hey Jim , is it Normal and Common with Stress and Anxiety and Hyperstimulation to get Shortness of Breath and pains in the Arms shoulders and Jaw and chest all at the same time ? like is it normal and common to experience symptoms all at the same time ?
@@anxietycentreyes ! So if I’m Chronically Stressed and Hyperstimulation i can experience all of those Symptoms the ones i mentioned all at once for days ?
@@anxietycentrealso can you experience all the symptoms i stated in my comment even without having a Panic attack or Anxiety attack ? Stress and Hyperstimulation can cause them to happen all the time also right ? Not just Panic attacks
I’ve been in a hyper stimulated state for 3 years after stopping a benzo prescribed nightly for insomnia that I took for 5 years. Ever since stopping I’ve been stuck in fight flight or freeze mode and can’t seem to ever relax. My main issues are DPDR which I’m stuck in 24/7 and anhedonia. I feel like I’m always running on adrenaline even though I can’t even seem to feel any stress hormones. Is recovery still possible? I’ve never dealt with any of these issues before stopping that medication but I did have an OCD diagnosis.
Yes, it is possible. However, you'll likely need to work with an experienced anxiety disorder therapist to help you become successful, as a self-help approach alone typically isn't that successful. You'll also need to work with a therapist who understands benzo withdrawal and the underlying factors that create overly anxious behavior, such as OCD. If you connect with the right therapist and do the required work, you can succeed. We've helped a lot of people over the years, so we know you can be successful, too. You can have a look at some of the success stories here: www.anxietycentre.com/recovery-stories-testimonials/
Hi Jim , first your website's symptom list is very useful and informative ! my question is about muscle tension , everyone knows about anxiety causing muscle tension , however few seem to know about the other way around , muscle tension and/or myofascial trigger points do absolutely trigger anxious feelings which logically would contribute to hyperstimulation and prolongation of the stress response , Dr.Edmund Jacobson researched this several decades ago and confirmed that muscle relaxation calms the nervous system down and of course anxiety down ! since addressing muscle tension 3 years ago , my panic attacks were eliminated completely which was a miracle. with all of this being said , i've seen a comment from you replying to another user saying that muscle tension does not cause hyperstimulation , any thoughts ? thanks again Jim , always helpful.
Thanks for your comments. Muscle tension can lead to hyperstimulation if the tension is painful (pain stresses the body) and if the person worries and stresses about muscle tension (worry stresses the body). If you can point me in the direction of the comment I made about muscle tension not causing hyperstimulation, I'd like to see the context.
@@anxietycentre Sure Jim ! here's the context : czcams.com/video/scMB_2O5ueM/video.html&lc=Ugxc2-uHCDCgKvcTJAR4AaABAg.9g_QTzGEhaI9gazuoqsFPq the interesting thing is it doesn't have to be painful , just the feeling of tightness in the fascia/muscles especially psoas/hips and neck muscles apparently make it so the central nervous system cannot relax like it's supposed to , this physiotherapist does a good job explaining it : czcams.com/video/gMG_pbPhEOs/video.html Thanks again for your awesome website , i love how specific it gets with the symptom descriptions ! have a great day/night !
Thanks for your response and the links. While muscle tension can be a symptom of hyperstimulation, it doesn't cause hyperstimulation. That's because it takes a lot of unrelieved stress to push the body through its normal stress tolerance range and into the hyperstimulation range. Muscle tension itself is not significant enough to do that. Here's an article that explains the body's normal stress tolerance range and what it takes to enter the hyperstimulation range. www.anxietycentre.com/faq/does-all-stress-lead-to-hyperstimulation/ However, muscle tension can aggravate hyperstimulation once the body becomes hyperstimulated. And typically, that's the scenario. The body becomes chronically stressed enough to enter the hyperstimulation range, then muscle tension symptoms appear, which can aggravate hyperstimulation. Here are some illustrations to verify this. I used to play competitive racquetball. Consequently, I played daily, and my muscles were constantly tight from the exertion. Yet, my body never became hyperstimulated. Bodybuilders constantly experience tight muscles, yet they also don't become hyperstimulated unless they have another more profound source of stress, such as overly anxious behavior. Office workers who work on computers all day and have stiff necks and shoulders don't become hyperstimulated unless they also have other sources of stress, such as overly anxious behavior. There are many examples of people with chronic muscle tension who aren't hyperstimulated solely because of chronic muscle tension. Overly anxious behavior can cause hyperstimulation because anxious behavior triggers the stress response, which releases powerful stress hormones into the bloodstream. The more often the person is overly anxious, the faster the body can become hyperstimulated due to the constant stimulation from stress hormones, especially cortisol. Muscle tension doesn't chronically release large volumes of stress hormones. While chronic muscle tension can stress the body to a point, that stress isn't sufficient to cause hyperstimulation. As another example, I've been waiting for a hip replacement for just over three years. Consequently, I've had chronic muscle tension for those three years (from the hip joint itself, off-loading on the other hip, shoulder pain from using crutches and a cane, lower back tension from limping, etc.). That pain has constantly interfered with my sleep. Yet, my body isn't hyperstimulated. So again, it's my experience that muscle tension itself isn't sufficient to cause hyperstimulation. While it could be one of many factors that lead to hyperstimulation, it will be the other factors than make the difference. Last, in all the years I've been interacting with anxious people, I've not seen one become hyperstimulated due solely to muscle tension. In all cases, muscle tension is a symptom of hyperstimulation but not the cause. Once a person eliminates hyperstimulation, chronic muscle tension subsides. Moreover, we want to keep in mind that anxiety is caused by behavior. If a person worries about muscle tension, it will be the constant worry that leads to hyperstimulation and not the muscle tension itself. Thoughts?
@@anxietycentre Thanks for the detailed answer Jim , that makes a lot of sense actually , i certainly had anxious behavior in addition to the muscle tightness , so you would be correct to say it aggravates it but doesn't cause it by itself and my experience also can be explained by this theory. with that being said , it depends on how much tightness is in the muscles , if it's severe like my case , the body will try to compensate for tight and weak muscle groups with muscles that aren't designed for the job , if the pulling is strong enough , it can pull to the point of disturbing the vagus nerve which would definitely produce alarming symptoms in turn which can easily spiral into a full blown panic attack. So you would be correct to say that muscle tension by itself technically won't be much trouble , however as the body is very prone to the domino effect , muscle tension can be the starting point of symptoms unrelated to anxiety but with the pre-existing presence of anxious behavior and thinking , it can cause a significant boost in the anxiety severity level. that's at least how i see it , and like the person in the video said ''chicken or the egg'' type thing ! however we all agree that muscle tension is absolutely unwelcome and should be addressed , of course especially since relaxation is a key characteristic of the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
Since panic attacks have only two causes, I'd disagree that muscle tension can cause a panic attack. More likely the attack was caused by an anxious reaction to muscle tension (the most common cause) or caused involuntarily by hyperstimulation. I also disagree that muscle tension can pull so hard on the vagus nerve that it causes a panic attack. We just don't see that scenario. When we probe, it's usually one or combination of the causes I mentioned that's caused the panic attack. But yes, muscle tension can aggravate anxiety (if a person anxiously reacts to the tension) and hyperstimulation and its symptoms.
We've know for a long time that anxiety issues aren't genetic. Research a few years ago verified that. However, anxiety often runs in families because of behavioral influences, and they can start as early as 1-year-old.
@@anxietycentre you would think our brain wouldn't pick it up off our family that young what about Asperger's though.sure we all have it undiagnosed but it's all there OCD is part of Asperger's isn't it?. Hypomobility.perfectionistic.have our hobbies etc centred on one thing.thinking styles.
Without knowing more about the symptom you mentioned, it could be tinnitus, as it can cause many different types of sounds in the head. You can read more about that here: www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/ringing-in-the-ears/
Can you give any imput to taking benzos for anxiety to test if anxiety is a trigger for my VM? I was finally diagnosed w/ vestibular migraine...I've tried Ajovy (4 months) and it made some symptoms worse (balance) and others were improved, but I still had symptoms 20 days a month vs 22 prior. I was then prescribed Amitriptyline, which caused heart palpitations (one 10 mg dose) and told not to take it. Neuro now wonders if the VM symptoms are triggered by anxiety and wants me to take a benzo (Zanax) for 2 to 4 weeks (.25 mg 1x daily for 2 weeks and if no improvement take a 2nd .25 mg pill for the remaining 2 weeks). She said IF the low dose bezo stops the symptoms we'll know anxiety is the trigger and treatment would be CBT. I'm afraid of taking it b/c it's addictive and b/c I'm 73 AND b/c I fear it might make my symptoms worse. Neuro also said if I decided not to take it b/c of my concerns , we can try Setraline (which is also Rx/d for VM) and see if symptoms improve. I don't drink, have never done drugs, etc so I'm not likely to abuse it but I've read it can b/c addictive in as little as a few weeks.
I don't recommend trying a benzo for that purpose, because as you mentioned, it can set up a chemical dependence very quickly (within three weeks of daily use). Based on your comments, I suspect hyperstimulation is playing a role. You might try working to resolve that first before taking anything. Anxiety and hyperstimulation (chronic stress) are common triggers for migraines, including vestibular migraines. Containing your anxious behavior and reducing hyperstimulation could make a significant difference, and without the potential of negative side effects. Benzos can be very difficult to come off of, making your situation far worse.
@@anxietycentre Thank you for your quick reply. This confirms my fears are not unfounded. I don't want to add to my misery or have to deal with getting 'free' from an addictive substance.
I'd agree...especially with benzos. They can be brutal to come off for some people. It's sad that so many medical professionals don't understand the impact of benzos.
Hey Jim, if one of the members have experienced symptoms that aren’t on the anxiety center website, would you consider adding those symptoms on there?
Yes. However, people can describe a symptom in different ways even though it's the same symptom. Also, we don't have all anxiety symptoms described on our public pages even though we have them all described in the Recovery Support area. We're planning on putting all anxiety symptoms on our public pages in the months ahead. But if you're a member and have a symptom we don't have described, again, yes, we'd like to hear about it so that we can include ALL anxiety symptoms in our materials.
Jim , I have a effervescence sounds in head that I need support on how to get over this issue
This symptom is referred to as tinnitus, which can cause all kinds of sounds in the head, including an effervescent-like sound. You can find our public page about it here:www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/ringing-in-the-ears/
Or, we have a much more detailed description and remedy in the Recovery Support area.
Hey Jim , also How Common is Jaw Tension / Pain / Tightness and Aches in the Jaw with stress and anxiety
Very common.
Your very good Jim you can tell you no what your talking about.my anxiety drops listening to you or fear.
Glad you find these types of conversations helpful!
Mr. Folk,
I am at the end of the rope. Hit the rock bottom. My muscles burn/ itch extremely bad. The forehead inches really bad, sometimes the temples... sometimes my neck muscles or upper back muscles.
The depersonalization is really bad and scarry. Everybody is pushing me to take medication, but I am very scared of it. Can I ever recover without medication? I am so scared. I am in such pain. Even though I am not scared of anything or agitated, I feel I am injected with pure fear.
What can I do?
I'm sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment.
I suggest becoming a member of our Recovery Support area and learning about what you are dealing with. The more you know, the better off you'll be.
Second, I recommend connecting with one of our recommended anxiety disorder therapists. Working with a therapist is the most effective way to overcome anxiety disorder and hyperstimulation.
The therapist can answer your questions and help you get headed in the right direction. Otherwise, we can spend a lot of time and energy spinning our wheels and remaining sick.
Because there's a lot to learn, I can't include that in a few comments. That's why I suggest joining the Recovery Support area, as we explain much of it there.
Since all of us can overcome a struggle with anxiety disorder and hyperstimulation, there isn't any reason to remain stuck. Getting the right information and doing the required work free us from it.
While the road to lasting recovery isn't quick or easy (in most cases), it is sure. If you start doing the right work now, you can experience results down the road.
For more information:
• www.anxietycentre.com/treatment/
• www.anxietycentre.com/articles/anxiety-disorder-recovery/
• www.anxietycentre.com/faq/anxiety-recovery-can-you-feel-normal-again/
• www.anxietycentre.com/therapy/anxiety-disorder-therapy/
• www.anxietycentre.com/faq/can-everyone-recover-from-anxiety-disorder/
• www.anxietycentre.com/therapy/anxiety-coaching-therapy-program/
@@anxietycentre thank you for your reply. I am not a member because I don't want to get into more reading and searching about the condition. I had my share of studying medication, conditions (ms, tumors, fungi infection etc.). I read a lot of studies about medication and I am terrified about their effects. I stopped reading and researching a while ago and when I find myself reading again makes me going back to the depths of agony.
--even writing this instead of living life is not the best approach; but I am trying to find relief and reassurance
The free part of your website is the most comprehensive in regards of anxiety. I really apreciate what you do for all the sufferers. Thank you! Mr. Folk and your staff.
In regards of my sensations, they are so cruel... it is agonizing to live like this. The itchiness and disociation are so bad... To tell the truth, writing here I am hoping for reasurance, even if the agony is so severe, even if it is going on for so long (many many years)... and maybe a word of advice... I am in great distress.
I understand this is not the place (not enough time nor space) to receive counseling... I am just trying to vent and receive some relief.
Sorry, I wasn't trying to counsel you, but give you some information that would be helpful. Since there's a lot to learn about anxiety and hyperstimulation to be successful, I was trying to point you in the right direction to get you on the road to recovery.
While venting can be helpful at times, it doesn't provide the information or skills necessary to overcome anxiety, hyperstimulation, and symptoms.
Ime the same though been going on years the pain but ime going to take ldn to help it.much calm down then do more mental work where us your worsed problem
Hey Jim , how Common is Hot / Sweating flashes with Stress and Anxiety ? And can anxiety cause sweating on the back and chest ?
Oh yes had it all my life
Yes, very common. Like other symptoms, it can affect any part of the body.
@@Truerealism747on the back and chest ? And neck ?
@@ryans_kustomz4543 yeah how is your pain nowadays
Its common i get these from anxiety and panic just before i get myself out of bed in the mornings had them for 2 months since all this started it feels so scary.
Jim us it common temperature changes IE for me I can go outside t shirt shorts in winter though summer ime to hot.une not concerned with it I've had it 30 years but as discussed pain symptoms are my problem but just wanted to no the link
Hyperstimulation can affect how the body regulates its temperature.
Jim could you please explain what is the difference between acute hyperstimulation, what is a stress build up, and what is chronic overstimulation? are they different? and what their symptom experience would be and how long it would take to heal? can you give an example for each? (please be specific regarding which one you are talking about so i understand, thank you)
Hyperstimulation is another term for chronic stress. However, we can hyperstimulate the body quickly via worry since worry can stress the body in a hurry.
Research has shown that it can take up to four times as long to recover from the effects of stress as it does to become stressed.
For instance, if you intensely worry for a few weeks, it could take several weeks to recover from that once you stop worrying. Otherwise, the body can recover relatively quickly from normal stress, such as within a few days to a week or so once the stress has been relieved.
Because each body is physically and chemically unique, the effects of stress will vary from person to person. Therefore, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer I can provide.
We have much more information about this in the Recovery Support area (in chapters 6, 9, 10, and 14).
If you are a Recovery Support member, I suggest checking out those sections for more information, including how to stop worrying about stress and anxiety symptoms.
@@anxietycentre thank you for the response. Ive read everything to be honest. I understand that if we push the body too long or too much that it will present symptoms.
Where i get confused on the website is that im stuck with the notion of "if we get a strong symptom" after a stressful period that then means that we got over our stress threshold and that the body became chronically hyperstimulated.
Instead of it being we had a really stressful week that will not result in chronic hyperstimulation. Or maybe we got really scared the day before or something. Thats why i got scared with the article with the threshold, and thats why ask these questions. it would help greatly with overcoming my fear of chronic hyperstimulation. Any ideas regarding that?
We can get acute symptoms from acute stress. They usually subside within a day to a week or so after stress has been sufficiently reduced.
We can also get chronic symptoms from chronic stress (hyperstimulation). They typically take far longer to subside once stress has been sufficiently reduced.
Since both acute and chronic stress symptoms are merely symptoms of stress, which subside as stress is reduced and the body has sufficient time to recover, there's no reason to be concerned about either.
Addressing Level Two recovery work and regular healthy stress management practices can prevent both.
If you are worrying about stress, I suggest connecting with a therapist to help you address that fear.
Since there's no reason to worry about stress or its symptoms, that fear can be overcome with the right help and work.
@@anxietycentre i agree! But is there an inbetween between acute(short period like a day or 2) and chronic (months)? Such as a build up of unhealthy stress of a week or two weeks? (Like having an overly stressful week or two where we didnt manage stress well)? And that will result in like a week to a couple of weeks to heal? (Where would you classify that?)
Did you submit a similar question as a Recovery Support member?
Hey Jim , is it Normal and Common with Stress and Anxiety and Hyperstimulation to get Shortness of Breath and pains in the Arms shoulders and Jaw and chest all at the same time ? like is it normal and common to experience symptoms all at the same time ?
Those are also very common for anxiety and chronic stress (hyperstimulation).
@@anxietycentreyes ! So if I’m Chronically Stressed and Hyperstimulation i can experience all of those Symptoms the ones i mentioned all at once for days ?
@@anxietycentrealso can you experience all the symptoms i stated in my comment even without having a Panic attack or Anxiety attack ? Stress and Hyperstimulation can cause them to happen all the time also right ? Not just Panic attacks
Yes, you can have persistent anxiety symptoms without having anxiety attacks or panic attacks.
I’ve been in a hyper stimulated state for 3 years after stopping a benzo prescribed nightly for insomnia that I took for 5 years.
Ever since stopping I’ve been stuck in fight flight or freeze mode and can’t seem to ever relax. My main issues are DPDR which I’m stuck in 24/7 and anhedonia. I feel like I’m always running on adrenaline even though I can’t even seem to feel any stress hormones.
Is recovery still possible? I’ve never dealt with any of these issues before stopping that medication but I did have an OCD diagnosis.
Yes, it is possible. However, you'll likely need to work with an experienced anxiety disorder therapist to help you become successful, as a self-help approach alone typically isn't that successful. You'll also need to work with a therapist who understands benzo withdrawal and the underlying factors that create overly anxious behavior, such as OCD. If you connect with the right therapist and do the required work, you can succeed. We've helped a lot of people over the years, so we know you can be successful, too. You can have a look at some of the success stories here: www.anxietycentre.com/recovery-stories-testimonials/
Hi Jim , first your website's symptom list is very useful and informative ! my question is about muscle tension , everyone knows about anxiety causing muscle tension , however few seem to know about the other way around , muscle tension and/or myofascial trigger points do absolutely trigger anxious feelings which logically would contribute to hyperstimulation and prolongation of the stress response , Dr.Edmund Jacobson researched this several decades ago and confirmed that muscle relaxation calms the nervous system down and of course anxiety down ! since addressing muscle tension 3 years ago , my panic attacks were eliminated completely which was a miracle.
with all of this being said , i've seen a comment from you replying to another user saying that muscle tension does not cause hyperstimulation , any thoughts ? thanks again Jim , always helpful.
Thanks for your comments. Muscle tension can lead to hyperstimulation if the tension is painful (pain stresses the body) and if the person worries and stresses about muscle tension (worry stresses the body). If you can point me in the direction of the comment I made about muscle tension not causing hyperstimulation, I'd like to see the context.
@@anxietycentre Sure Jim ! here's the context : czcams.com/video/scMB_2O5ueM/video.html&lc=Ugxc2-uHCDCgKvcTJAR4AaABAg.9g_QTzGEhaI9gazuoqsFPq
the interesting thing is it doesn't have to be painful , just the feeling of tightness in the fascia/muscles especially psoas/hips and neck muscles apparently make it so the central nervous system cannot relax like it's supposed to , this physiotherapist does a good job explaining it : czcams.com/video/gMG_pbPhEOs/video.html
Thanks again for your awesome website , i love how specific it gets with the symptom descriptions ! have a great day/night !
Thanks for your response and the links.
While muscle tension can be a symptom of hyperstimulation, it doesn't cause hyperstimulation. That's because it takes a lot of unrelieved stress to push the body through its normal stress tolerance range and into the hyperstimulation range. Muscle tension itself is not significant enough to do that.
Here's an article that explains the body's normal stress tolerance range and what it takes to enter the hyperstimulation range.
www.anxietycentre.com/faq/does-all-stress-lead-to-hyperstimulation/
However, muscle tension can aggravate hyperstimulation once the body becomes hyperstimulated. And typically, that's the scenario. The body becomes chronically stressed enough to enter the hyperstimulation range, then muscle tension symptoms appear, which can aggravate hyperstimulation.
Here are some illustrations to verify this. I used to play competitive racquetball. Consequently, I played daily, and my muscles were constantly tight from the exertion. Yet, my body never became hyperstimulated.
Bodybuilders constantly experience tight muscles, yet they also don't become hyperstimulated unless they have another more profound source of stress, such as overly anxious behavior.
Office workers who work on computers all day and have stiff necks and shoulders don't become hyperstimulated unless they also have other sources of stress, such as overly anxious behavior.
There are many examples of people with chronic muscle tension who aren't hyperstimulated solely because of chronic muscle tension.
Overly anxious behavior can cause hyperstimulation because anxious behavior triggers the stress response, which releases powerful stress hormones into the bloodstream. The more often the person is overly anxious, the faster the body can become hyperstimulated due to the constant stimulation from stress hormones, especially cortisol.
Muscle tension doesn't chronically release large volumes of stress hormones. While chronic muscle tension can stress the body to a point, that stress isn't sufficient to cause hyperstimulation.
As another example, I've been waiting for a hip replacement for just over three years. Consequently, I've had chronic muscle tension for those three years (from the hip joint itself, off-loading on the other hip, shoulder pain from using crutches and a cane, lower back tension from limping, etc.). That pain has constantly interfered with my sleep. Yet, my body isn't hyperstimulated.
So again, it's my experience that muscle tension itself isn't sufficient to cause hyperstimulation. While it could be one of many factors that lead to hyperstimulation, it will be the other factors than make the difference.
Last, in all the years I've been interacting with anxious people, I've not seen one become hyperstimulated due solely to muscle tension. In all cases, muscle tension is a symptom of hyperstimulation but not the cause. Once a person eliminates hyperstimulation, chronic muscle tension subsides.
Moreover, we want to keep in mind that anxiety is caused by behavior. If a person worries about muscle tension, it will be the constant worry that leads to hyperstimulation and not the muscle tension itself. Thoughts?
@@anxietycentre Thanks for the detailed answer Jim , that makes a lot of sense actually , i certainly had anxious behavior in addition to the muscle tightness , so you would be correct to say it aggravates it but doesn't cause it by itself and my experience also can be explained by this theory.
with that being said , it depends on how much tightness is in the muscles , if it's severe like my case , the body will try to compensate for tight and weak muscle groups with muscles that aren't designed for the job , if the pulling is strong enough , it can pull to the point of disturbing the vagus nerve which would definitely produce alarming symptoms in turn which can easily spiral into a full blown panic attack.
So you would be correct to say that muscle tension by itself technically won't be much trouble , however as the body is very prone to the domino effect , muscle tension can be the starting point of symptoms unrelated to anxiety but with the pre-existing presence of anxious behavior and thinking , it can cause a significant boost in the anxiety severity level.
that's at least how i see it , and like the person in the video said ''chicken or the egg'' type thing ! however we all agree that muscle tension is absolutely unwelcome and should be addressed , of course especially since relaxation is a key characteristic of the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
Since panic attacks have only two causes, I'd disagree that muscle tension can cause a panic attack. More likely the attack was caused by an anxious reaction to muscle tension (the most common cause) or caused involuntarily by hyperstimulation. I also disagree that muscle tension can pull so hard on the vagus nerve that it causes a panic attack. We just don't see that scenario. When we probe, it's usually one or combination of the causes I mentioned that's caused the panic attack. But yes, muscle tension can aggravate anxiety (if a person anxiously reacts to the tension) and hyperstimulation and its symptoms.
What is reason why all my mother's side all have OCD pritty sure it's Asperger's but that must be gene tic brought out by anxiety.?me OCD from 5.
We've know for a long time that anxiety issues aren't genetic. Research a few years ago verified that. However, anxiety often runs in families because of behavioral influences, and they can start as early as 1-year-old.
@@anxietycentre you would think our brain wouldn't pick it up off our family that young what about Asperger's though.sure we all have it undiagnosed but it's all there OCD is part of Asperger's isn't it?. Hypomobility.perfectionistic.have our hobbies etc centred on one thing.thinking styles.
Why this effervescence sounds in the head
Without knowing more about the symptom you mentioned, it could be tinnitus, as it can cause many different types of sounds in the head. You can read more about that here: www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/ringing-in-the-ears/
Can you give any imput to taking benzos for anxiety to test if anxiety is a trigger for my VM? I was finally diagnosed w/ vestibular migraine...I've tried Ajovy (4 months) and it made some symptoms worse (balance) and others were improved, but I still had symptoms 20 days a month vs 22 prior. I was then prescribed Amitriptyline, which caused heart palpitations (one 10 mg dose) and told not to take it. Neuro now wonders if the VM symptoms are triggered by anxiety and wants me to take a benzo (Zanax) for 2 to 4 weeks (.25 mg 1x daily for 2 weeks and if no improvement take a 2nd .25 mg pill for the remaining 2 weeks). She said IF the low dose bezo stops the symptoms we'll know anxiety is the trigger and treatment would be CBT. I'm afraid of taking it b/c it's addictive and b/c I'm 73 AND b/c I fear it might make my symptoms worse. Neuro also said if I decided not to take it b/c of my concerns , we can try Setraline (which is also Rx/d for VM) and see if symptoms improve. I don't drink, have never done drugs, etc so I'm not likely to abuse it but I've read it can b/c addictive in as little as a few weeks.
I don't recommend trying a benzo for that purpose, because as you mentioned, it can set up a chemical dependence very quickly (within three weeks of daily use). Based on your comments, I suspect hyperstimulation is playing a role. You might try working to resolve that first before taking anything. Anxiety and hyperstimulation (chronic stress) are common triggers for migraines, including vestibular migraines. Containing your anxious behavior and reducing hyperstimulation could make a significant difference, and without the potential of negative side effects. Benzos can be very difficult to come off of, making your situation far worse.
@@anxietycentre Thank you for your quick reply. This confirms my fears are not unfounded. I don't want to add to my misery or have to deal with getting 'free' from an addictive substance.
I'd agree...especially with benzos. They can be brutal to come off for some people. It's sad that so many medical professionals don't understand the impact of benzos.