Do you suffer from anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem or lack confidence?
Feeling anxious, stressed or worried is a common responses to a situation when we feel under pressure such as public speaking, a job interview or going on a date. These emotions are perfectly normal and can even keep us safe for example when climbing a ladder; we have a heightened level of awareness and are more careful with our movements. These feelings usually resolve after the stressful situation has passed (3).
But for those with anxiety disorders the feelings of anxiousness, worry and fear remain and start interfering with day to day life. Those affected live constantly switched on in the ‘Fight or Flight’ response.
Conditions Treated
Many patients don’t realise the impact mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders are having on their body until we link their symptoms to the ‘Fight or Flight’ response. Typical symptoms I see in anxiety affected patient include:
- Poor posture: hunching forward is a protective mechanism we use to defend ourselves from a potential threat causing symptoms such as headaches, chest tightness, back pain and so on.
- Muscular tightness: as I mentioned before, the ‘Fight or Flight’ response increases muscular tone in the body to prepare itself for a perceived threat therefore causing patients muscular soreness, tight aching muscle pain, tenderness and loss of motion etc
- Difficulty breathing: many patients with anxiety tend to breath very shallow into the upper part of their chest rather than a deep, full belly breath. This causes them to feel constricted and have difficulty getting a full breath leading to dizziness and increased use of the neck muscles to assist with breathing causing tightness in the neck, jaw pain and headaches.
- Digestive issues: with blood being diverted away during the ‘Fight or Flight’ response, digestion slows to a near stop causing issues such as constipation, cramping and nausea and a decrease in appetite
- Exhaustion: with the nervous system constantly in a state of heighten sensitively it can leave a patient feeling drained by the constant signals telling the body to prepare to fight or run. It is also difficult for those with anxiety disorders to get a restful night’s sleep also.