Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder That You Might Not Recognize

Anxiety disorder can cause some sneaky physical symptoms and you might not realize it.
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When thinking about anxiety disorder, you probably consider the classic signs — shortness of breath, racing heart, and constant overthinking. But physical symptoms of anxiety disorders are real, too. Anxiety is a complex mental illness that gives those who experience it a wide range of symptoms. It’s important to know and be mindful about the physical impact anxiety can have on people, because it can feel quite frightening when it happens to you. If you find yourself nodding along in response to the symptoms listed below, you might consider reaching out for help. And as a reminder, more than 30% of adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, so you're definitely not alone.

Muscle aches.

Muscle aches aren’t always going caused by working out or heavy lifting; they could be a symptom of anxiety. Beth Salcedo, MD, the president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) told Teen Vogue, “Anxiety is your brain’s way of protecting you — telling your muscles to get ready to get you out of a dangerous situation. When the brain misfires, it tells you to be anxious in situations [that] don’t typically warrant such an escape plan. Often it can be chronically misfiring, which leads to muscle tightness and therefore muscle aches.”

Hot flashes and chills.

You might think chills or hot flashes only come from illnesses like the common cold or flu, but that isn’t always the case. Anxiety can cause them as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, panic attacks can cause you to experience chills and hot flashes similar to those you might experience if you have a fever. But it’s not just when you’re in the midst of a panic attack. According to the University of Michigan, generalized anxiety disorder can also cause symptoms like sweating.

Tingly arms and legs.

Experiencing tingling in your limbs can't certainly be concerning, and can be a symptom of something serious. But it can also be caused by anxiety. Kathy HoganBruen, PhD, founder of the District Anxiety Center in Washington, D.C told Teen Vogue, “As early humans, our survival relied on our ability to either ward off danger or to run from it. If we saw our friend get eaten by a tiger, we got pretty good at fighting tigers, and running from them. Our bodies developed great automatic systems to keep us safe—they learned to turn it on quickly (but not off so easily!). Nowadays, we have awesome, big, complex brains to ponder life and death, and assess risk. But we never lost that primitive brain. So, bottom line is that we feel anxiety in our bodies—even if it’s about going to a party and not about survival. There are the more ways that happens—stress headaches, a rumbling stomach, clenched jaw, or a back ache. But it can just as easily be tingling arms or dizziness. It’s all part of the same system that keeps us safe. When your body says 'danger,' blood and oxygen rush to where they need to go so you can act quickly (fight or flight)—and you feel that!”

Feeling off balance.

Does it ever feel like the ground beneath you has moved? It's definitely unsettling, but Jill Emanuele, PhD, the senior director for the Child Mind Institute told Teen Vogue, that you're not in danger. “For some people, anxiety can lead them to feel like the room is shaking, spinning, or even unfocused," Emanuele said. "Sometimes these experiences can be the result of having many anxious thoughts at once, or even having a panic attack.”

Fatigue.

There is no question anxiety disorders cause fatigue, which, for some people can be devastating. Salcedo clarified the reasons anxiety could affect a person’s energy level.“Being anxious is like working overtime. Your brain and body are working much harder than they need to, and this is exhausting,” she said. “On top of that, anxiety often leads to insomnia, sleep deprivation, and chronic exhaustion.”

Indigestion.

It’s not uncommon for anxiety to worsen indigestion or other stomach conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Salcedo told Teen Vogue, “Any stress can lead to worsening of underlying GI issues, including acid reflux (indigestion) and other GI issues.”

Headaches.

Headaches and painful tension in the forehead are closely linked to anxiety disorder and emotional stress, and are one of the more common physical symptoms of anxiety, according to the ADAA. "A headache can be a physical symptom of anxiety as our bodies and minds are highly linked together," Emanuele confirmed. "Many patients, both children and adults, experience headaches as a symptom of anxiety."

The good news is that, no matter what symptoms you’re experiencing, you don’t have to suffer through them.

“I have seen thousands of patients over the years, and my colleagues have as well. We know that treatment for anxiety and depression is out there and works. Whether you want to seek treatment in the form of medication, certain types of psychotherapy, or both, your chances are that you will find huge benefits in treatment,” Salcedo said. “It’s incredibly important to seek out treatment providers who value science based treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, that have been studied well and found to be helpful. Treatment is available and it works.”