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What is Happening to Your Brain When You’re Feeling Anxious

So someone told you that your anxiety is all in your head? Well, that’s actually kind of right. Your brain has a lot to do with what makes you feel anxious.

Brain Chemicals
You have 10 billion cells in your brain called neurons. These neurons communicate with each other by sending messages back and forth via chemicals called neurotransmitters. In order for these messages to get sent, there needs to be enough of those chemicals. Sometimes when people have anxiety, they either have too many or too few chemicals. Here a few examples:

GABA-slows your neurons. When GABA isn’t working you might feel agitated. GABA may even increase problems with other chemicals.

Serotonin-helps even out your mood, your appetite and your sleep. When this chemical is low you might experience poor planning, poor impulse control, fly off the handle with everyday problems, or be rigid with things.

Norepinephrine-keeps you alert and energetic. It also helps balance your blood pressure. When this chemical is too high, you may feel jittery, have scattered thoughts or experience panic attacks.

Parts of Your Brain
Different parts of your brain do different things. Just like completing a call requires your phone to receive a signal and send back a response, all the parts of your brain need to function smoothly for the messages to be clearly received and sent. The brain is very complex and I could talk about all the different parts and what they do, but let’s keep this simple.

Nervous System-gets organs going and calms them down
Stress Response System-gets hormones like adrenaline  pumping
Limbic System-affects emotion and memory
Basal Ganglia-coordinates motivation and body movement
Cortex-responsible for language, thinking, and decision-making

How it All Makes You Feel Anxious
Imbalances in these brain structures can cause specific anxiety disorders.

***Specific Phobias
The amygdala, which is part of the limbic system, looks out for danger, safety and what’s familiar. The amygdala starts the fight or flight response. The hippocampus, also within the limbic system, is involved in learning and memory. During a stressful event, the amygdala and hippocampus work together and result in bodily responses that prepare you for danger. People that experience certain phobias may have an amygdala or hippocampus that goes into overdrive, even when danger is not present.
***Panic disorder
Panic symptoms can be caused by abnormalities in the brain stem and prefrontal cortex.
***Generalized Anxiety Disorder
GAD can be caused by abnormalities in chemicals like GABA and Norepinephrine. People with GAD may also have less activity in their central and peripheral nervous systems.

What????
So, do you feel like you just had a mini science class? Well, when it comes to the mind and body, science has a lot to do with it. Please don’t feel defeated though. Sometimes medication can help smooth out these chemical levels. If you feel like you are suffering from anxiety, talk with your doctor. He or she may recommend trying medication or talking with a therapist.

For more information, please contact me via email.
eglcsw@eileengrudierlcsw.com

 

REFERENCES
Wehrenberg, M. (2008) The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques. New York: W.W. Norton and Company Inc.
Wolfe, B. (2005) Understanding and Treating Anxiety Disorders. An Integrated Approach to healing the Wounded Self. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=XnMhWq7KI8eGjwT-8amoBw&q=nervous+system+in+brain&oq=nervous+system+in+brain&gs_l=psy-ab.3…5664.7568.0.7625.9.5.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0….0…1c.1.64.psy-ab..9.0.0….0.SeoWcc4I-uE#imgrc=eD7TxRjg3iVsPM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=limbic+system&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir7qTRjenXAhVq6oMKHZmvDPMQ_AUICigB&biw=1024&bih=488#imgrc=6edMGXk7THWRsM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=basal+ganglia&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjeXLkOnXAhXJz4MKHUnRC0EQ_AUICigB&biw=1024&bih=488#imgrc=ITVix6_QX76ynM:

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Why Does a Panic Attack Feel Like a Heart Attack?

 

Panic Attack and Heart Attack Symptoms

Trouble breathing
Rapid heartbeat
Chest pain or burning
Dizziness
Numbness in your hands and feet
Feeling of impending doom
Sweating
Fainting
Trembling.

Hard to tell the difference right? A panic attack can occur randomly or can be caused by a stressful event, but there is no immediate danger. A heart attack is dangerous, and it requires immediate medical attention.

 

Heart Disease
Heart disease affects your heart’s muscle, blood vessels, and electrical system and is the leading cause of death among women. The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease in which plaque (a fat-like substance) deposits on your artery walls. This is a chronic condition that occurs in people with risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, abnormal levels of blood fats, high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease and older age. When the plaque ruptures, it causes a blood clot to form and will block an artery. If this happens it may result in a heart attack.

 

Tests, Tests, and More Tests
Some of the following tests may help you and your doctor rule out an actual heart attack:

Electrocardiogram
Having a test done called an EKG can help you figure out if the pain is coming from your heart. An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) measures your heart’s electrical activity by placing small electrodes on your chest, either while you are lying down or during stress testing. It records your heart’s rate and rhythm and can detect evidence of a heart attack or inadequate blood flow to your heart.

Blood Tests
Along with an EKG, blood tests screen for a variety of proteins found in the blood that are known to be associated with heart attacks.

Stress Tests
The treadmill stress test is walking on a treadmill to stress the heart with exercise while having an EKG.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An MRI of the heart uses strong magnets to detect energy signals from your heart muscle.

 

What If You Have Both?
If you have had a heart attack before and have panic attacks, you should work with your doctor to identify the symptoms that trigger an immediate trip to the emergency room. Whether it turns out to be another panic attack or not, you should treat those symptoms as a possible heart attack. After, you should treat all other symptoms as signs of anxiety or a panic attack, even though they may feel like a heart attack.

 

Don’t Wait
Call 911 if you think you are having a heart attack. If you have chest pain or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or other symptoms which seem life-threatening, get to the emergency room. Treatment results are best if you arrive in the emergency department shortly after your symptoms begin. Once a heart attack is ruled out, seek treatment such as talk therapy and medication.

 

If you find that you are having anxiety or panic attacks, please contact me via email so we can talk further.
eglcsw@eileengrudierlcsw.com

 

REFERENCES
https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/ask-and-learn/ask-expert/how-can-i-tell-if-i%E2%80%99m-having-panic-attack-or-heart-atta
http://www.womensheart.org/content/heartdisease/panic_attack_or_heart_attack.asp

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What Might Cause Someone to Have a Panic Attack?

One day, without warning, a feeling of terrible anxiety comes crashing down on you. You feel like you can’t get enough air, no matter how hard you breathe. Your heart is pounding out of your chest, and you think you might die. You’re sweating and feel dizzy. You feel like you have no control. After what seems like forever, your breathing slows and you eventually let go of the fear and racing thoughts, but are totally drained and exhausted. These attacks start to occur every couple of weeks, and you think you are losing your mind. Sound familiar? You might be having panic attacks.

So What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack can include many symptoms like rapid heart rate and breathing, tingling, ringing ears, a lump in your throat, dizziness and nausea. Sounds fun right?

Panic Vs Anxiety
Keep in mind that panic attacks and anxiety disorders are two different things. People with anxiety have fear in everyday situations. They feel tense in situations where the average person does not. This tension often causes a panic attack, which is that sudden feeling of extreme fear and worry. Don’t forget though, not all people with anxiety will have panic attacks, but all people with panic attacks do have anxiety disorders.

Panic Disorder
Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes. The problem goes away when a stressful situation ends. But if you’ve had repeated, unexpected panic attacks and feel like you are always in fear of another attack, you may have something called panic disorder.
Panic Disorder is that constant fear of having a panic attack. This fear can be so intense that it leads people to avoid situations in which they might panic. A person with panic disorder may become upset and feel ashamed because he or she cannot carry out normal activities like going to school or work, going to the grocery store, or driving.
Panic disorder often begins in the late teens or early adulthood. More women than men have panic disorder but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder.

Causes
It’s not known what causes panic attacks or panic disorder, but these factors may play a role:

*Genetics
*Major stress or past trauma
*Personality that is more sensitive to stress or negative     emotions
*Out of balance hormones
*Certain changes in the way parts of your brain function

 

Panic attacks may start out coming on suddenly and without warning, but over time, they’re usually triggered by certain situations.
A system in your body called the fight-or-flight response to danger is involved in panic attacks. For example, if a grizzly bear came after you, your body would react without thinking. Your heart rate and breathing would speed up as your body prepared itself for a life-threatening situation. Many of the same reactions occur in a panic attack. It’s not known why a panic attack occurs when there’s no obvious danger present but many people with panic disorder can mistake harmless body sensations as threats.

The Brain
Many parts of your brain affect fear and anxiety. Various chemicals in your brain can be changed by things like medication, caffeine, blood pressure, and sleep habits.

 

Other things that might increase your risk of having panic attacks or panic disorder include:
Family history of panic attacks or panic disorder
Major life stress, such as the death or serious illness of a loved one
A traumatic event, such as sexual assault or a serious accident
Major changes in your life, such as a divorce or the addition of a baby
Smoking or excessive caffeine intake
History of childhood physical or sexual abuse

What to Do
Left untreated, panic attacks and panic disorder can affect almost every area of your life. You may be so afraid of having more panic attacks that you live in a constant state of fear, ruining your quality of life. If you’ve had signs or symptoms of a panic attack, make an appointment with your general doctor. After an initial eval, your doctor may refer you to a therapist for treatment.

I’d like to help. If you think you may be suffering from anxiety,  please contact me via email so we can talk further.

eglcsw@eileengrudierlcsw.com

 

REFERENCES
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/index.shtml
http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=9912
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/basics/definition/con-20020825
Wehrenberg, M. (2008) The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques. New York: W.W. Norton and Company Inc.

 

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How and Why I Became a Therapist

College

So, I was 18 years old, fresh out of high school and essentially no clue as to what I wanted to be when I grew up. So what did I do? I went to a four-year school for a degree in communications. Fast forward to two semesters later and my once A’s and B’s were quickly sliding down to C’s and D’s. Apparently communications was not for me.

So what did I do? I changed schools and decided to give community college a try. My mom had been a registered nurse for over 30 years so my thought was, why not? Well, you guessed it. Those C’s and D’s were leering their heads again. It was at that point that I was seriously second guessing my ability at this college thing.

 

Relationships & Life Events

So by 20 years old, I had been dating a guy for a few months. Soon into the relationship, I discovered that he had a pretty bad drug problem. After much consideration, I ended that relationship, only to find myself dating another guy with the same exact drug addiction.

It was also around this time, that my older sister died suddenly. After ending it with Boyfriend Number 2 and trying my best to grieve the loss of my sister, I found myself suffering from debilitating panic attacks and Depression. I was having trouble going to school or work and sometimes even leaving the house.

 

Coping and New Opportunities

During the next few years , I worked hard at getting myself to a stable place emotionally. I soon discovered something. I was interested in becoming a counselor. So I transferred to a different community college and completed a 2 year degree in drug and alcohol counseling. I was 25 at the time and of course here came Anxiety telling me “Oh my you are too old to still be in college!” But that didn’t stop my passion.

 

Keep At It

Age 27 meant getting my Bachelor’s degree in Social work and by 28 I had my Master’s in Social Work. I am now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Private Practice, doing the work I love most.

 

Always Learning

So what did I learn from my journey through school? Well,that life certainly will not play out as expected! Did I have moments where I second guessed my talents and abilities? Sure. Did I have major life events that impacted my ability to cope effectively? You betcha! But I didn’t let that stop me from achieving my goals.

 

 

Do these life struggles sound familiar to you? Have you at times been your own worst critic and felt like you were not capable of achieving great things? If so, contact me and let’s put together a plan of action.

eglcsw@eileengrudierlcsw.com