Is the weird feeling in my head a sign of anxiety?

This article will discuss if that weird feeling in your head can be a sign of anxiety. It will show why this happens, and the best ways to cope with it.

Is the weird feeling in my head a sign of anxiety? 

Yes, it is possible that the weird feeling in your head is a sign of anxiety. The condition can manifest itself with physical, and emotional symptoms, and this weird feeling in your head may be one of them.

This weird feeling in your head can be a sign of multiple conditions that anxiety brings. You may be experiencing brain fog, pressure in your head, headaches caused by anxiety, or even dissociation, which makes you feel disconnected from yourself, and the world.

Brain fog is a condition that happens when people are constantly stressed, and may be having trouble sleeping. It is that sensation that your thoughts are sluggish, so your cognitive functions worsen, which means it is harder to pay attention to things, memorize them, or even plan things well.

The headaches that are caused by anxiety are often tension headaches or migraine headaches. The first can go on for hours or days, and may not get too severe, but they can disturb the person’s daily activity. They will often feel like there is a band pressuring your head, and your scalp can become tender.

Migraine headaches, are ones in which you will feel a throbbing sensation, and the pain is often on the side of your head or your face. It can also lead to nausea or vomiting. 

And the person will be more sensitive to sounds and lights. A person’s migraine can go on for days, and during that time, it may be harder, and sometimes even impossible, for the person to do their activities normally. 

If you experience any of these weird feelings in your head as you are anxious, you must know why this happens. So let’s explain that.

Why do I get that weird feeling in my head when I am anxious? 

As you are feeling anxious, your body will be experiencing a rush of stress hormones, which will affect your body, and your circulatory system, which will impact your head, causing you to feel that weird feeling. 

Anxiety, and the stress that comes with it, will cause you to become tenser, and alert since your body assumes it needs to be ready to deal with danger. This will cause you to also experience dizziness, feeling faint, or even light-headed. 

If you are dealing with an anxiety disorder, this can become frequent, and sometimes you may feel that you are going through another illness. But try to keep in mind that if you feel that weird feeling in your head, alongside other symptoms of anxiety, it is a sign of that.

Just so you know, other common symptoms of anxiety are sweating, hot flashes, fast heartbeat, fast breathing, feeling like you are choking, fatigue, shaking, rumination, numbness in hands and feet, inability to relax, trouble sleeping, and focusing.

So if you are dealing with the weird feeling in your head because of anxiety, know that there are some ways you can cope. Let’s discuss what they are.

What should I do if I get that weird feeling in my head? 

To help you through the weird feeling in your head that is caused by anxiety, you can behave in two ways. One of them is a more immediate one, so if you have headaches caused by anxiety, for example, you can take some medication that will address that matter, or use acupuncture, or a cold compress to relieve the pain.

To relieve the tension in your head, you should also keep yourself hydrated, and do relaxation exercises, especially around your neck. Decreasing the time you expose yourself to screens, and loud noises can also be important.

But if anxiety has been continuously making you feel that weird feeling in your head, it may be important that you learn how to manage your anxiety. So here is what you can do.

Have a healthy lifestyle

If you are struggling with anxiety, you must make some adjustments to your lifestyle so you don’t expose yourself to things that can make your anxiety worse. Because of that, you should avoid taking too much sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, since they can impact the symptoms of anxiety.

Aside from that, you can try to exercise. It is known that by doing so you will reduce the level of stress hormones in your body, making your anxiety a little better. And you don’t even need to do a big workout, sometimes even a short walk can go a long way.

Do something you love

Another way to relieve your stress, and cope with anxiety, is by taking some time to do things you love. It can be a hobby or spending time with your family. But those will ultimately lower your stress levels, and improve your overall sense of well-being.

Put it out

Externalizing your feelings, be it through writing, or by sharing with people you love, can also be helpful when you are struggling with anxiety. It is not only a way for you to vent, but it will also allow you to look at your concerns from a different perspective, and separate what are the real concerns, from the ones that anxiety keeps piling on.

Take up meditation

Meditation has been practiced for centuries, but now we know that it is incredibly helpful for people dealing with anxiety. In the same way as breathing exercises, meditation will help you get your mind out of the concerns, and focus more on breathing, and what is happening at the moment, making you calmer.

Look for help

But sometimes dealing with anxiety just by changing your lifestyle is not enough. Some people may need help to understand their emotions, and what has been triggering their anxiety, and for that, they can turn to therapy.

In other cases, the person may even need medication to help them cope with the intensity of the symptoms of anxiety. In those cases, it may be important to look for a psychiatrist, which is a doctor that specializes in mental health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Is the weird feeling in my head a sign of anxiety? 

What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety?

The 3 3 3 rule for anxiety is an exercise you can do whenever you feel anxiety is crippling. There is no contraindication to it, and you can do it as many times as you need to. So whenever anxiety starts to affect you, take a deep breath, and try to name 3 things you hear around you.

After that, you should try to name three things you see around you, and finally, 3 body parts. Through that, you will likely remove your head from those anxious thoughts, it will make you feel calmer, and reduce your stress levels.

What does it mean to have high-functioning anxiety?

It is said that someone has high-functioning anxiety when they can perform all of their everyday activities, even though they are dealing with an anxiety disorder. But even though it is common for that to happen, people should be careful to not put themselves through even more stress when dealing with anxiety.

That is because, when you are anxious, you may need to adjust some things in your life. But society may ask you to keep functioning as you did before. When you deal with the expectations of others, you may begin to do too much, more than you could do at the moment, making your anxiety even worse.

Is it common to be constantly anxious?

Yes, some people can feel constantly anxious. When that happens, it is said that the person has a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This type of anxiety disorder will make the person feel anxious even when doing their everyday activities. 

Because of that, GAD will make it harder for the person to function daily. As with any other form of anxiety disorder, GAD may be treated with the help of professionals. This means that people should look for a therapist, or even a psychiatrist to get better.

What are the most common symptoms of anxiety?

Anxiety can have a deep impact on a person’s life. It can affect you physically, and even emotionally. But it is important to keep in mind that anxiety will not always manifest itself in the same way, the frequency, and intensity of it can vary from one moment to the next.

But when anxious, you will likely feel that your heart will beat faster. Your breathing will also change, it can become faster, or even shallow. You can feel weak, or tired, and you can begin to sweat, shake, or even have tremors.

Anxiety may also make it harder for you to sleep, and it may lead to gastrointestinal problems. Aside from these physical symptoms, anxiety will have a psychological effect on you. It may make you worry constantly, and you might have a fear of impending doom, which can lead you to panic.

Because you are constantly focused on what is worrying you, and you are unable to control it, you may find it harder to focus on other things. At some point, your anxiety can lead you to feel so uncomfortable, that you may begin to avoid being in places that will trigger your anxiety.

Does anxiety ever go away?

Yes, with proper treatment anxiety will likely go away. Even though there is no cure for anxiety because it is impossible to say you will never experience it again in your lifetime, you may get to a point in which your symptoms decrease, and disappear, and you can regain control over your life.

What you need to keep in mind is, once you are feeling better from anxiety, that you should still keep caring for your mental health. That is because it is only through this care that you will be able to prevent yourself from going through another anxiety disorder.

Is it possible to treat anxiety only through medication?

No, even though medication is an important tool to help you cope with anxiety, it is not something that will alone make you feel better. It can help you manage the symptoms, but without therapy, it may be difficult to understand the roots, and triggers of your anxiety, and that is what will prevent you from experiencing it again.

Conclusion 

This article explained the connection between anxiety, and that weird feeling in your head. It showed why this happens, and how to cope.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/weird-feeling-in-head-anxiety#professional-help

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