Dizzy Spells
Distressing but Not Dangerous
Dizzy spells are one of the most common complaints when dealing with anxiety symptoms. For many people, sudden dizziness was the first physical sign that something was "wrong". These feelings of dizziness come on suddenly and can happen anywhere at anytime. When they happen "out of the blue", and unexpectedly, it is extremely frightening because the sufferer really understand what happening to them or why. Thoughts begin to race and the mind will begin searching for all the possible causes. The "what-if's" are numerous and can lead to catastrophic thinking, and this can easily lead to panic attacks and worsening of symptoms. It is often those dizzy spells that lead people into their first fight-or-flight response, which can be quite traumatic.
Although sudden, frequent dizzy spells can be a signal that something more serious is wrong, the dizziness that is associated with stress and anxiety is not dangerous. Most times the dizziness associated with stress and anxiety has everything to do with our breathing patterns. It is very common and yet many of us are unaware that stress and anxiety is causing us to breathe differently. Hyperventilation is the most common culprit, and on the flip-side, HYPO-ventilation.
Since there are real physical reasons for sudden dizziness, it is important to see your doctor to rule out more serious causes.
Some common physical reasons for dizziness, other than stress and anxiety, are:
Through specific testing your doctor can rule out more serious reasons for your dizziness. Its important to note that sudden dizziness, although distressing, is almost never a reason to rush to the Emergency Room. But, if this is your first time experiencing it, dont delay - call and make an appointment with your doctor if you have not done so alread. There is nothing worse than worrying about what it could be, researching all the possibilities - Once more serious issues have been ruled out, you can then focus all your energy on effective stress management strategies so that you can work to keep a healthy mind and body.
When You Should Call for Emergency Help
No matter your situation, you should ALWAYS call for Emergency Medical Help if you experience dizziness that's sudden, extreme, or lasts longer than 15 minutes. Other symptoms that might accompany dizziness that may signal a medical emergency, include:
How To Manage Those Dizzy Spells
Do Not Panic
Give yourself permission to accept how you are feeling. If you become afraid of your feelings of dizziness, you will only increase your anxiety. This means more uncomfortable body symptoms, including feelings of depersonalization. If you are in public when your dizzy spells happen, stay calm. Find a place to sit, but do not leave your situation. Leaving any surrounding because of anxiety will only contribute to agoraphobia. Unless you are in actual danger, it is advisable to stay in your current surrounding until those feelings de-escalate. If you do happen to panic, give yourself permission to feel it, do not fight it, just accept what you are feeling, and put your focus on what helps with panic attacks.
Close Your Eyes for a Moment
Take a minute, and close your eyes. Sometimes, dizziness can effect how you see your surroundings. Dizziness can also bring on feelings of nausea and even cause feelings of instability. By closing your eyes you are giving yourself a moment to reset this anxiety sensory overload.
Use Breathing Exercises
By using your breathing exercises for anxiety you will bring balance to your oxygen levels. Simple 2-4 breathing should do the trick. Remember, these exercises promote physical relaxation and they will help your physical symptoms, however, regular practice at home is encouraged. Be patient with yourself. When under pressure and feeling fear or anxiety, it is easy to go back into abnormal, stressful breathing patterns. It will take some effort on your part to remind yourself that this is required. Health habits of breathing, especially during stressful times, will help carry you through.
Use Positive Thought Replacement
Knowing how to talk to yourself is crucial with overcoming anxiety. Use your positive-truthful thoughts to remind yourself that your feelings are distressing but not dangerous. If you are having a hard time remembering them at the time needed, get yourself into the habit by journaling each day at home. Write down the most common automatic negative thoughts that come and what your response should be. Keep the response short and easy to remember so when you are out and about, you'll have an easier time talking to yourself in a more realistic, positive way about what you are experiencing. For more on journaling, visit How to Write a Journal.
Get Up and Get Moving
When you feel better, get up and finish your task. Do not change the end goal, it is important that you press forward. If it happens again, repeat those steps again and again. It is only through repetition that you will learn and make it stick. Repetition is one of the most important thing you can do to rewrite an automatic response. The only way to win the battle with anxiety is to press on even when things are uncomfortable. The only way to break through to the other side is to just keep being persistent and do not give up.
Drink or Splash Some Water on Your Face
Take a drink of water. If you are dehydrated this will help you replenish lost fluid. And if you are just feeling flush, or are sweating, splashing some water on your face can help refresh you and interrupt whatever negative thoughts you are having. It helps you to get out of your mind and into the present moment.
Fear of Dizziness?
If your dizzy spells continue to cause you anxiety and panic and you are still having a hard time overcoming it, there are little things you can to at home to retrain your mind not to fear what you are feeling. As silly as it may sound, one of the things that can help you overcome the fear of these dizzy spells is to deliberately spin in circles and make myself dizzy on purpose.
I know for some that just sounds outrageous. Those feelings are so distressing, so why would anyone deliberately want to cause them? Well, in order to overcome fear of anything, you MUST face the feelings that are bringing you the most discomfort. Those dizzy spells produce so much anxiety for people and the fact that they can also provoke the fight-or-flight response, making yourself dizzy on purpose is a way of facing these sensations and teaching yourself not to be afraid of them anymore. You are the one in control with this exercise. Learning how to manage the unwanted dizziness (breathing exercises, thoughts that will help you cope) are best learned when you are actually in that situation. So why not give it a try? You can actually train yourself to see this sensation as no real cause for alarm. You are able to desensitize yourself to those physical sensations. So, when those sensations come at the most inconvenient of times, you will know how to shake them off. You can learn to accept them for what they are and not add more fear by analyzing them.
What Do The Studies Say About Anxiety and Dizziness?
Psychogenic Dizziness: An Important but Overlooked Differential Diagnosis in the Workup of the Dizzy Patient by Zak Kelm , Kimberly Klapchar , Christopher R. Kieliszak and Christopher Selinsky, from the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. "Physicians, regardless of specialty, should be mindful that psychiatric conditions can be a relatively common source of or contributor to chronic dizziness. Moreover, physicians who are well versed in psychogenic factors and their relationship with chronic dizziness will not only be more adept at recognizing this cause but also be better able to effectively treat these patients. Like many situations in medicine, maintaining an osteopathic, whole-person approach that considers psychosocial factors can greatly benefit patients with chronic dizziness."
The correlation between anxiety, depression, and vertigo: a cross-sectional study by Abir Omara, Eman Mostafa Basiouny, Marwa El Shabrawy & Reham Rafei El Shafei - The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology: "As this study has shown, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between anxiety and depression scores and physical, emotional, functional, and total DHI scores. Screening and treatment of co-morbid mental health disorders are critical for appropriate management of vertigo disability that leads to a higher quality of life and fewer complications."
Dizziness Workbook
Healing Chronic Dizziness: The Workbook: A self-paced plan to help you heal from PPPD, MdDS, vestibular migraine and other medically unexplained chronic dizziness symptoms by by Dr. Yonit A. Arthur (Author) - "In this workbook, you'll learn and practice techniques to address the emotional components of chronic dizziness recovery. Based on cutting-edge research in chronic pain and the author's own experiences with clients with chronic dizziness, you will practice emotional awareness and expression techniques, learn about self-compassion, and identify sources of hidden stress and emotions."
Supplements that Work for Dizziness
There are a few supplements that can help combat (even prevent) dizziness. Depending on the cause of your dizziness and imbalance, whether stress/anxiety or an inner ear disorder there are a few that actually work.
Sound-Mind.Org Homepage
Guided Steps to Recovery
Natural Supplements
Want to recover without using medication? There are many different kinds of supplements that are available and very effective in helping people combat the physical symptoms of anxiety.
