Can Anxiety Kill You?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders worldwide. While symptoms of anxiety, such as shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and chest pain, may feel life-threatening, anxiety itself will not kill you.
It is no real secret that the way you feel mentally has an impact on your physical health. One example of this is the placebo effect, which is an accepted phenomenon in medical research. This term refers to the phenomenon that occurs when people report that they feel better when they are told they are receiving treatment of some kind, even when that treatment is, in fact, not real.
Can you die from anxiety or panic attacks?
Some people who experience anxiety may be diagnosed with panic disorder, a condition in which someone lives with fear of future panic attacks. Panic attack symptoms include intense fear, dread, and impending doom—which also may feel life-threatening. For some, the symptoms of a panic attack may even mimic symptoms of a heart attack. The intensity of these attacks may lead some to wonder, “Can you die from anxiety or panic attacks?” However, you can't die from a panic attack by itself.
Around 11% of people living in the U.S. have at least one panic attack in any given year, so the fact that a large proportion of the population is not dropping like flies can be reassuring in a sense to those who live with repeated panic attacks.
Interestingly, the statistic drops to only 3% of people who experience a panic attack a year in European countries. We do not have clear answers as to why reported levels of anxiety are much higher in Americans compared to Europeans, but it would seem there are things about American society that put us at greater risk for panic attacks.
Just because you can't die from a panic attack does not mean they are to be taken lightly. Intense chest pain, dizziness, excessive sweating, hyperventilation, and trouble breathing are all common physical symptoms of anxiety attacks, and they can persist for over an hour. Individuals experiencing panic attacks can report extreme levels of psychological distress, and some people even go to the hospital, fearing they may be losing control or having a heart attack. While medication and other symptomatic treatments are effective in the short term, talk therapy can address the root causes of chronic anxiety and panic attacks and can make them more preventable for you.
How can symptoms of anxiety hurt me?
Chronic stress can cause real physical harm to the body, such as high blood pressure or stress ulcers.
Also, research shows that anxiety disorders are associated with a higher risk of and the progression of heart disease.
Stress produces a fight-or-flight response in people, and can lead to increased blood pressure and sugar levels, as well as the release of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline. This can lead to more rapid heartbeat, muscle tension and cramps, headaches, and other symptoms.
The secondary effects from this can include poor sleep, loss of appetite, and harmful self-medication in the form of alcohol* or prescription drug use — none of which does your overall health any good or works to relieve anxious feelings in the long run. It is, therefore, not only a question of the direct pressure anxiety exerts on your body, but also the changes in lifestyle it causes.
*If you are experiencing challenges related to substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, panic attacks can lead to an increased risk for major depressive disorder. Both anxiety and depression can be serious and should be addressed by your primary care doctor as soon as possible.
Whether directly or indirectly, anxiety is linked to a wide range of health conditions, such as a weakened immune system, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and digestive problems. Cardiovascular conditions can reduce a person's lifespan or contribute to other problems, such as cardiovascular events (e.g., heart attacks) or coronary artery disease. However, cardiovascular death tends to have multiple causes, so anxiety is not the only risk associated with it.
How can I cope with severe anxiety?
Everybody feels stressed from every day life at times. It's simply the nature of the world we live in. Anxiety becomes a problem when fear overwhelms the way a person lives their life — avoidance of situations that strain the nerves, developing bad habits such as overeating, or experiencing crippling panic disorder. When you have overwhelming anxiety and fear affects you to the point that you’re unable to perform daily tasks, consider reaching out to a healthcare provider or counselor for help.
As it happens, the mind and body connection seems to run both ways. Although living in a constant state of anxiety damages your health, improving your body's state in other ways may also reduce anxiety. Removing habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol from your lifestyle can cut down your level of stress and risk factors significantly, as can regular exercise. Some people find benefits in limiting caffeine use as well. Energy drinks are not the friends of people with high anxiety.
If the source of the anxiety can be described as a response to trauma in nature, such as when a person can't stop replaying a difficult memory or having nightmares, professional counseling is often part of a lasting solution. If you think therapy might be helpful to you and your anxiety, it may be a good idea to learn more.
There are many strategies to address physical and psychological symptoms of clinical anxiety. Relaxation techniques (such as progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, and deep breathing exercises) and meditation (learning to be present at the moment, slowing down, and focusing attention) to keep your mind on the present moment are helpful methods that you can use to decrease the responses of the sympathetic nervous system.
Talk therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, are proven to help relieve symptoms of anxiety and panic. In cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, a person with anxiety works with a therapist to identify thought patterns that may make them feel anxious, as well as work on adjusting their emotional response to anxiety and panic.
Others find that medications can improve symptoms of anxiety over time. Exposure therapy can be helpful in allowing you to face your fears, calm your body, and gain confidence. Training in biofeedback can help you to identify stress responses in your body and learn how to slow them down.
In short, the key point of this article is the importance of getting help to avoid long-term anxiety complications. It is important to address and to talk out loud about anxiety. A counselor will listen without judgment or stigmatization.
Managing anxiety disorders
Recent peer reviewed studies have proven that online therapy platforms can help individuals understand and manage symptoms of anxiety disorders. In a study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, researchers examined the effects of online therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) specifically, on those experiencing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). They found that online CBT helped produce significant improvements in participants, decreasing feelings of anxiety, worry, and depression. Researchers also note that this method was as effective as face-to-face therapy modalities in reducing symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy benefits individuals with anxiety symptoms by helping them recognize and reframe unhelpful thought patterns that may give rise to unwanted emotions or actions.
As outlined above, if you are worried that anxiety is adversely affecting you —physically and mentally — online therapy can help you better control your emotions and live a healthier life. Unlike traditional, face-to-face counseling, with online therapy through BetterHelp you can participate from the comfort of your home, without having to drive to an office, skip your lunch break, or deal with school traffic. The mental health professionals at BetterHelp have provided thousands of people with the tools to properly address issues with anxiety. Read below for counselor reviews from people like you who have experienced similar issues.
Counselor reviews
“Kristin Scott-Groves is helping me to reconnect with myself in a way I would have never felt possible after many years in a toxic relationship. Her thoughtful comments and questions have really challenged me, and her suggestions for dealing with my anxiety have been simple and easy to incorporate into my daily life. I'm starting to feel more joyful and in charge of my own feelings again!”
“Dr. Meyers has been such an amazing help to me. I just signed up this year, and it’s been full of unimaginable events that he has really helped me break down and helped me get through. He consistently gives me techniques on how to handle my anxiety and my panic attacks, and he’s played a big part in the reduction of them too!”
Takeaway
FAQs
Can I control anxiety?
Symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack might be caused by an event that triggers "danger" in the mind. To help control this anxiety, you can take calming breaths to reframe your mindset back to the present and off the negative thoughts or experiences that are causing you to feel this way. Basically, the point is to reset the way your brain is thinking about and processing external sources. Other types of anxiety coping mechanisms include meditation, talk therapy, and medication. You can also research content online (like this article) that gives you advice on how to manage symptoms of anxiety.
Is anxiety life long?
While some adults may develop an anxiety diagnosis well into their adulthood, someone else may have been struggling with symptoms of anxiety since they were a child. However, once you have been diagnosed with anxiety or anxiety attacks, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the help of support systems like a therapist, medication, or a calming coping mechanism. Though there's no cure for anxiety and it usually doesn't go away on its own, techniques or activities can help you manage your anxiety levels in a way that does not affect your day-to-day activities.
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