Only my body is anxious

January 22, 2023 3:33 PM

After several years in a job that caused me serious health problems, I can't shake the physical anxiety symptoms, even though I am no longer anxious about anything. Any strategies for coping with this?

The kind of job where I had to go to the ER once, my blood pressure was extremely elevated (it's back to normal now), I was constantly stressed, I developed severe and frequent migraines, and I got put on anti-anxiety meds for the first time in my life.

I quit that job more than six months ago, but I'm still experiencing some of the physical symptoms of stress/anxiety that I found so distressing. Out of nowhere on random days I'll end up with a super-fast heart rate, GI distress, headaches, body shakes, and a general panicky feeling that leads to hyperventilation. Sometimes I get dizzy or blurry vision. This happens a few times a month, which isn't so often that it feels like an emergency, but it's often enough that it sucks and I would like it to stop.

(Before this job, I had very, very occasional panic/anxiety attacks, but they were always related to a specific, identifiable stressor.)

I have klonopin to treat this (which works) but I would rather not take it as often as these symptoms occur. In the olden times, when I was very anxious about specific things, I had some CBT-ish coping strategies from my therapist that worked pretty well to calm me down. But I can't do any of them because nothing is wrong! I am not anxious! I have a nice, calm new job and a nice, calm personal life and I get lots of exercise and eat healthy. But I guess my body got used to cycling through panic attacks and now it just has them independent of whatever's going on?

In addition to the klonopin I have tried little meditation videos on YouTube, various breathing techniques etc., and they take the edge off a little bit, but that's it. I can't really exercise or go for a run when this is happening because my chest gets really tight and I'm not very steady on my feet. Usually I end up putting something dumb on tv and waiting (several hours) for it to pass, which is fine on a Sunday afternoon, but less so on a work day.

If this has happened to you, do you have any ideas for how to fix it? Is this just something that's going to take my body a long time to sort out but it'll go away on its own, or is there something I can do to hasten that process along?

posted by robot inside a grid to Health & Fitness (15 answers total)

My doctor once told me that anxiety symptoms present long after the event(s) that brought it on. I used Klonopin for awhile until the symptoms did begin to subside. You might check with your PCP to see if there are other anti-anxiety drugs that will help while you if you are worried about Klonopin becoming addictive.
posted by serendipityrules at 3:46 PM on January 22, 2023 [1 favorite]

Propranolol (a beta blocker, typically used for high blood pressure) is sometimes prescribed off-label for anxiety and might help you. It’s not addictive and can be taken as needed.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:53 PM on January 22, 2023 [10 favorites]

It sounds like you could benefit from a short-term course of a beta blocker, like propranolol or atenolol. These drugs are not addictive and are much safer than benzodiazepines, like Xanax, Librium, Valium, or Klonopin. Beta blockers block the effects of adrenalin, which can cause the symptoms that you are describing. A lot of musicians and actors take beta blockers to combat stage fright. I take 10mg of propranolol about an hour before making presentations at work (otherwise, I get shaky hands, clammy palms, a rapid heartbeat, and sometimes my voice quivers). My doctor has no issue prescribing it to me. Over time, as you get adjusted to the new job, you probably won't need the drugs anymore.

Upon edit: I see that "needs more cowbell" beat me to it.
posted by akk2014 at 3:54 PM on January 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

Yes, I've experienced having lingering physical anxiety responses long after most of the related stressors had resolved.

Meds were the best solution for me, in combination with breathing andmeditation. If you're not comfortable with the one you've been prescribed, I'd start with a conversation with your prescriber about your concerns and possible alternatives.
posted by Stacey at 3:59 PM on January 22, 2023

Have you gotten a medical checkup? Many anxiety symptoms cross over with, or are linked to, e.g., blood sugar or blood pressure issues.
posted by kapers at 4:12 PM on January 22, 2023

I have two streams of thought. I thought I was experiencing anxiety post-Covid and fatigue - both turned out to be heart issues and the only reason I mention that is you described your chest getting tight exercising. It’s worth talking to your doctor about.

However I also have processed trauma through my body and I do recommend that once you know it’s safe, try something like kickboxing, aquafit, swimming, cycling - something with feedback for your body, where you push against water, or pads, or hit a ball. Do it a few times a week for a few months. Once you’re comfortable, think about your old work just a few minutes before the activity and the do the activity. This can help complete the stress cycle.

You might want to read the book Burnout too.

Hang in there!
posted by warriorqueen at 5:23 PM on January 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

I went through something similar. My doc prescribed propranolol which stopped the migraines and also stopped the constant adrenal loop I was in. While it got better, I still was experiencing what you describe. I thought I had an anxiety disorder so I went to an anxiety specialist. Turns out I had a trauma disorder.

I still take the beta blockers and sometimes, I still have the anxiety response that used to trigger... episodes. But now I have learned that my body is trying to tell me something and that I need to listen.

It's been a long process. CBT is great for processing depressive and anxious thoughts when you are aware of them, but your body could be trying to show you that there are thoughts and feelings you are dissassociating from that you need to process.

I would consider talking to a therapist who specializes in anxiety and trauma and see if they have any advice for you!

BTW. I am not suggesting you have some deep repressed, shocking trauma. I was quite afraid that I did. Turns out I just didnt believe that what had traumatized me was "bad enough" or that I deserved treatment. It was. I was. And it's possible that your work experience was traumatizing and you need treatment. And if so you deserve that treatment. You are worth it. ❤️
posted by pazazygeek at 6:07 PM on January 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think you're ahead of a lot of people just by understanding that your body is mistakenly reacting to stimuli that are no longer there. When I went thru something like this, it took me a while to figure that out.

In my case, what has helped has been a combination of breathing/meditation, exercise, getting better at processing my thoughts and feelings, and just getting some time and distance from some of the stuff that was causing me stress.

One idea I came across last year that was relevant to this kind of situation is the concept of completing the stress cycle. You might want to research this.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 6:41 PM on January 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

I take cipralex for anxiety. It's an ssri so intended for long term use. I tried tapering off it at one point and about 6 months after I stopped taking it I started having physical anxiety symptoms for no apparent reason. So I went back on it. I've been on it for years and I feel pretty good most of the time, so I guess I'll probably just stay on it.
posted by elizabot at 6:54 PM on January 22, 2023

Are you a person with a uterus/ovaries/etc? I find the menstrual hormones mess with my moods. Some kinds of birth control also makes a difference.
posted by freethefeet at 8:37 PM on January 22, 2023

I have klonopin to treat this (which works) but I would rather not take it as often as these symptoms occur.


When I was on klonopin I took 1mg before bed every night and that proactively prevented anxiety attacks from even starting.

Once my life had improved and my brain had been given time to form new pathways, I weaned off it.
posted by Jacqueline at 9:02 PM on January 22, 2023

I've found sometimes it helps to regularly do things that remind my body how to relax, on the theory that if it can retain the instinct to panic, it can also build up an instinct to relax. Regular massages if you can afford it, muscle relaxation exercises, massage machines (ime especially air compression massagers) and so on. Breathing exercises can help too if you do them regularly enough that they become a habit. Sometimes listening to stereotypical spa-style new-agey stuff on repeat off of youtube is good, especially if it has a sort of slow-breathing rhythm.
I don't think any of this is enough by itself, but it helps.

Also I have no personal experience with it but EMDR gets recommended a lot as a means for processing things that are no longer happening. And I haven't tried the thing where you cover your face in cold water to trigger the mammalian diving reflex or whatever, but I guess it's a quick thing to try.
posted by trig at 1:52 AM on January 23, 2023

Explore somatic therapy techniques. You can hire a somatic therapist or just search for exercises online that can help you calm your body and let it know it’s safe. These can include things like breathwork, humming, rocking, intuitive movement, tapping, dance, and also specific exercises that address the vagus nerve and limbic system.
posted by spindrifter at 6:35 AM on January 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

It sounds like your body is stuck in sympathetic nervous system mode ("fight or flight") and you need to get back to parasympathetic ("rest and digest"). I wonder if biofeedback would be helpful for you. Basically they teach you very specific relaxation techniques to put you into parasympathetic, and hook you up to sensors so you can see that what you're doing is actually calming your body down in real time. I've been doing it for the past 2 months and it's really helpful for my migraines (which are exacerbated by and also exacerbating my anxiety).
posted by radioamy at 5:00 PM on January 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

I was feeling similar recently and a psych prescribed me buspirone, which helped calm the physical symptoms.
(She also gave me propranolol for "as-needed" which I haven't used yet, but find comforting to carry around just in case... beta-blockers are recommended as a less addictive alternative to benzos so you might prefer that to the klonopin?)

Also wanna second looking into the stress-response cycle as mentioned by Artifice_Eternity above. I like the book Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski for a nice explanation of this and advice for applying the knowledge ... they also have a podcast series going over many of the same ideas.
posted by anotherthink at 10:37 AM on January 25, 2023