Anxiety disorders affect more than 18 percent of the population, adding up to more than 40 million adults in the United States alone. Chronic anxiety, or anxiety that occurs over an extended period of time, can cause a wide range of symptoms – but can anxiety make you dizzy? Surprisingly, yes. In fact, dizziness is a common symptom associated with both acute and chronic anxiety. Read on to find out more about the connection between dizziness and anxiety.
Can Anxiety Make You Dizzy?
What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
Before we address the connection between dizziness and anxiety, it’s important to understand anxiety symptoms as a whole. Per the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety often involves the following symptoms:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Restlessness
- Sweating
- Sleep problems
- Shortness of breath
- Headache and nausea
- Overwhelming feelings of panic, fear, or nervousness
- A feeling of impending doom
- Trouble concentrating
Can Anxiety Make You Dizzy? Yes – and Vice Versa
So, you’ve experienced one or more of the symptoms listed above. You find yourself experiencing these symptoms over an extended period of time – but you also feel dizzy in tandem with your anxiety symptoms. Maybe you feel lightheaded or woozy when you’re in a crowded area like a shopping mall. Maybe you feel like you’re spinning or swaying, even when you’re standing still. What do these symptoms mean? Ultimately, dizziness and anxiety are known to go hand-in-hand. First, on a general level, dizziness can produce anxiety, as it often causes discomfort and a sense of unease. After all, if you’re struggling with an untreated dizziness or balance issue, you’re going to feel anxiety until you experience some relief. But on a deeper note, the vestibular system could explain the connection between anxiety and dizziness.
Anxiety and the Vestibular System
Scientists believe that the vestibular system, or the areas in the brain responsible for dizziness and balance issues, frequently interact with the areas of the brain responsible for anxiety. As a reminder, the vestibular system is ultimately responsible for sensing the position of your body as you move through the world. When things go wrong in the vestibular system, it can create a sense of dizziness or unbalance. When your vestibular system interacts with the part of the brain responsible for anxiety, you may experience both symptoms in tandem. For this reason, as reported in Frontiers in Public Health, people with certain inner ear disorders or vestibular system abnormalities may be at an increased risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
Treating Anxiety and Dizziness
The good news is that anxiety and dizziness can often be treated together as connected issues. If you or a loved one have anxiety symptoms that are negatively impacting daily life – taking a toll on school, work, or friendships, for example – professional help is available. In additional to connecting with a mental health provider who specializes in anxiety, individuals struggling with dizziness and anxiety should prioritize vestibular care. By addressing underlying issues in the vestibular system, a dizziness and balance specialist will be able to reduce dizziness symptoms and, ideally, accompanying anxiety.
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So, can anxiety make you dizzy? The answer is yes. If you’re experiencing both issues, a dizziness and balance expert is an excellent resource to help you start feeling better.
Are you or a loved one struggling with anxiety? Are you in need of medical advice and wondering where to turn? Reach out to the professionals at the National Dizzy & Balance Center. We specialize in diagnosing and treating vestibular disorders, including concussions and ongoing dizziness, which can often contribute to anxiety. Our talented team members can design a personalized plan to relieve your symptoms. To learn more about our approach, please contact us online or by phone. Or if you’re ready to get started, schedule your free medical consultation today.
