Why Does Anxiety Make You Feel Weird and Spaced Out?

Discussion in 'Health Talk' started by Lisa Robinson, Nov 19, 2014.

    1. Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Why does it make you feel weird and spaced out? It's horrible wish it would go away :(
       
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    2. tomm
      Thinking

      tomm Member Benefactor

      Location:
      London, UK
      Tinnitus Since:
      10/2014
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Acoustic trauma (club drumming)
      Fight or flight response? You're scared so you body is preparing you for action. Apart from benzos, exercise is really great for stopping you from feeling the physical effects of anxiety so much - your heart is strong and doesn't mind beating a bit faster for a while, plus the exercise is calming and helps you sleep afterwards.
       
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    3. Teri
      Caffeine

      Teri Member Benefactor

      Tinnitus Since:
      4/2014
      Mediation has worked for me to lower my anxiety.

      A therapist told me once that if you hands are cold and you cannot determine a reason for it, then it is because you are stressed. Interesting.
       
    4. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Sometimes is just happens though without being scared well I am an anxious person all the time :( I have GAD.
       
    5. astronomer
      Spaced

      astronomer Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      april 12/2012
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      noise induced ( factory/rock band )
      hi lisa, ( its an adrenaline rush that you need to learn how to control,it happens to me )
      i am an anxious person and what works for me is occupying my mind with my hobbies or reading and going for walks or do something nice for you and make yourself happy, i try to slow myself down when it comes upon me and try to relax my mind,that is what i did this morning when it happened , i paced myself into a calm , i have found that only you can control this so why not try to be good to the best of friends you have and that is you,i find you really do have to talk to yourself,it helps to let it out ! take care,kevin
       
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    6. dan
      Chatty

      dan Member Hall of Fame

      Location:
      Toronto, Canada
      Tinnitus Since:
      06/2011
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Loud noise
      When you feel anxiety coming on, take a deep breath thru you noise, hold for 5 seconds, and breathe out your mouth tightening your lips in a small O shape. Repeat 3 times. See if that helps.
       
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    7. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Thanks guys.

      Feel really out it. Maybe the Zoloft kicking in?
       
    8. Zoloft gave me raging anxiety, had to stop after 2 weeks. Would have put myself infront of a train otherwise. I also felt dizzy and had terrible nausea when taking it. Never never again, i know that i should have endured the first month but i just couldn´t.
       
    9. Larry OT
      No Mood

      Larry OT Member Benefactor

      Location:
      NJ
      Tinnitus Since:
      05/2014
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Volume, meds and motorcycles
      I never experienced extreme anxiety attacks like with tinnitus. At worst before T I had some anxious moments running my own business and according to my wife I have OCD which to me alway meant doing a real good job with detail (perhaps why I was so successful) but T took my breath away… holy crap what a turn in the road!

      Anxiety attacks, GAD, stressed out to the max. I work, or worked in audio and music so kinda impacted my life a bit…

      For anxiety I learned 1) it WILL pass 2) take long deep slow breaths and hold them for 5 seconds. 3) get distracted - do anything but focus on the sick feeling. 4) call someone and talk it off 5) grab some ice cubes and squeeze them
      6) Count backwards from 100 by 3's (that was not easy stressed out).
      I had a hard time meditating it away calmly. It was way too strong a feeling. The more I moved away from thinking about it, the better I cleared up. But it can take time and effort….still it always passes. Keep that in mind because I felt like I was losing mine!

      And any SSRI can bring it on.
       
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    10. RaZaH
      Cheeky

      RaZaH Member Benefactor Hall of Fame

      Location:
      Reykjavík, Iceland
      Tinnitus Since:
      2012/04
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Benzo + loud noise
      Best thing ever for anxiety is standing up and dancing . Silly but works .
      Its impossible to stay anxious while behaving like a freak :)
       
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    11. Marlene
      English

      Marlene Member Benefactor

      Location:
      Poole Dorset England
      Tinnitus Since:
      July 1996
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Bacterial virus
      Nick that's what happened to me on 1 packet of those meds ,bitterly regret it to this very day ,should have left well alone .dr gave me that for allergy .Why to this day I will never know ,bad doctoring .No anxiety prior to that kind of meds .didn't go for the T as knew what that was . Just shows me that some don't really listen .all I needed was a histamine at the time ,didn't know that then at that 1st visit ,sure do now .Mistakes we make to our detriment .
       
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    12. gary
      Transparent

      gary Member Benefactor

      Location:
      Macomb, MI. USA
      Tinnitus Since:
      07/2012
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Who Knows
      Hi Lisa, are you talking full blown panic attacks, heart pound, think you are going to die, feel like you are being chocked, feel parts of your body are not yours, look in the mirror and when you see yourself it' like is that really me. There are more classic symptoms, are you feeling these or a feeling of a dark cloud over you...
       
    13. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Anyone been on setraline before? Not sure if what I am feeling side effects from them.
       
    14. tomm
      Thinking

      tomm Member Benefactor

      Location:
      London, UK
      Tinnitus Since:
      10/2014
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Acoustic trauma (club drumming)
      Made me feel off the planet for a few days until my brain got used to it. Had a bit of trouble sleeping and that went away too. Make sure you come off very slowly.
       
    15. LadyDi
      Busy

      LadyDi Member Benefactor

      Location:
      Florida, USA
      Tinnitus Since:
      06/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Barotrauma/airplane
      I do a lot of what @Larry OT does when I feel the anxiety coming on. The only good part about it being so physical is that you sure know what it is when it starts. Once you master those techniques, you often can shut off anxiety without meds before it spirals into panic. Also like Larry, I never had any experience with an anxiety disorder prior to tinnitus. My T brought on rolling panic attacks... god, what misery.

      Also, as @tomm said, you feel so strange because your brain's primitive "fight or flight" center is preparing your entire body for last-stand survival. Your digestive system starts shutting down, your pupils dilate and your vision gets fuzzy, hard to concentrate because your brain is so focused on survival. It's the worst thing that ever happened to me. And I have had a cerebral hemorrhage. Anyone who poos-poos anxiety, who thinks last-ditch medication is just for sissies, probably never has experienced it.
       
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    16. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      I feel off the planet too and stiff neck and drowsy.
       
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    17. dh42

      dh42 Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      11/2014
      Prior to my T starting a few weeks ago, I've had general anxiety since last year. My father passed away in Nov of 2013 and for months leading up to that my life became very stressful and I really didn't learn how to cope with it. I strongly suggest CBT - there are a couple of very good books out there I can recommend if interested.

      Yes, strong anxiety at times in the past has given me strong light headedness, heaviness in chest, headaches, insomnia, and other things.

      Side effects are possible from anti-depressants too especially upon the initial several weeks before they kick in.

      Interestingly enough, my anxiety has dropped A LOT since my T started. I am more focused on T than anxiety and do not fear T. Fearing T will cause you anxiety. Once you learn not to fear it, you'll feel better about it.
       
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    18. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
    19. Kopesy
      English

      Kopesy Member Benefactor

      Location:
      East Midlands, England, United Kingdom
      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      I'll never know
    20. tomm
      Thinking

      tomm Member Benefactor

      Location:
      London, UK
      Tinnitus Since:
      10/2014
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Acoustic trauma (club drumming)
      I didn't realise I'd taken so many of these things until you keep asking about them!

      Had Tramadol for pain. Made me feel absolutely marvellous. I'd have popped them like smarties if they'd let me. Was only on them for a week. No zaps or withdrawal. Apart from, you know, wanting to feel awesome again :D
       
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    21. Kopesy
      English

      Kopesy Member Benefactor

      Location:
      East Midlands, England, United Kingdom
      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      I'll never know
      I had these problems before I was on any SSRI anti d, which makes it even weirder :eek:
      The ssri (citalopram) I'm on at the moment is causing even more problems, yes my anxiety has reduced to the point that I can feel it but don't want to do anything about it (lazy brain ^_^) but I'm having nightmares almost every night & can get the odd hallucination here & there.. trippy stuff :p
       
    22. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Well I had to come off mine less than Two weeks ago unless that's the reason im having brain zaps from them? Feel nervous it's something else.
       
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    23. Kopesy
      English

      Kopesy Member Benefactor

      Location:
      East Midlands, England, United Kingdom
      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      I'll never know
      Like I said, I had my zaps & rumbles way before I started my meds. Might be a little obvious to hear but the zaps can also be from stress, had a lot more of them during the first few months of having T & then on & off, mostly when I'm feeling worried.
       
    24. Sound Wave
      Curious

      Sound Wave Member Benefactor

      Location:
      Finland
      Tinnitus Since:
      12/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Probably headphones
      Seriously try to focus on physical exercise and less on drugs. There is more and more clinical evidence, that the results are more or less the same to your mind AND of course physical exercise is much better for your body -> thus to your T as well.
       
    25. AUTHOR
      AUTHOR
      Lisa Robinson
      Depressed

      Lisa Robinson Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      19/09/2013
      I am keeping a way from drugs they do more harm than good :(
       
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    26. cowdodge
      Grumpy

      cowdodge Member

      Location:
      Seattle, Washington
      Tinnitus Since:
      1995
      My Anxity starts first thing in the morning upon waking up to tennitus. I try to sleep in but just t keep turning over and over till I push myself out of bed. Right now I have been up for a few hours but still feel tired and the tennitus is steaming away. This is the pits as my doctor doesn't get it and I just haft to deal with this junk on my own. I have tried various meds but they just tend to knock you out or make you more tired. It's hard to just get up and get busy when your body is saying go back to bed, But bed is not the answer as it just drives the fight or flight even further. It a good thing I have a wonderful partner as if I didn't I might just give up. But that is not an option and so I go on here to vent my flustrations. Well that it by for now! Jon
       
    27. Michael Leigh

      Michael Leigh Member Benefactor Hall of Fame

      Location:
      Brighton, UK
      Tinnitus Since:
      04/1996
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Noise induced
      On the contrary. If medication is properly managed by a GP or ENT Dr meds can go a long way in helping a tinnitus patient to habituate to their tinnitus and can ease stress, depression and anxiety.
      Michael

      Can anti-depressants and other medications help tinnitus?

      Tinnitus is a complex condition that comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. It can be: mild, moderate, severe or extremely severe. Because its intensity can vary considerably, it can be difficult to know what another person is going through. When it is mild or moderate, many people are able to habituate to it and carry on with their life doing everything that they want to and may not always need a referral to ENT or a hearing therapist for treatment.

      Tinnitus starts to become a problem when it loud and intrusive. If this level of intensity is sustained for a period of time, life can become a very traumatic experience, especially for someone that is new to the condition. A person’s once peaceful world has suddenly been invaded by an unwanted interloper, and it can seem there is no end to the nightmare that has befallen upon them. Insomnia, stress and anxiety are common conditions affecting such a person, which can often make the tinnitus, seem louder and more intrusive. Stress makes tinnitus worse and tinnitus makes stress worse. So, the more relaxed someone is the less intrusive the tinnitus will appear to be and often making life more tolerable.

      If your GP suggests taking an antidepressant or a sleeping draft then I advise you to consider it. However, for various reasons some people are averse to taking medications, and when it comes to antidepressants or sleeping tablets they vehemently oppose the idea and prefer to deal with the problem without assistance from prescription drugs. Admirable as this might seem, coping with intrusive tinnitus isn’t easy. The usual methods of keeping busy to distract one’s attention from the noise or masking it with another sound so that it can’t be heard often prove unsuccessful and at times exhausting, because tinnitus is quite resilient and will put up a fight.

      Contrary to what some people believe, antidepressants or other medications to help cope with tinnitus, don’t have to be taken long term and can act as a safety net, helping to prevent a person becoming too down. Remember, the less stressed and relaxed we are, the less intrusive the tinnitus will appear to be. This can go a long way in helping a person to habituate to the condition with time.

      Some medications can make tinnitus more intrusive and this has been said about antidepressants. However, in many cases the effects are usually temporary. As we are all different it wouldn’t be right to say everyone that takes AD will be adversely affected. My blood pressure medicine is listed as “can cause ringing in the ears”. I haven’t noticed any increase in my tinnitus and I have been taking it for quite some time.

      Life can be problematic even at the best of times. With the added pressure of coping with intrusive tinnitus, may advice is to try and make things a easier on yourself. Talk to your doctor and if an antidepressant or other medications is advised then try it and give it time to work, at least six weeks.

      Michael
       
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