Could Your Chest Tightness Be Due to Anxiety? Why It Happens Amanda Gardner
What is anxiety?
Almost one in five Americans has an anxiety disorder, and millions more experience anxiety that doesn t reach the level of an actual mental health condition, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. While anxiety can take many forms, one of the more troubling symptoms is chest tightness, which can also be a sign of something more immediately life-threatening, like a heart attack.
It s always best to check with a doctor or nurse to determine the cause of your symptoms. But there may be some clues that your discomfort is stemming from anxiety and not something else. (Here are the anxiety disorder symptoms you should know.)
COVID Stressing the Nationâs Stress Therapy System
Jan. 8, 2021 Lucy McBride, MD, is a primary care doctor in Washington, DC, who makes time during appointments to address her patientsâ physical and mental health in tandem. Never in her 20-year career, she says, has she seen the need for mental health support as great as it is now.
âCOVID-19 has basically poured lighter fluid on a preexisting fire,â she says. âWe already had diseases of despair at very high levels in terms of addiction, depression, trauma, anxiety, isolation, loneliness, and more. The pandemic has only heightened preexisting mental health challenges. And many people are being forced to reckon with their mental health for the first time.
No surprise, but 2020 has been brutal on everyone s mental health
Americans are mourning not only the lives lost to COVID-19, also their lost jobs, routines, events, friendships and human interactions. Written By: Sarah Mearhoff | ×
ST. PAUL It’s been more than 11 months since the first confirmed case of the novel COVID-19 illness was identified in the United States.
Within just a couple of months, life changed for most Americans.
In Minnesota, for instance, Gov. Tim Walz ordered residents to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus. Face masks became common, as did working from home and quarantining. Americans stocked up on hand sanitizer and toilet paper. Family members did not see each other for months, if at all.
No surprise, but 2020 has been brutal on everyone s mental health
Americans are mourning not only the lives lost to COVID-19, also their lost jobs, routines, events, friendships and human interactions. Written By: Sarah Mearhoff | ×
ST. PAUL It’s been more than 11 months since the first confirmed case of the novel COVID-19 illness was identified in the United States.
Within just a couple of months, life changed for most Americans.
In Minnesota, for instance, Gov. Tim Walz ordered residents to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus. Face masks became common, as did working from home and quarantining. Americans stocked up on hand sanitizer and toilet paper. Family members did not see each other for months, if at all.
How should I deal with my anxiety?
First, see a doctor if feelings of fear, dread, and worry interfere with your daily life anxiety disorders are very real medical conditions with treatments that work. Many people with anxiety benefit from psychotherapy and medication. Healthy lifestyle behaviors such as a good diet and regular exercise can help maintain brain health in general, but anxiety disorders often require more treatment.
What causes anxiety?
Most experts say that anxiety is rooted in a combination of factors, including genetics, differences in brain chemistry and personality, and sometimes traumatic experiences such as divorce, assault, major accidents or other traumas.