Hypervigilance is a hyperarousal symptom, seen in post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hypervigilance is the constant scanning of your environment for any signs of danger, and you have increased alertness and are jumpy and easily startled. Hypervigilance and hyperarousal are triggered by the activation of the fight or flight response: When the fight or flight response […]
Can Stress Cause Acne?
The relationship between stress and acne is more established with acne causing stress, but does stress cause acne? Well, have you ever noticed that you break-out when you are stressed-out? You can get acne from stress as an adult, even well after puberty (when acne usually occurs). There are some studies looking at whether stress […]
Is There An Adrenaline Response To Exercise?
The answer is no- there is not an adrenaline response to exercise. The adrenaline response is also known as the fight or flight response, and it is activated by the amydala, which is part of the limbic system of the brain. The amygdala senses fear, anxiety, and stressors. When the amygdala is triggered by anxiety and […]
Can You Pass Out From Stage Fright?
Yes, you can pass out, or faint, from stage fright. When you are stressed or anxious, such as performing in front of people when you have stage fright, then this can make you breath in ways that make you feel lightheaded and dizzy. You may even hyperventilate, where you are breathing rapidly, and take shallow […]
Why Do I Faint At The Sight Of Blood?
An interesting phenomenon is when people faint at the sight of blood. So why does this happen? The answer to this relates back to the autonomic nervous system. Remember this from biology class? The autonomic nervous system controls our major systems and organs in our body, and this occurs involuntarily, meaning it occurs without our […]
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety- Dr. Manuela Padurariu
A warm welcome to Dr. Manuela Padurariu, MD, PhD, as a guest author. Hello, I’m Dr. Manuela. I have chosen a topic that I think is important for patients suffering from anxiety, since I have been confronted lately with so many cases of anxiety with physical (somatic) symptoms. Connection Between Anxiety And Physical Symptoms Clinical […]
The Brain is the Organ of Anxiety, and the Body is the Recipient of Its Effects
The brain is the organ of anxiety, where anxiety both starts and is processed. Anxiety has two components- worry and fear. As such, both of these components of anxiety come from different parts of the brain. Worry is from the thinking part of the brain, which is located in the cortex, specifically the prefrontal cortex. […]
How Health Anxiety Evolves – The Negative Cycle of Health Anxiety
Today, I will talk about the negative cycle of health anxiety. Health anxiety, also known as hypochondria and illness anxiety disorder, is having intense worry, fears, and preoccupation about the possibility of having an undiagnosed medical illness. So having health anxiety can be highly disruptive to your life, as you spend so much time and […]
What Can I Do to Stop Being a Hypochondriac?
A hypochondriac has persistent beliefs that they are ill. Having hypochondria, or health anxiety, makes you worry constantly that your symptoms could be a sign of some serious medical illness, and you are constantly checking your symptoms and scouring the internet for any information on your possible condition. You may even doctor-shop and have multiple […]
Is Exercising Making Your Panic Attacks Worse?
Just when you think you’ve followed every textbook recommendation on combating your anxiety, you find yourself faced with your old foe in one of the more unlikely situations. It’s in the middle of your first aerobics group exercise class, the one recommended by your friend who said the instructor was approachable and the exercise routines […]

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