If you suffer from anxiety, you may have ever had this uncomfortable feeling when your brain considers a situation as threatening. Sometimes intrusive thoughts appear and you notice, among other things, how some of your muscles begin to tremble in an exaggerated way or that you cannot sit still even if you try to keep the muscle contained so that it stops trembling.
So what can be done to calm those tremors? How do I know if these tremors are caused by anxiety or not? If you want to get answers to these questions, in this Psychology-Online article, we will explain What anxiety tremors are like and how to calm them.
What are anxiety tremors like?
Anxiety tremors are a type of tremors over which we have no control and that produce a sensation similar to tremors that originate from muscle overload in which the muscle begins to tremble internally “against our will.”
Generally, these anxiety tremors are closely associated with panic or anxiety attacks.
Types of anxiety tremors
Anxiety tremors can appear due to different stimuli or alterations in the nervous system. The main types of anxiety tremors are:
- or other diseases.
- Hypothermia: decrease in internal temperature.
- Consumption of certain drugs as antipsychotics or antidepressants.
- Abstinence syndrome for alcohol.
- Physiological tremor which occurs in moments of anxiety and when the body is under stress such as panic or stress crises.
- excessive consumption of energy drinks.
- Hypoglycemia: decrease in sugar levels.
- Fatigue or sleep deprivation.
The fact of feeling tremors in any of these situations, due to the hyperactivation of the nervous system, can lead to anxiety as a consequence of the lack of control of the tremors or the lack of knowledge of the origin of the tremor. In this sense, the physiological tremor is the only one generated by anxiety which will be given by the interpretation of a situation or stimulus as threatening.
Why tremors occur due to anxiety
Anxiety tremors are caused by hyperactivation of the Sympathetic Autonomous Nervous System Responsible for preparing the body to react to dangerous situations. Specifically, anxiety tremors are a way to release the tension accumulated in our body after a prolonged period of muscle contraction where adrenaline levels increase exponentially and for a long time.
For this reason, general tremors do not occur throughout the body, but rather They occur in those areas with a greater tendency to accumulate muscle tension. In addition, we must also take into account the coexistence of possible previous organic problems that may increase the probability of the appearance of tremors due to anxiety or stress.
How long do anxiety tremors last?
There is no set duration for anxiety tremors. Normally, this symptom appears at the peak of the symptoms, so the tremors They are not present all day or every day.. They appear in moments of crisis or when the threatening situation generates greater anxiety in the person.
In this way, tremors as anxiety symptoms caused by panic attacks can last from a few minutes to a few hours, without there being a clear or specific guideline in this regard. In short, we could say that anxiety tremors stop when the person enters a state of relaxation.
How to calm anxiety tremors
If you’re wondering how to stop shaking due to anxiety, don’t miss these tips to calm the tremors:
- Acceptance: don’t run away from the sensations that your body is manifesting. Accept what you are feeling and pay attention to all the anxious symptoms without desperately trying to stop it. Think that anxiety tremors help release tension and adrenaline accumulated in dangerous situations.
- Go to the psychologist: allows you to increase muscle proprioception to be able to identify when the muscle is tense and to carry out prior training in progressive muscle relaxation to identify muscle tension and be able to relax the muscle. In addition, it also helps to work on anxiety management beyond the tremors to have a greater sense of control of the situation, as well as work. Work on thoughts, beliefs or stimuli that may be causing anxiety.
- Physical exercise: perform physical exercise to be able to release tension accumulated over time more easily and in a controlled manner.
- Meditation, relaxation and mindfulness: enhances all those activities that help you relax, such as meditation. Doing something as simple as 5 minutes of focused breathing can help you cope with everyday life and calm anxiety tremors.
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This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Alcanda, B., (April 25, 2022). Anxiety tremors: Why do they happen and how can we control them? Psychologists world. Retrieved from: Anxiety tremors: Why do they happen and how can we control them? – MundoPsicologos.com
- American psychiatric association, (2014). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM – 5. Madrid, Spain. Pan-American medical publishing house.
- González, P., (November 10, 2017). Anxiety: Do you know how you can face a crisis? EFE health. Recovered from: Anxiety: do you know how you can face a crisis? (efesalud.com)
- Nafría, P., (July 2, 2021). Tremors due to anxiety, how to manage it? Nafría Psychology. Recovered from: Tremors due to anxiety, how to manage it? | Patricia Nafría (psicologianafria.com)