Is It a Panic Attack or a Coronavirus?
Over the past few days, I have had periods of shortness of breath, fatigue and general soreness. Anyway, I would dismiss it as part of my generalized anxiety disorder . But now, in our current hellish landscape , where COVID-19 symptoms , in particular shortness of breath, have hit our heads, it’s hard not to jump to conclusions. If you’ve dealt with anxiety yourself, then you know that this is what leads to the spiral: getting hung up on something and increasing anxiety about it, while assuming that the worst possible outcome is about to happen.
Is it shortness of breath – a panic attack or the onset of a virus? Is the fatigue the result of being unable to sleep for the past few nights because of my anxiety, or something worse ? And is this soreness due to the fact that I constantly squeeze every muscle in my body in a constant fight or flight mode, or is this a different type of symptom? If it was just one symptom of the coronavirus, would there be one, not three ?
I am a rational person who has been writing about mental health and coronavirus for weeks; of course, I can distinguish the anxiety disorder I have lived with since childhood from a global pandemic. But that’s just the point of anxiety – it makes you question everything, while your brain constantly sends a message to your body that it is in imminent danger. And if I have this question, probably other people do too. So, as a public service (and a slightly veiled attempt to calm myself), I spoke with three psychiatrists about how to distinguish between panic attack, general anxiety, and COVID-19 symptoms, and when you should seek medical attention. Attention.
Anxiety versus panic attack
Before we get into the coronavirus, let’s talk about what a panic attack actually is. “Panic attacks can happen without warning. They happen suddenly and can happen anytime, anywhere, ”says Lifehacker Dr. Zlatin Ivanov , a psychiatrist practicing in New York. “Panic attacks are the result of intense fear, which triggers a physical reaction in the body when there is no real danger.” According to the Cleveland Clinic , panic attack symptoms include:
- Increased heart rate
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Feeling like you’re choking
- Dizziness
- Chills or overheating
- Nausea
- Fear that you are dying or losing control of your mind
- Numbness
- The feeling that what is happening around is unreal
So what is the difference between a panic attack and a panic attack? As stated by the Cleveland Clinic : “Panic attacks are not technically anything special, at least according to medical terminology. This is an unprofessional term for a panic attack. ” (If you’re having a panic attack, we have a helpful video on how to deal with it .)
If you’ve ruled out panic attack, how about symptoms that don’t necessarily peak and then disappear, but gradually overwhelm you under the weight of fear and despair? It’s anxiety, and it comes with its own set of symptoms, including shortness of breath; tightening of the chest; cardiopalmus; sweating; periodic chills or hot flashes; – headache and shaking, – explains Ivanov. In addition, generalized anxiety can also cause sleep problems, fatigue, muscle soreness and, in some cases, gastrointestinal problems . Unlike panic attacks, anxiety symptoms can persist for a long period of time. For example, sometimes due to increased anxiety, I can have a difficult few hours. In other cases, it is a constant gnawing sensation that can last for weeks or months.
Anxiety, panic attack or COVID-19 symptoms?
Okay, let’s get this straight. Shortness of breath, fever, and coughing are common symptoms of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC says emergency warning symptoms, which means you should seek immediate medical attention, include shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, new confusion or inability to wake up, and blue lips or face. If you hear that the symptoms of anxiety and panic attack overlap, you are not mistaken. “Shortness of breath due to COVID-19 and [panic] attack can manifest in the same way,” says Lifehacker Dr. Dion Metzger , a psychiatrist practicing in Atlanta, Georgia. “That’s what makes it tricky.”
Here are a few more factors to help you figure out what to do next.
Do you have other symptoms?
While shortness of breath is one of the most talked about symptoms of COVID-19, Ivanov notes that it’s important to pay attention to whether you have other symptoms as well. “In addition to shortness of breath, the symptoms of coronavirus are also severe cough and fever,” he explains. “They can appear from two to 14 days after infection.”
According to Ivanov, if someone experiences shortness of breath or chest tightness – even for extended periods of time – but does not have a cough along with these symptoms, then it is likely anxiety as a result of high stress levels. “Symptoms of COVID-19 should also include severe dry cough and fever. The virus infects the lungs and respiratory tract. Worry affects the whole body. ” (More on that in a minute.)
Do you usually experience anxiety and / or panic attacks?
If you’ve had a long history of dealing with periods of anxiety or panic attacks, then Dr. W. Nate Upshaw, Psychiatrist and Medical Director of NeuroSpa TMS, says you need to know how these symptoms feel and already have a plan of action. their. “If you have typical symptoms and do not have other medical symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or feeling tired, this is probably a concern and should go away with your usual interventions,” he tells Lifehacker.
Are you short of breath but don’t feel too anxious?
Upshaw explains that people who have shortness of breath due to acute medical problems often have no general symptoms of panic attack, and sometimes have no major anxiety at all. “They are clearly worried about breathing problems, but they lack some of the psychological symptoms of panic attacks, such as anxiety, dissociation and a catastrophic fear of death,” he says. “Believe it or not, most people with shortness of breath due to a medical condition ignore their anxiety. Most people with anxiety dyspnoea will tell you that they are worried. “
Is there anything that helps your shortness of breath?
If you are experiencing shortness of breath or chest tightness, Metzger advises paying attention to what – if anything – helps relieve it. “For example, if deep breathing helps reduce shortness of breath associated with anxiety, it should be effective all the time,” she explains. “When a symptom is medically triggered, such as shortness of breath in COVID-19, there won’t be much relief with anxiety-reducing techniques such as going out into the open or using breathing techniques.” So the key, Metzger says, is not how the shortness of breath manifests itself, but whether it can be relieved.
Use a head-to-toe method to assess your anxiety and symptoms.
Metzger says that since COVID-19 precautions began to take effect, the symptoms of anxiety have definitely increased. To help her patients educate their patients about the possible physical symptoms of anxiety, she uses a head-to-toe approach:
“Anxiety can affect us from head to toe, which means we can have headaches, tension in our shoulders, upset stomach, even tingling in our toes,” she explains. “Don’t be alarmed if you see these symptoms, as this alarming response is expected as this is our human response to the pandemic.”
When should you seek medical attention?
The first time I had a full-blown panic attack, I went to the emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack and I was dying. But now, given the incredible strain on hospitals and other healthcare facilities due to the coronavirus outbreak, things are not easy (or safe). “Before going to the emergency room, it’s important to rule out anxiety-related shortness of breath because you don’t want to be unnecessarily exposed to the virus,” explains Metzger. “The emergency room is one of the high-risk places you can go during this pandemic. I urge all patients to go to the ambulance only in case of emergency, and this also applies to children. ” You also don’t want to move the beds or space away from other patients who need them more.
However, if someone is experiencing physical symptoms of anxiety (regardless of whether or not they have an official diagnosis), including shortness of breath, and they are worried that it may be related to a medical issue such as COVID-19, Upshaw recommends getting a medical examination. … “This is the only way to know for sure,” he says. “Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 epidemic, seeking medical attention carries a risk of infection, so a patient may want to know if he can be examined by a doctor using telemedicine. Their healthcare professional should advise them if this is possible. If they feel they need urgent medical attention, they should go to an ambulance or call 911. ”
Don’t ignore your mental health
But just because these symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks may not be signs of COVID-19 does not mean that they are not legitimate health problems that deserve your attention right now. “I encourage everyone to use this time to contact their doctor if their anxiety symptoms become so severe that they cannot work, sleep or eat,” Metzger says. “There are medications that can help ease this anxiety during this uncertain time in which we are now. It’s time to press the emergency button and see a doctor for help. ” Again, telehealth is preferred here.
Everything is tough now. And if you are experiencing more anxiety or depression than usual, know that you are definitely not alone.