Anxiety, stress, worry & your body​

Anxiety is a normal part of life, but excessive or persistent anxiety can have a devastating effect on your physical and mental health. 
In the short term, anxiety increases your breathing and heart rate, concentrating blood flow to your brain. 
If it gets too intense, you might start to feel lightheaded and nauseous.
Major Anxiety Disorders Include the following:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD is when you get anxious about most every-day situations and are unable to remember the last time you were in a relaxed mental state.
It is diagnosed when extreme worry about a variety of things lasts six months or longer. 
If you have a mild case, you're probably able to complete your normal day-to-day activities. 
More severe cases may have a profound impact on the way you live your life.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
People with OCD may feel overwhelmed with the desire to perform particular rituals (compulsions) over and over again or experience intrusive and unwanted thoughts that can be distressing (obsessions). 
Common compulsions include habitual hand-washing, counting, or checking something. 
Common obsessions include concerns about cleanliness, aggressive impulses, and need for symmetry.

Phobias
These include fear of tight spaces (claustrophobia), fear of heights (acrophobia), and many others. 
You may have a powerful urge to avoid the feared object or situation.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD develops after witnessing or experiencing something traumatic. 
Symptoms can begin immediately or be delayed for years
Common causes include war, natural disasters, or a physical attack. 
PTSD episodes may be triggered without warning.

Panic Disorder
This causes panic attacks, spontaneous feelings of anxiety, terror, or impending doom. Physical symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breath. These attacks may occur at any time. You can also have another type of anxiety disorder along with panic disorder.

What this does to your body?

Respiratory Problems
When a person is anxious, his or her breathing becomes short, shallow and rapid. 
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may be at an increased risk of hospitalization from anxiety-related complications.
Anxiety can also make asthma symptoms worse. 

Excretory systems
Stress can change the way your intestines absorb nutrients, and how quickly food moves through your body. 
Chronic stress can change the bacteria in your digestive system as well. 
Bad bacteria begin to replace the good bacteria, which can be killed off.
This can cause nausea, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. Loss of appetite can also occur.

Immune system
Frequent stress hormones and coping with the fight or flight response may not allow your body to return to its normal rested state, leaving your immune system vulnerable to illness and viral infections. 
Also, your regular vaccines may not work as well if you have anxiety.

Cardiovascular system
Anxiety disorders can cause rapid heart rate, palpitations, and chest pain. 
You may also be at an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. 
If you already have heart disease, anxiety disorders may raise the risk of coronary events.

Muscle tension and pain
When you’re troubled about something, the muscles in your shoulder and neck can tense up, and that can lead to migraines or tension headaches. 
Massage or relaxation techniques, like deep breathing and yoga, may help.

Diabetes
When you’re worried about something, stress hormones also give you a burst of fuel (in the form of blood sugar). 
This can be a good thing if you need to run from danger, but what happens if you don’t use that fuel? 
Your body normally stores it to use later. But sometimes, if you’re overweight or have diabetes, for example, your blood sugar can stay too high for too long. 
This can lead to heart disease, strokes, or kidney disease.

Stomach disorders
You may feel “butterflies” in your stomach when you’re nervous -- in more serious times, you may feel nauseous or even vomit. 
If this happens often, it can lead to stomach pain and sores in your stomach lining (ulcers). And if you eat a lot of foods high in fat and sugar, your stomach has to work harder to digest them, and that makes more acid. 
This can cause acid reflux -- when acid flows up into your throat.

Weight gain
When you get anxious repeatedly, your brain floods your body with hormones of adrenalin and cortisol.
This 'high' probably influence you to reach out for 'sweet' comfort foods like chocolate and pastries. 
However, this can lead to an incessant craving for salty and sugary foods again. 

Memory loss
If you are a constant worrier or suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder, it may also impact your short-term or working memory.
As a consequence, you may find yourself making frequent mistakes, forgetting important appointments, and unable to cope with hectic schedules.

Stress & Sexual health​
Studies have shown that the stress hormones released by the body are linked to sex drive. 
The more stressed out we are, the more stress hormones our body releases, and therefore the more likely we are to have a lower sex drive. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4199300/

Disclaimer: The advice provided is intended for informational purpose only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.  Consult with your doctor if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.​