Passing out

[Lui]

Hey,

I am soicial anxiety and health anxiety suffer and develpoed pretty bad symptoms after an accident several months ago. My anxiety is under control now and I stopped every googeling. I am just waiting for my nerves to calm down. But I have a real problem.
I feel always lightheaded and often, especially in crowds, or if too much is goig on as I would pass out and my legs would give up on me. It's the worst when I am jogging. While jogging it's ok, but when I stop I have to sit down for at least 15 min because my legs won't work. Walking is problematic too. After a while I get so detached from my surroundig that I have to sit down. And I got everything checked. I should be a healthy teenager.
I never actucally passed out though. And I never hyperventilated or had a panic attack. But still, it's really annyoing.

Any advise here? Thanks!

[NixonRulz]

For starters, you won't pass out from an anxiety attack. Unless you would be the first recorded case.

I suspect you feel light headed as you do from not breathing correctly. Shallow short breaths will do that and most anxiety sufferers have a tendency to do that

Next time you feel that way, take a few normal belly breaths and see if it stops it. I think it will.

Not deep breaths but just a good normal breath with your belly slowly rising then falling.

[janey]

Actually Nixon, you can pass out from this. It has happened to me; it's called a Vasovagal Syncope, or Vasovagal Response. These can happen not only from physical strain (especially where you are upright, like running) but also from stress and emotions, among other things.

Since you have not passed out, you may or may not have experienced this particular episode but it sounds like it to me, however they always pass. It's most common in young adults, and while it's scary, it's not very serious. Usually one of these episodes has a trigger, like running or for me, emotional stress. You should read about it and see if you have the symptoms and perhaps you could bring this up to your doctor to see what he/she has to say about it.

Here's some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vasovagal-syncope/DS00806/DSECTION=symptoms

You can also Google for more symptoms and info.

[Lui]

Yes, I have a LOT on my mind. Especially because I am exchange student and have like no support from anyone. Luckily this hell will be over when I can finally go home to my family. Thanks a lot.

[NixonRulz]

Actually Nixon, you can pass out from this. It has happened to me; it's called a Vasovagal Syncope, or Vasovagal Response. These can happen not only from physical strain (especially where you are upright, like running) but also from stress and emotions, among other things.

Since you have not passed out, you may or may not have experienced this particular episode but it sounds like it to me, however they always pass. It's most common in young adults, and while it's scary, it's not very serious. Usually one of these episodes has a trigger, like running or for me, emotional stress. You should read about it and see if you have the symptoms and perhaps you could bring this up to your doctor to see what he/she has to say about it.

Here's some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vasovagal-syncope/DS00806/DSECTION=symptoms

You can also Google for more symptoms and info.

Im sure all the things you list are a possibility

What I was referring to is, passing out during an anxiety attack would be an extreme rarity

When you faint, your blood pressure has dropped and there is a lack of oxygen to the brain.

When you are experiencing panic, your heart rate and blood pressure rise, and most often hyperventilating accompanies it ensuring there is more than enough oxygen heading to your noggin.

With all these factors working against fainting, I would presume a person who faints during a panic probably has an underlying condition

[Lin]

Anxiety and panic can make you hyperventilate which makes you light headed and dizzy. Just learning to slow down your breathing when this is happening will stop the light headed feeling and dizziness. Learn to breath deep from your stomach, not shallow breath from your chest. If it gets bad put a bag over your mouth and nose and breath deeply and slowly into the bag, or if not a bag put put your hand over your mouth and nose and slowly take long deep breaths.
Learning meditation can help you long term with this problem and can reach you to breath slowly and deeply and also to let go of the anxious thoughts in your head so that you are able to control your anxiety and not let it take over and ruin your life.

[Judie]

Hyperventilation Syndrome which accompanies an Anxiety Attack isn't too much oxygen , it is an imbalance between oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. Shallow and rapid breathing causes us not to do the proper exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The result is less oxygenated blood to extremities, light head, dizziness etc. this isn't dangerous why ? Because the human body / brain steps in and in fact causes you to " faint", in doing so your breathing is immediately regulated and gets the proper oxygen levels it needs. Why more people " don't " faint with anxiety is because the shortness of breath people experience with shallow breathing causes the individual to grasp for air and in fact inhales deeper breaths ( recreating the proper oxygen in carbon dioxide out ) If anytime you want to test this just start panting for a period of time trust me you'll stop because you will feel quite horrible. I am a horrible shallow breather, in fact I hold my breath ( without knowing it ). Proper breathing is critical in the management of this disorder. Half the people that practice deep breathing will never have a problem with full blown attacks again. The problem, as with me is many don't realize that they are in fact hyperventilating , just like dehydration it's shuttle. Breathe don't faint :)

[Lui]

Thanks for the replies! Helps a lot. Unfortunaetly I have quiet a hard time following all this advanced medical English terms lol. I do understand now that this "fainting thing"/lightheadedness is caused by poor breathing hyperventilation.
I have poor breathing but I never actucally hyperventilated. Why do I feel like this? I am sure it was meinchant in here but like I said, it's hard for me to translate all this stuff, sorry! :(
Usually a lot of thinking, or when I get really anxious is causing lightheadedness in my case. I am still wondering why I get fainitng feelings from jogging and stuff.
Thanks :)

[Lui]

Oh, and has anyone ever experienced "visual snow" or flashy vision as anxiety symptom?

[Judie]

Thanks for the replies! Helps a lot. Unfortunaetly I have quiet a hard time following all this advanced medical English terms lol. I do understand now that this "fainting thing"/lightheadedness is caused by poor breathing hyperventilation.
I have poor breathing but I never actucally hyperventilated. Why do I feel like this? I am sure it was meinchant in here but like I said, it's hard for me to translate all this stuff, sorry! :(
Usually a lot of thinking, or when I get really anxious is causing lightheadedness in my case. I am still wondering why I get fainitng feelings from jogging and stuff.
Thanks :)
Ok Luis, I'll answer the best way I can and hopefully you'll understand. Let's call hyperventilation simply ( shallow breathing ok ). All people who have anxiety shallow breathe, they don't breathe the way you are supposed to. How you are supposed to breathe is slow and deep from the stomach not the chest. Ok ready: close your mouth and breathe deeply in through the nose and as you are doing this count to four slowly and then hold for 1 second and then release ( don't blow out) slowly through your mouth also to the count of four. Do this for about 20 minutes you will begin to retrain your breathing ok. Do it everyday, even if you feel good. Ok the "visual snow" you talk about are " floaters " , harmless bits of debris at the bottom of your eye that get shook up and are seen ( especially if you look against a white wall ) flashes of light is just your optic nerve and little spasms ( harmless ). You are getting dizzy and light headed when you jog because you are hyperventilating, even though you think you are not. People always think that hyperventilating ( shallow breathing means choking for air. It does not. We have no idea we are doing it. Think about it if we knew we were doing this we would not be so scared when we got light headed because we would know that our shallow and rapid breathing was the reason for it. Get an IPHONE APP called Relax and Rest it will help you. good Luck

[Lui]

Yes, I understand! Yay! Thank you so much!

[Judie]

Yes, I understand! Yay! Thank you so much!

Your welcome very much ! Private Message me anytime, if you need to. I will keep it very simple. The trick to this is simple, realize all these weird symptoms are harmless and then don't think about them, think positive good thoughts. Do a breathing APP faithfully. Do this and you will get better quickly. :)

[krayziee]

Ok the "visual snow" you talk about are " floaters " , harmless bits of debris at the bottom of your eye that get shook up and are seen ( especially if you look against a white wall ) flashes of light is just your optic nerve and little spasms ( harmless ).

I believe floaters are not the same as visual snow. Since i have both.

Floaters are indeed spots, that follow your eye movement but visual snow moves on it's own. Visual snow are mini in all Colors spots that crawl everywhere, it's comparable to White Noise on your tv movement wise.

Also lui do you experience aura's around objects and after images, when looking at something and then u look away you still see it's shape?

[kamala]

I never have passed out but my legs did give out on me out of nowhere while standing and I fell hard to the ground.

[Lui]

Hey guys,

oops I just opened up a new thread for visual snow! Will post it in this one.
Thank you Judie for the great help!
Hi krayziee. Yes, I experience that a lot. Green flashes most of the time. My Neuropsychologist thinks it is linked to migraines and hormones issues. It's so annyoin and absolutely terryfing!

[Judie]

I believe floaters are not the same as visual snow. Since i have both.

Floaters are indeed spots, that follow your eye movement but visual snow moves on it's own. Visual snow are mini in all Colors spots that crawl everywhere, it's comparable to White Noise on your tv movement wise.

Also lui do you experience aura's around objects and after images, when looking at something and then u look away you still see it's shape?

I think whatever visual display from migraine like aura, visual snow or as I had " tunnel vision" are all exactly the same in root cause, albeit produce different sensations. Some people experience anxiety tachycardia ( rapid heart rate while others experience palpitations ( sensation of a skipped heartbeat, but is actually a harmless extra beat ) Anxiety is scary stuff and it does indeed produce scary symptoms. I could go into detail but I believe in power of suggestion and people may not benefit. It really comes down to one thing symptoms of anxiety are " individual " yet "universal", uniquely different in some aspects but remarkably the same in others. The Root is the same and symptoms really do need to be ignored, not fuelled with concentration and thought. Be Well All.

[Judie]

Hey guys,

oops I just opened up a new thread for visual snow! Will post it in this one.
Thank you Judie for the great help!
Hi krayziee. Yes, I experience that a lot. Green flashes most of the time. My Neuropsychologist thinks it is linked to migraines and hormones issues. It's so annyoin and absolutely terryfing!

Hi Lui, Yes Migraine Auras produce those symptoms and often Ocular Migraines are without pain. Migraines are closely connected to stress triggers ( Anxiety ) and hormones, so makes perfect sense. be Well !

[Lui]

Ok,
I developed the snow after a while. I have health anxiety, social anxiety, and hormon issues in general. So, for 8 long months I did not know what was going on. Was diagnosed with a concussion and symptoms got worse and worse over months. I was absolutly terrifed. Of course, smart as I am, I din not break up my exchange year, changed host families, after I was living with a horrible one who caused a lot of the anxiety and PTSO. So I freaked myself more and more out thought I was brain damaged, was having some panic attacks and was crying all the time. I was suicidal. I still don't know why I did not beak up. I just don't like giving up I guess. And one day, 4 months after I developed health anxiety, I looked at a wall and was like: "Holy sh*t. What are those white spots all over there." Never had this before in my life and it's really annoying. I am postive that all my symptoms will go away. But this one, I am not sure about. It's there all the time. Google is telling me that there is no cure and no particular reason for this visual snow. There are people online freaking out about it, like me right now. But they don't seem to have anxiety.
What do you think? Should I plan on living with that for probably my life, or put it under the "it's-just-anxiety-section". You'll probaly don't know but I would like to hear other people's opinion.
Thanks!