Anxiety for Hours

Yesterday, I started having some anxiety about something (not important to the story what it is). I've had problems with anxiety before and it has come and gone with me thinking nothing of it. However, the small bout I had yesterday transformed into something else. I read recently that stress can cause shortness of breath, which can cause constricting of blood vessels, which can cause hypoxia or an oxygen deficiency to the brain. When I had the anxiety, I started thinking about this and it made my anxiety worse. Here I was, with my anxiety feeding off of my worries about anxiety. I was intensely worried about this for an extended period of time (about 4 or 5 hours). No matter what I did, I couldn't keep these thoughts from my mind. My question is: Could what I was worrying about (an oxygen deficiency to the brain causing damage) possibly be caused by anxiety?

Welcome to the forum .

But the answer to your question is yes. Just as an example from personal experience, I have social anxiety disorder and I get panic attacks from it. When I get panic attacks, I worry that someone knows I am having a panic attack or if they are judging me, so the symptoms get worse. The thing is, these thoughts are from my anxiety. Not the same as yours, but same type of scenario kinda.

It could root from generalized or illness anxiety disorder. Not an expert and not a diagnosis, just the fact that if this continues, find a professional to mention it to.

Hope this helps.

Yea as someone with G.A.D I have had anxiety and panic attacks from simply talking to someone to my mother having a stomach ache. If you worry enough about things it does cause anxiety(at least to me) that is when my mind starts racing and I cant get it out of my head, no matter what I would do the thoughts were looping and stuck in my head with the picture flashes I get.

Hi flowingwater. I am commenting on something that you didn't really ask. From what I've read about stress and oxygen deficiency to the brain, it is nowhere near enough to cause permanent damage.

Rather, you're not getting enough oxygen for your brain to function really well, especially in the parts of the brain that control emotions. Basically, the decreased oxygen to your brain can cause the feelings of anxiety.

This is why you always hear "take slow deep breaths". Looking into breathing exercises might be good, just to make sure that you're breathing correctly (from the lower abdomen, not the chest) and that you're focusing on your breath.

So, all of the effects caused by the oxygen deficiency (that is caused by stress) like lightheadedness, dizziness, and more anxiety only affect you temporarily and with no long term or permanent effects? I just want to be clear as to whether this is just an annoyance that makes you feel terrible as it is happening, or something that can cause problems beyond discomfort (permanent or not).

Can anyone answer the above post?

I just want to say first I am not a medical professional. From what I have been told by my doc and from research anxiety hurts the heart quite a bit. As for losing oxygen I personally don't think it will harm you since athletes actually train in special rooms with significantly less oxygen in them. My friend has the same issues as you and he went to a doctor and was told he would be fine. He went after having a panic attack because he kept on thinking he was never getting enough oxygen from being light headed and dizzy from his anxiety.