Most movies and TV shows often portray anxiety attacks as someone heavily breathing, holding their chest, and outwardly showing signs of distress. While this makes for some great movie magic, not all anxiety attacks present as dramatically. Unfortunately, this stereotype can cause people with silent anxiety attack symptoms to go undiagnosed and untreated. It’s important to be aware of silent anxiety attack symptoms so you can understand how to manage your anxiety, decrease panic attacks, and begin to heal from panic disorder. Here are some symptoms to look out for.
Derealization and Depersonalization – The Scariest Silent Anxiety Attack Symptom
By far one of the scariest yet less talked-about silent anxiety attack symptoms is the feeling of derealization and depersonalization. Both depersonalization and derealization can go hand-in-hand with panic attacks and social anxiety.
Depersonalization occurs when someone feels disconnected from themselves, almost as if watching their body from the outside. Derealization is the sensation that one’s surroundings are not real or feel distorted. Depth perception changes can even accompany severe anxiety attacks.
If you’ve ever suddenly felt either of these things out of the blue or in a situation that typically causes you anxiety, it could be a silent anxiety attack. These symptoms can be terrifying and make a person feel as though they are “losing control” or “going crazy.” Fortunately, they are short-lived, albeit frightening, symptoms of panic attacks.
Racing Heart and Heart Palpitations
Unlike heavy breathing or sweating, a racing heart might not always be outwardly apparent. It might also catch you off-guard and make you believe you are experiencing a cardiac emergency or heart attack. Fortunately, increased heart rates during panic attacks are usually short-lived. However, they can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, which can include a racing heart as well as:
- Skipped beats
- Fluttering sensations
- Palpitations
- Atrial fibrillation, or AFib
If you experience a racing heart or arrhythmias as a silent anxiety attack symptom, try to first relax and let your panic attack subside. It’s always best to check with your doctor if you experience any concerning heart symptoms to rule out other heart issues. If your provider determines the root cause is anxiety, it’s time to start looking for ways to treat your anxiety.
Numbness and Tingling Sensations
You might find yourself experiencing numbness or tingling sensations in your body during a silent anxiety attack. These sensations are often felt in the extremities, like your hands, feet, fingers, or toes. This symptom can be quite alarming if you’ve never experienced it before, and can add to the feelings of depersonalization and loss of control. Fortunately, like all other symptoms of silent anxiety attacks, numbness and tingling sensations are temporary and should subside once the panic attack passes.
Dizziness and Lightheadedness
Dizziness and lightheadedness are common symptoms of panic attacks in general, but they can also occur during silent anxiety attacks. This sensation is often described as feeling off balance or like you are about to faint. It can be especially disorienting if it happens suddenly while you’re in a public place.
This might be why dizziness is often associated with not just panic attacks and panic disorder, but also agoraphobia, or the fear of spaces that might cause anxiety or be difficult to escape from. If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness during a silent anxiety attack, it’s important to find a safe place to sit down and try to relax until the sensation passes.
Know that during a panic attack, adrenaline is moving through your body, and fainting is very uncommon. If you notice your dizzy spells occur alongside other symptoms of panic attacks, like racing heart or a sense of impending doom, it might be due to silent anxiety attacks.
Feel At Ease With Anxiety Treatment
Suffering from anxiety in silence is not sustainable. While you might want to simply ignore your panic attacks, tackling the root cause of your anxiety and managing your triggers is the only way to ensure your silent anxiety attacks don’t lead to more serious conditions such as panic disorder. At Elevation Behavioral Health, our mental health treatment in Agoura Hills, CA, is designed to help put you in charge again.
We know how difficult it can be to manage anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health disorders alone. That’s why our comprehensive inpatient residential mental health treatment gives you the tools you need to address the root cause of your anxiety and regain control over your life. Our personalized treatment plans include evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), along with holistic approaches like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices. Our team of experienced therapists is dedicated to helping you find long-lasting relief from silent anxiety attacks and other mental health challenges. Don’t suffer in silence any longer. Call us today and let us help you on your journey towards healing and recovery.
