Can anxiety cause dizziness? It can. Here's why and how.

Common signs of anxiety include feeling fearful or overly worried. But, can anxiety cause dizziness? It can. And the mental impact and physical sensations of anxiety and dizziness can be intense and often unsettling. 

In this blog, we explore how anxiety can lead to dizziness, why this happens, and what you can do to manage it. Understanding the link between anxiety and dizziness can help you take better control of your mental and physical well-being. 

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Can anxiety cause dizziness? Yes.

Dizziness is a disorienting sensation that can make you feel unsteady, lightheaded, or like the room is spinning. While many people associate dizziness with physical health problems, it’s also a common symptom of anxiety disorders. Anxiety may cause acute (short-term, severe), frequent bouts, or chronic (ongoing) dizziness. 

There are several different types of anxiety, many of which involve dizziness and lightheadedness, including:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) — a type of anxiety that involves excessive fear or worry about everyday situations; it often involves physical symptoms, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, muscle tension, headache, stomachache, and fatigue.
• Panic disorder — a type of anxiety characterized by intense bouts of fear that often cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. 
• Phobias — phobia-induced anxiety involves irrational fears linked with certain situations or objects that often lead to avoidance behaviors. Phobias can trigger physical symptoms like sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, and dizziness, particularly if they cause panic attacks.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) — involves intrusive (unwanted) thoughts called obsessions and ritualistic behaviors performed to help relieve anxiety. Physical symptoms of OCD can include muscle aches, insomnia, and symptoms that can mimic a heart attack, such as dizziness.
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — includes symptoms such as severe anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance. PTSD triggers often cause physical symptoms such as dizziness, night sweats, and rapid heartbeat. 

How and why anxiety disorders cause dizziness

People with anxiety-induced dizziness often describe a feeling of lightheadedness or wooziness. Anxiety can cause dizziness in a few ways:

Hyperventilation: Anxiety can cause a person to hyperventilate (breathe fast and shallow), which deprives the brain of adequate oxygen. When your brain doesn’t have enough oxygen, you can feel dizzy or faint. 

The fight-or-flight response: Anxiety causes the body to respond as though there’s a physical threat, which releases adrenaline. Physical changes caused by adrenaline — such as a sudden increase in heart rate and changes in blood pressure — can cause dizziness. 

Can dizziness cause anxiety?

The relationship between anxiety and dizziness is complex. Some people have dizziness as a symptom of anxiety. Others suffer from unpleasant dizziness for physical reasons (such as problems with the middle ear or other conditions), which causes or worsens anxiety. 

What else causes dizziness?

Several factors can cause or contribute to dizziness, such as balance problems caused by conditions of the sensory organs. Inner ear problems are the most common cause of vertigo and include: 

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): A type of vertigo triggered by specific head movements. 
• Labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis: Infections of the inner ear caused by a cold or flu. 
• Ménière’s disease: An inner ear disorder involving a build-up of excess fluid in the ears.

How to stop dizziness caused by anxiety

Anxiety can be overwhelming and make you feel out of control. But there’s good news. You can manage dizziness by getting treatment for your anxiety and/or with self-help remedies. 

Self-help remedies for dizziness from anxiety

• Sitting down as soon as dizziness starts to lower your risk of falling. 
• Lying flat (if sitting doesn’t help). This promotes the flow of oxygen to your brain.
• Avoiding caffeinated drinks, like coffee and tea, and tobacco use.
• Employing stress management techniques — such as yoga, exercise, mindfulness, or meditation — can help manage the stress that fuels anxiety symptoms such as dizziness.

Key takeaway on dizziness and anxiety 

• Can anxiety cause dizziness? Yes. Dizziness is a symptom of many types of anxiety. Untreated dizziness may also lead to anxiety. 
• Other medical conditions, such as inner ear and visual problems, can cause dizziness.
• Anxiety and dizziness are treatable conditions. Treatment for anxiety and dizziness includes psychological interventions like CBT, physical therapy, anxiety medication, anxiety therapy, or a combination of approaches. 

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If you feel dizzy and anxious and think you might have an anxiety disorder, take a step toward relief. Find a provider who treats anxiety on Klarity Health today.