How Would Bvd Cause Panic Attacks And Driving Anxiety
BVD causes dizziness and trouble with balance and depth perception, which can result in being unable to perceive how closeby other vehicles are to you and difficulty reading signage on the roads. Over time, this can cause people to become nervous about driving, which can build into more intense symptoms.
It Might Be Your Eyes
Causes of BVD
BVD can be caused due to one eye being physically higher than the other, which is usually a very subtle difference. It can also be caused by a nerve or eye muscle abnormality, which is something many people are born with. As people with these abnormalities get older, the eye muscles become even more strained from trying to constantly realign the image they are sending to the brain, which results in the uncomfortable symptoms of BVD. Stroke, brain injury, inner ear abnormality / injury or certain neurological disorders can also cause BVD.
While having panic attacks while driving, along with dizziness, nausea and motion sickness is commonly associated with BVD, other symptoms can include:
- Headache
- Feeling overwhelmed in crowds/large spaces
- Skipping lines/losing your place while reading
- Closing/covering an eye to make it easier to see
The symptoms of BVD can significantly negatively impact a persons quality of life that extends beyond driving.
Treatment for Panic Attacks While Driving
Blood Flow Decreases To Your Arms And Legs
For those suffering from a panic attack, the blood in the extremities is often rerouted to the other parts of the body that the central nervous system deems more important. Because of this blood loss, panic attack sufferers often complain of numbness in their arms, legs, feet, and hands.
Hyperventilation can also cause a numb feeling in the extremities, as shallow breathing provides the body with too much oxygen and too little carbon dioxide. This unbalanced ratio eventually causes your blood vessels to constrict and limits blood flow to the extremities, as Calm Clinic points out.
Facing Feared Body Sensations
People with panic disorder are often sensitive to sensations such as dizziness, blurred vision, and increased heart rate. These sensations need to be brought on repeatedly so that eventually, they no longer make you anxious.
To expose yourself to the panic disorder sensations that you fear, you can do the following exercises.
- Racing heart: run on the spot for 1 minute.
- Chest discomfort: run up and down stairs for 1 minute.
- Breathlessness: breathe deeply and rapidly for 1 minute.
- Choking sensations: pinch your nostrils and breathe in and out through a small straw for 1 minute.
- Dizziness: shake your head from side to side for 30 seconds.
- Blurred vision: stare at a ceiling light for 1 minute and then try to read something.
Start with the sensation that you fear the least and work your way up to the sensation that you fear the most.
Also Check: Afraid Of Long Words
Feeling Dizzy Or Tingling In Your Limbs
According to Prevention, “When you start having a panic attack, there is less blood in your extremities. In turn, some people feel weaker in their arms, legs, hands, and feet.” This decrease in blood flow can also make your feet and hands tingle, or feel a bit numb, as if you stayed put in one position too long.
You Have An Eye Infection
You dont have to wear contact lenses to get eye infections that damage the cornea.
Herpes keratitis is an infection in the eye caused by the herpes virus. You can get it just by touching a cold sore on your lips then touching your eyes. Bacteria and fungi that muscle their way in after an eye injury can also cause infection.
Treatments like eye drops and medications usually help, but the best method of protection from eye infections is prevention. Your cornea will do a lot of that work for you. The cornea is an amazing structure, says Bibiana Reiser, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and director of cornea and glaucoma services at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. It has a lot of that kill things directly on contact.
You May Like: What Is Schizophrenia Simple Explanation
Also Check: Can Low Blood Sugar Cause Anxiety
Double Vision Caused By Nerve Problems
Certain cranial nerves connect the brain to the eye muscles to control eye movement. Some conditions that can affect or damage these cranial nerves and lead to double vision include:
- Diabetes, a metabolic disease affecting your bodyâs ability to process blood sugar that can cause nerve damage
- Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nerve condition in which early symptoms can occur in the eyes, causing muscle weakness
- Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks neuromuscular junctions involved in eye movement
- Multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disease affecting the central nervous system, possibly damaging nerves that control eye movement
Also Check: What Assessment Tools Are Used To Diagnose Schizophrenia
Visual Problems Associated With Anxiety
If you experience any of these visual problems during your anxiety attacks, you are not alone. Many people experience visual problems when they suffer from profound anxiety.
- Light Sensitivity – Light sensitivity can be caused by anxiety due to a temporary dilation, or enlargement, of the pupil. Pupil dilation occurs when the body believes it has a reason to be afraid, as part of its fight or flight response. This is one reason why scary movies often use special effects to give scary creatures or people eyes that are black, or all pupil: it triggers a fear response in us. When your pupils dilate, they let more light in, improving your vision and helping you catch little visual details that may be useful to you in evading or combating the trigger.
WHAT TO DO: A short term fix for light sensitivity are sunglasses, and some eye drops that are designed to decrease light sensitivity in the short term. However, it may be easier just to wait until the symptom passes, as lying down in a dimly lit room will both be easy on your eyes and may help you to relax.
WHAT TO DO: Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery while experiencing this symptom, as it is similar to a symptom of drunkenness and keeps you from getting all the visual information you need to operate safely.
WHAT TO DO: The only way to really cure tunnel vision is to relax. Don’t try to fight the problem, and try not to panic about it: it is, after all, a temporary problem, and will fade after a few minutes.
Don’t Miss: Whats The Fear Of Long Words
Difference Between Panic Attack And Low Blood Sugar
What is the difference between a panic attack and a low sugar level?
4 March 2021
Thank you for contacting Health at Hand.
Panic attack – a panic attack is very sudden in onset and includes an intense fear and anxiety. There is often no warning and no apparent reason for it, but they can be triggered by a stressful event such as bereavement.
During a panic attack your body goes into fight or flight mode – your breathing rate increases, muscles tense and heart rate quickens.
Low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia is when the glucose level in your blood is too low. It is often associated with being diabetic, but can also be caused by other factors, including skipping a meal, intense exercise or activity, and binge drinking.
While the two are very different, some of the symptoms such as trembling, sweating and a high heart rate are similar.
Here is a full list of symptoms for both so you can differentiate.
Your Sweat Glands Go Into Overdrive
A person having a panic attack may excessively sweat for a myriad of different reasons. From a fight-or-flight perspective, the Anxiety Centre notes that the body increases its perspiration production in order to reduce the amount of water being stored in the kidneys. Less water in the kidneys means a decreased need to go to the bathroomand as far as the body is concerned, there’s no time for that when there is an imminent threat.
In other instances, someone having a panic attack can also experience an uncomfortable amount of perspiration due to their increased heart rates and respiration. These upticks occur as the body works in overtime to reroute the flow of blood from the less essential parts of the body to the more important areas essential for survival.
You May Like: Definition Of A Phobia
How To Prevent Blurred Vision
You can’t control your vision. If blurry vision occurs, you simply need to wait for your anxiety to calm down in order for your vision to return to normal or take special care to reduce secondary issues that may be leading to the symptom, like eye strain.
Closing your eyes for a while may help a little, since it will reduce how much you worry about your vision, but ultimately you’ll simply need to wait out your anxiety until it gets better.
But you can prevent blurry vision by curing your anxiety and stopping your panic attacks. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a great place to start, as it has shown itself to be effective at curing several different types of anxiety. You may also find that exercise helps a lot, since a calmer body tends to be less prone to anxiety attacks.
Blurry vision can be an inconvenient, stressful, and scary anxiety symptom. It always helps to double check with your doctor to ensure that it is caused by anxiety. But if it seems that anxiety is the cause, your best course of action is to start learning to manage your anxiety and your blurry vision should reduce as a result.
Was this article helpful?
How To Fix Blurred Vision
As with any medical complaint, sudden blurred vision can only be accurately diagnosed by a medical professional. If your eyes are suddenly going blurry, its best to make an appointment with your doctor. Some of the causes of sudden blurred vision can be serious, so self-diagnosing isnt a good idea.
References
Read Also: Does Celine Dion Have An Eating Disorder
What Can You Do
If you think that your eye problems are stress-related, you can start by trying to relax. Think about your symptoms as warning signsyour body is obviously trying to respond to a threat, and its hurting you. The best thing to do is to try to calm down your brains response to danger.
You probably know what de-stresses you better than anybody. However, if you need some ideas, try:
- Taking a long, warm bath and focusing on how it feels
- Meditating
- Taking slow, deep breaths, sending the air into your belly instead of your chest
- Writing in a journal
- Exercising
As always, youll feel better if you make sure to get enough sleep and eat well. Even though youre busy, taking at least a few minutes to consciously relax will help your body calm down.
If you feel stressed or worried most of the time, you may need to make bigger changes. You may be trying to do too much in too little time and need to cut back. Alternatively, you may have an anxiety disorder, which is highly treatable. If you constantly feel like youre on edge, it might be time to speak with a doctor or counselor to make sure that youre emotionally and physically healthy.
Once youve found a way to deal with your stress, your eyes should go back to normal. Stress-related eye issues should be temporary and easy to fix. However, if you continue to have problems, make sure to visit your eye doctor. The optometrists here at All About Eyes are ready to assist you so that your eyes are as comfortable as possible.
Your Digestive System Slows Down Or Stops Working Altogether
During a panic attack, many people find that their digestion is disrupted. Since the body thinks that it’s in danger, it will send signals to the enteric nervous system to slow down or even halt the digestive system. This is your body’s attempt to conserve energy and prepare for the potential of a physical threat.
According to the ADAA, this disruption in your digestion can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
Don’t Miss: Acrophobia Medical Definition
Finding The Right Medication For Adult Panic Disorder Treatment
Medications can help manage your panic disorder symptoms. We conduct a full medication assessment during your initial visit, including reviewing prescriptions, over-the-counter, and homeopathic medications. This information helps us determine whether medication changes are needed. We will also work with your primary care provider to discuss medications or other health issues that may affect your panic disorder treatment.
Schedule An Appointment For Panic Attack Treatment
Panic Disorder can be difficult to recognize because fear, worry, and behavioral changes can come on gradually. Seeking professional advice is an important first step in understanding your symptoms and getting help for your panic attacks.
The specialists at West End Consultation Group in Minneapolis take a caring and comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating panic syndrome in adults. We start with a private consultation to learn more about you and your lifestyle. From there, we can start working on a panic treatment plan individualized to your situation.
Schedule an appointment at our St. Louis Park clinic for panic attack help.
Also Check: Blurred Vision Panic Attack
What Causes The Zig Zag Vision During A Panic Attack
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
What Are Common Stress
Most stress-caused eye issues are temporaryif you have a consistent issue with your eyes, no matter whats going on in your life, the problem is likely with your eyes instead of your stress level. Make sure to see an eye doctor if you have persistent eye trouble.
But when you have a massive deadline or your children all get sick at the same time, you may notice these problems:
- Tunnel vision. You may lose some of your peripheral vision and feel like you can only see straight in front of you.
- Sensitivity to light. You may feel like bright light hurts your eyes or makes it difficult for you to see.
- Eye twitching. Maybe one, or both, of your eyes will randomly spasm.
- Very dry or very wet eyes. While these are opposite symptoms, either one can be caused by stress. It all depends on how your body responds to a difficult situation.
- Blurry vision. When caused by stress, blurry vision will probably be mild instead of severe.
- Eye strain. Eye strain may be caused by something simple, like staring at your computer screen too long at work. However, it can also be caused by stress.
- Eye floaters. Eye floaters are tiny spots that swim across your vision.
These symptoms are usually not terribleyou can live with them without seeing an eye doctor. The problems are more annoying than debilitating. However, if they last a long time or are very uncomfortable, you should still see a professional just in case.
Also Check: Can Antidepressants Cause Eating Disorders
Also Check: Schizophrenia Gender Differences
What Are The Symptoms Of A Panic Attack
A panic attack feels like a rush of intense fear or discomfort that peaks in a matter of minutes but may last for an extended period. You might feel exhausted after a panic attack, or the attacks may wake you from sleep.
The symptoms of a panic attack vary from person to person, but may include:
- Increased heart rate or difficulty breathing
- Chest pain, nausea, abdominal distress feels like a heart attack
- Trembling, shaking or sweating
- Feel as if you are choking
- Temperature change either too hot or too cold
- Dizziness or lightheaded
- Fear of going crazy or dying
- Feel detached from yourself or from reality
What Causes Dizziness And Blurred Vision
By Anna Barden
Dizziness and blurred vision can be triggered by various conditions, a reaction to medication and even stress. Whether symptoms are mild or severe, it is important to pinpoint what may have caused dizziness or blurry vision to occur.
Depending on the underlying cause, occurrences of blurred vision and dizziness are often accompanied by nausea, headache and light-headedness, among other symptoms. If blurred vision and dizziness are prolonged or other serious symptoms develop, contact a doctor.
Recommended Reading: What Does A Ptsd Flashback Look Like
Blurred Vision May Be A Symptom Or A Trigger
When you’re hyperventilating, blurry vision may actually worsen your anxiety symptoms. That’s because those experience blurry vision may start to experience more anxiety as they worry about why their vision has changed. They may also notice their blurry vision more than someone without anxiety because those with anxiety attacks have a tendency to become over-sensitive to changes in their body.
Hyperventilation itself is also a known panic attack trigger. As you’re hyperventilating and your eyes become blurry, you may start to experience a panic attack. That panic attack may cause you to hyperventilate further, which causes your vision to become more blurry.
Furthermore, every once in a while your eyes may be a bit blurry for no reason. Short term vision changes happen to everyone. But if you suffer from anxiety, you may unintentionally respond to those vision changes in a way that makes your anxiety worse, as they may trigger an anxiety attack or further anxiety.
The Role Of Adrenaline
In the case of chronic stress and anxiety, the level of adrenaline within the body remains elevated. This can cause pressure on the eyes, sometimes resulting in blurred vision. Tunnel vision is another feature of excessive adrenaline. This tends to occur at times high arousal or during a panic event.
Many people with long-term anxiety find they experience eyestrain during the day. A common feature of anxiety is hypervigilance and the anticipation of events that will increase stress. Vigilance actually affects all the senses, but as far as vision is concerned, our pupils dilate in response to adrenaline order to take in more of the surroundings. We become highly sensitized to any slight movement. Over time this and the strain from other senses can cause muscular tensions and headaches.
Read Also: Fear Of Long Words Name