Reactive Hypoglycemia And Mitral Valve Prolapse
Posted May 3, 2014
Conditions associated with and/or confused with panic disorder
There are two medical conditions that come up very frequently in consideration of panic disorder. They are said variously to be confused with the disorder because of a similarity of symptoms or to be related to it because they occur together. They are reactive hypoglycemia and mitral valve prolapse. The more important condition is reactive hypoglycemia.
Reactive Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar. It is not an illness but simply a physical finding. It can be caused by a number of conditions of varying seriousness, and in turn can cause a variety of symptoms which seem at first glance to resemble those of a phobia. These include lightheadedness, shakiness, sweating, weakness and fatigue, nervousness, fast heart- beat, blurring of vision, and tingling of lips and tongue- among others. They are relieved promptly by raising the blood sugar to a proper level. The terms reactive hypoglycemia or functional hypoglycemia are used vaguely to refer to a condition in which someone for undiscovered, or undiscoverable, reasons overreacts to the ingestion of sugars by a rise and then an abrupt fall in blood sugar levels, precipitating the symptoms listed above.
True hypoglycemia is complicated and beyond the scope of this blog. Certain salient points should be made, though:
How Anxiety Can Get In The Way
There are a number of ways anxiety can turn into the unwanted third wheel between the sheets, both physically and emotionally.
As we know, the common symptoms of anxiety, like panic, fear, restlessness, shortness of breath, tense muscles, increased heart rate, and sweating, among others, make it hard to stay calm during a regular moment, let alone when we are baring our body and soul to another human. And if we look closely, theres some overlap between the symptoms of anxiety and what happens when you jump in bed.
The act of intimacy raises your heart rate, induces heavier breathing, and makes you sweat, according to The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders. These bodily reactions mimic the physical fight or flight responses people experience during a panic attack, so much so that some individuals will go to great lengths to avoid feeling them at all.
Not only does this have an emotional impact a desire to avoid intimacy altogether but the resulting anxiety symptoms also have physical side effects that make having sex difficult on a functional level.
Anxiety can also make sex difficult emotionally because were more likely to worry or have obsessive thoughts about our appearance, performance, or any other number of factors that can be so consuming they diminish sexual desire before it even starts.
Managing Your Job Schedule Tasks And Engagement
One of the main probable cause of anxiety in people is activities that are carried out at work or even losing the job. This is because a job is where we spend at least a third of an adults daily life.
As one of the patients stated, one of the most traumatizing situations in life is losing your job when you have so many needs, wants, and dependents. It ranks at the same level as losing a loved one or divorce.
Managing your job will go a long way in the prevention of anxiety attacks. This can be managed by proper time management, making sure each task is completed carefully, and not committing to a task or tasks that you cannot handle.
It is also important to save when you are working or at least have a contingency plan for when you will lose your job. Losing a job can cause stress, anxiety, and depression.
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Panic Attack Treatment And Prevention
Cognitive behavioral therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the first-line, evidence-based treatments for anxiety. These treatments can be used separately or in combination.
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying and addressing anxiety-related thoughts and behaviors. It often involves meeting with a therapist weekly and practicing hands-on strategies each day to manage anxious thoughts and behaviors.
SSRIs are taken daily and can help adjust levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, which can affect mood and anxiety. There are many types of SSRIs. A medication provider will determine which one is best for you and will meet with you regularly to monitor benefits and side effects.
Duval doesnt recommend avoidance strategies or using substances such as drugs or alcohol to cope with or abstain from anxious feelings or panic attacks. Incorrect use of substances, including prescriptions, can interfere with relationships and work.
It is a way to mask or avoid the anxiety were not giving ourselves ways to manage it that are going to decrease it long term, Duval says.
Instead, she suggests finding strategies to manage the attacks or reduce the anxiety around having a panic attack.
The challenge is that oftentimes the more we try to prevent something, the more it will happen, Duval says. A big part of managing anxiety and panic is finding ways to face it.
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This Is How Anxiety And Panic Attacks Have Changed My Sex Life
Youre reading Sex Diaries, a HuffPost UK Personal series about how we are having sex. To share your story, get in touch on ukpersonal@huffpost.com.
I slip my dress off one shoulder, then the other. The cold air gives me goosebumps. I catch a glimpse of my naked back in the bedroom mirror. As I hear my partners footsteps climb the stairs and approach from behind me, I drop the dress to the floor with a naughty smirk. He wraps his arms around me. I turn in his embrace to kiss him.
As soon as our lips touch, a pit forms in my stomach. I try and ignore it but it grows and grows, consuming me. I push him away and tears fall down my cheeks as I stand naked at the foot of the bed. Huge, ugly sobs rock through my body and I collapse to the ground. He tries to hug me and I fight to escape the weight of his love.
Sense and reason have fled my body. My ability to communicate is reduced to a dozen simple phrases that all roughly mean the same thing: I cant do this. The this Im referring to is everything from having sex to taking the next breath. I cant understand whats happening and I cant stop crying.
This isnt my first panic attack and I know it wont be my last.
My anxiety is worst in situations where I dont know what will happen or what someone else is thinking.
My favourite intimate activities are the ones that are the most intense so they fill my head and I cant focus on anything else
Kim Barrett is a freelance writer. Follow them on Twitter at
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Your Feelings About Sex And Your Body
Lots of people have complex feelings and anxieties around sex.
Maybe you have an idea of what sex should look like, or how it should go, or youre uncomfortable with certain positions.
Maybe youre worried about your ability to perform.
Sometimes people feel guilt or shame around sex, and its hard to leave those feelings outside the bedroom.
It can also be hard to forget about any body image issues you may have, and its definitely possible to feel anxious about being seen naked.
All of these feelings are incredibly common, and they can easily lead to anxiety after a sexual encounter.
What Is Sexual Performance Anxiety
Sexual performance anxiety is a feeling of nervousness and sexual anxiety before and during sex. When you experience these feelings, your body might release increased amounts of powerful stress hormones such as adrenaline, making it more difficult for you to relax and enjoy sexual activity.
For many men, this can lead to erectile dysfunction, making sexual activity more difficult and less satisfying. Sometimes, performance anxiety ed worsens over time, as one bad experience creates more sexual anxiety and stress about sexual activity. Its very common, affecting men of all ages and backgrounds, and has many different causes.
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It Can Feel Like You Don’t Deserve Love
“I’m pretty well-regulated now But there have been lots of times where I’ve been totally overwhelmed by my mental sh*t. This has obviously affected my relationship to my boyfriend. He is the person I’m around the most, so the person my disorders affect the most is him. And a lot of my anxiety is in relation to my body, which obviously affects my sex life. There have been times when I haven’t been able to be touched because I hate how I look or because any physical contact brings up rape-related trauma feelings. And there have been times when I’ve started crying because I’m not getting enough physical contact and therefore feel like doesn’t love me at all, that I’m ugly and worthless and unlovable. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder do this thing where they convince you that you have no value, that every aspect of your being is garbage. I’ve had this thing a lot in my ‘sexual history’ where I’ve been so convinced that I’m worthless/ugly/unlovable that I trust people more who seem to hate me, because their hatred confirms my own self-loathing and vice versa.
Cause Of Anxiety Attacks
Anxiety attacks are usually although not always caused by severe stress. The symptoms depend on the type of attack. The term anxiety attack is sometimes used interchangeably with the term panic attack, but may also refer to any periods of extreme anxiety beyond what a person normally experiences.
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Types Of Anxiety Attacks In Child
The following are the common types of panic attacks based on their causes .
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. There are many other types of anxiety disorders in childhood, closely associated with panic disorders.
Determining Panic Attack Causes
Keep in mind that one specific factor from the list above could be causing your panic or multiple factors could be working simultaneously to cause a panic attack. In most cases panic is caused by a variety of factors that all contribute towards increasing the possibility of experiencing an attack. One of the reasons that it can be tough to pin down a specific root cause for their panic attacks is because there may not be just one cause.
In many cases there are a variety of big picture factors such as unhealthy lifestyle, environmental stress, stimulant use, etc. that are simultaneously leading a person to panic. In other cases there may be specific things that can trigger panic attacks such as phobias or things that resemble trauma experienced in PTSD. When trying to figure out what is causing your panic, it may be beneficial to work with a professional as they may be able to provide some insight.
Ultimately what most people want is to figure out the cause so that they can address it and reduce or diminish the likelihood of experiencing another panic attack in the future. Since everyone is different, one person may make some lifestyle changes, reduce stress, increase relaxation, and they may never have another panic attack in their life. For others with panic rooted in genetics, therapy and medication may be the only treatment that works.
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Why Do Some People Experience Panic Attacks While Masturbating
There are any number of personal reasons that could trigger this panicked response, including PTSD from sexual assault, trauma, or other factors.
If you’ve been sexually abused in the past, your body might not feel like a safe place, even when it’s just you touching yourself, sex therapist Vanessa Marin says. She adds that a personal history of intense sexual shame can also contribute to the situation.
The pressure to have an orgasm, both in solo and partnered situations, can be harrowing for those who want their body to behave or feel a certain way.
Its not clear why masturbation may cause panic sometimes and not others. But if it happens to you, that doesnt mean youve suffered sexual abuse, have a history of sexual shame, or had a panic attack response. Experiencing anxiety during masturbation can also be a response to your own expectations and self-imposed pressure.
Three Ways To Deal With Orgasm Anxiety
There are a few steps you can take on your own to improve partnered sexual experiences and reduce anxiety related to orgasm. While a sex therapist may be able to guide you through interventions more specific to your situation, these tips will be generally applicable to anyone experiencing orgasm anxiety.
The following are useful tips for dealing with orgasm anxiety:
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This Is How Chronic Anxiety Can Affect Your Sex Life
The constant feeling of fear and insecurity can make normal, everyday activities a challenge – even sex.
Everybody feels anxious at some point, whether its stress over a meeting at work, looming deadlines or a first date. But for more than eight million people in the UK, anxiety is a debilitating mental health condition that permeates every part of their lives.
Women are nearly twice as likely than men to have anxiety, and it leaves many with a constant feeling of fear and insecurity that makes normal, everyday activities a challenge – even sex.
Anxiety can be treated through counselling, medication, therapy, communication, and lots of other methods. But for many people, the stigma surrounding mental illness makes it feel difficult to talk openly about having anxiety not least the impact it can have on your sex life.
Confidence
It takes a lot of confidence to go out and meet someone new – and for someone with anxiety, it’s more than daunting. Unsurprisingly, a general feeling of fear and insecurity can knock your confidence during sex.
Olivia*, a 29-year-old from London, has had generalised anxiety disorder since she was a teenager – and it has had a huge impact on her confidence when it comes to sex and relationships. For years, she avoided having sex completely out of fear she would become pregnant or catch an STD.
I was also haunted by endless worries that I wouldn’t know what to do. Every time I thought about sex a new irrational worry would develop, Olivia says.
What These Factors Have In Common
What causes panic attacks to invade a person’s life? Genetic predisposition, early childhood experience with anxiety and risk, and challenging changes on becoming an independent adult.
What these three factors have in common is that none of them were under your own control. These are all developmental events in life which happen to some people. The factors which cause panic attacks are not something you could have controlled.
There is therefore no reason to feel guilty, ashamed, or apologetic about having panic attacks. They are not the result of living badly or of making bad choices or of being “stupid”, or cowardly.
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Psychosocial And Environmental Causes
Psychosocial factors refer to how the things and people in your environment affect your thoughts and emotions.
When it comes to the causes of panic disorder, life experiences, childhood observations, and parental influences may all increase what is known as anxiety sensitivity.
A 2018 study showed that anxiety sensitivity is a suspected contributing cause of panic disorder.
When you live with anxiety sensitivity, you tend to believe that any sign or symptom of anxiety poses a serious risk to your health.
For example, if you feel tightness in your chest, you might immediately think youre having a heart attack. If you experience shortness of breath, you might believe youre about to faint.
This fear, in turn, increases your anxiety levels and might lead you to experience recurrent panic attacks.
If you have anxiety sensitivity, youre also more likely to fear panic attacks. This might cause you to experience more of these episodes, and so a vicious cycle begins.
Other possible environmental causes of panic disorder include:
- sexual and physical abuse
- trauma during childhood or adulthood
- significant childhood or adult losses
- use of prescription or illicit substances
- chronic physical illnesses
Is Your Partner Making You Feel Unsafe
Maybe its not you. Maybe its your partner.
If we dont feel safe with someone, often its hard to fully relax and enjoy sex.
Feeling unsafe isnt only about physical safety. Take into account whether your partner makes you feel safe emotionally and psychologically as well.
According to Overstreet, look out for the following signs of an unsupportive partner:
- They says things that cause you to feel bad about yourself or your body.
- They dont respect your boundaries before, during, or after sex.
- Theyre self-centered, only focused on pleasing themselves, and dont take time to tend to your desires and needs.
Were glad you asked because, left unchecked, these feelings may impact how you feel about sex, and your relationship with yourself and others.
Here are some strategies to help you cope:
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