Have you ever experienced chest tightness, stomach discomfort, or a racing heartbeat — and immediately feared something was seriously wrong? Did you consult various doctors, did all the necessary tests repeatedly, and were told, “Everything looks fine.” Yet, the uneasy feeling remained. You end up more worried, wondering: Then what is it?
You’re not alone. These physical symptoms are real. Many people face this every day. These are often not due to physical illness but are physical symptoms caused by anxiety.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear. It is the body’s natural response to stress or danger. For example, before an exam, job interview, or hospital visit, it’s normal to feel anxious. This kind of anxiety helps us stay alert and focused. But for some people, anxiety doesn’t leave them — even when there is no clear reason to worry. It can become constant, overwhelming, and hard to control. When that happens, anxiety stops being helpful and starts affecting your daily life, health, and happiness. Anxiety doesn’t only affect your mind — it can also affect your body.
MENTAL SYMPTOMS: Constant worry or fear, feeling nervous, restless, negative thoughts, difficulty in concentrating, feeling something bad is going to happen, difficulty in sleeping, feeling easily irritated or angry, avoiding situations or people due to fear.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Chest tightness or pain, fast heartbeat or palpitations, breathlessness, stomach pain, nausea, acidity, headaches, dizziness, sweating, body pain, numbness, trembling, feeling tired all the time, frequent urination or loose motions.
Why does anxiety affect the body?
Normally, our body has a natural fight-or-flight response to emergencies. This is controlled by a part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic nervous system. It’s an automatic reaction designed to protect us from danger like fire, loud noise, or a threat. When this system activates, the brain sends signals to release stress hormones, mainly adrenaline and cortisol, into the bloodstream. These chemicals prepare the body to respond quickly. During this response:
The heart beats faster to pump more blood to the muscles.
Breathing speeds up to supply more oxygen.
Muscles become tense and are ready to act.
The digestive system slows down as energy focuses on survival.
You may start sweating or feel shaky as your body reacts.
This system has helped humans survive dangerous situations for thousands of years. It’s very useful when there is real danger. But sometimes, this fight-or-flight response is triggered by things that aren’t life-threatening, like worrying about an exam, a health problem, or work pressure. Your brain mistakes these worries for danger and sends the same signals to your body. When this happens too often or for too long, your body stays in a constant state of alertness. The ongoing release of adrenaline and cortisol causes these physical symptoms. Even though your medical tests may show everything is fine, these symptoms are very real because your body is reacting to anxiety.
What can you do?
Since anxiety triggers your body’s fight or flight system, learning to calm this response can help ease both your mind and physical symptoms. Here are some simple and effective ways to do that:
Accept that the mind and body are connected. It’s okay to say, ‘This may be anxiety’.
Don’t ignore your feelings — suppressing emotions can make symptoms worse over time.
Deep, slow breathing: When anxious, breathing often becomes fast and shallow. Try taking slow, deep breaths — in through your nose for four seconds, hold for two seconds, and out through your mouth for six seconds. This signals your brain that it’s safe, helping to slow your heart rate and relax your muscles.
Mindfulness and grounding: Focus on the present. Notice what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste around you. This helps shift your brain away from worry and reduces the ‘danger’ signals.
Regular physical activity/ Yoga: Exercise helps burn off excess adrenaline and releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Even a daily 20-minute walk can reduce anxiety symptoms.
Good sleep habits: Sleep is essential for calming your nervous system. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, avoid screen time before bed, and create a relaxing bedtime routine.
Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both can increase anxiety and physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat or shakiness.
Talk to someone: Sharing your worries with a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional can reduce stress and help you find coping strategies.
When to seek help from mental health experts?
If physical symptoms are repeatedly surfacing and doctors/tests say nothing is wrong, it’s worth speaking to a mental health expert. A psychiatrist or psychologist can help you understand what’s going on. Treating anxiety through therapy or medications can help manage the symptoms.
Don’t ignore it
Anxiety is not just in the mind. It can affect the entire body, causing symptoms that feel very real, even when medical tests show no illness. The good news is that anxiety is treatable. With the right awareness, support, and strategies — like breathing exercises, movement, therapy, and sometimes medication — it is possible to feel better.
If you or someone you know is struggling with ongoing symptoms and worry, don’t ignore it. Talk to a mental health professional. Taking care of your mental well-being is just as important as taking care of your physical health
(The writer Dr V Mridulla Abirami is a consultant-psychiatrist at Iswarya Hospital)