Physical discomfort sometimes expresses itself without the phenomenon of psychological discomfort, and vice versa.
We have a clear example of this in the way in which anxiety is related to headaches; This combination gives rise to many of the symptoms that frequently lead people to seek medical or psychological help.
However… Why is it that people who suffer from anxiety usually also experience headaches? Let’s see it.
Let’s start by focusing on anxiety, starting from the most basic question on this topic: what does it mean to be anxious? Anxiety is a set of psychological and physiological mechanisms triggered by a situation that we perceive as dangerous, or associated with a risk (for example, the risk of missing an opportunity.
This phenomenon awakens in us a “state of alert”, a high degree of activation and sensitivity to stimuli; This is because when we feel anxious we are predisposed to act quickly at the first sign that delaying a few seconds can cost us dearly. In this way, the ability to experience anxiety is a resource carved by millions of years of evolution and that in most cases has helped us survive and adapt to the environment.
However, This set of mechanisms that give rise to anxiety is a double-edged sword and “overwhelms” the type of situations in which it is useful.. In fact, anxiety disorders are part of the most common psychopathologies, affecting approximately 12% of the population. And since anxiety affects many psychological and physiological processes, the chain reaction of these alterations can give rise to very varied forms of discomfort. Among them, headache.
Anxiety and headaches: between physical and emotional discomfort
As we have seen, anxiety causes us to be “on guard.” However, this is not a simple mechanism with very well-defined effects: The chain reactions caused by anxiety affect many aspects of the body through secretion and hormonesthe activation of certain neural networks, the predisposition to certain types of thoughts, etc.
In this way, what at first seemed to be a purely psychological phenomenon also has an expression in symptoms associated with physical discomfort, as occurs with a headache caused by anxiety.
In addition, the headache itself can also predispose people by feeling more anxious, being in a worse mood (which makes it easier to focus on unpleasant thoughts and memories), and in worse conditions to face the challenges of daily life (and this produces the feeling that the situation “overwhelms us”). In this way, the circle of causes and effects closes, giving rise to a whiting that bites its tail and that wears down our well-being in two ways.
In this case we are going to focus on the first of these situations, that of a headache triggered or caused by anxiety, to see how it can occur.
1. Tension headache
One of the main triggers of tension headache is the fact that the muscles in the neck and certain parts of the head have been too tense for a significant period; For example, it occurs when we have been lying or sitting with our neck at an angle that is uncomfortable for us. The pain is usually focused mainly on the sides of the head.
In this sense, we must not forget that When we suffer from excessive anxiety, a good part of our muscles remain tense. (in preparation for the possibility of having to move quickly), which can cause pain.
2. Vascular headache
Vascular headache arises as a consequence of an abnormal pattern of abnormal dilation or contraction of blood vessels in the head area. It can be favored by anxiety, given that the hormonal changes it produces cause the circulatory system to adapt to an “emergency” situation.
3. Lack of sleep
Finally, lack of sleep is another way in which anxiety can cause headaches. In states of distress or high levels of stress, it is difficult to fall asleep or have a restful sleep.; This situation pushes the capabilities of the nervous system to the limit, which is associated with a feeling of general malaise, dizziness, headache, etc.
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If you notice in your daily life that you experience anxiety or any other form of discomfort related to the way you think, feel or behave, contact us.
In Azor & Associates We have been offering psychological assistance services for more than 20 years through individualized psychotherapy, couples therapy and psychological expertise. The sessions can be held in person at our Tres Cantos center, or online.
