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Cases of COVID-19 are at an all-time high, there is less daylight to enjoy as winter approaches, and US elections have permeated all corners of the internet. So, it’s safe to assume that your anxiety is likely at an all-time high right now and you’re not alone. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of anxiety and depression increased “considerably” among American adults during the pandemic.
Of course, people use Twitter to cope and share their personal experiences. “I’m playing my favorite game: do I have anxiety or COVID or anxiety about having COVID?” a person he wrote.
“I can understand the confusion,” says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Anxiety can be felt A lot such as the symptoms of COVID-19, which unfortunately worsens anxiety, fueling a vicious circle. So how can you figure out what’s happening to your body, especially if the symptoms are a little new to you? We asked doctors to explain the main differences between the signs of COVID-19 and anxiety, as well as when to seek help.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
According to the CDC, these are the main symptoms of COVID-19 to have on your radar.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or muscle aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Burning throat
- Congestion or a runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Although these are common signs of the new coronavirus, the CDC notes that this list is not complete. For example, COVID-19 has also been associated with chest pain, pink eyes, and skin rashes.
What are the general symptoms of anxiety?
Anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, but these are the main symptoms to look out for, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA):
- Feeling jittery, irritable or nervous
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
- Having an increase in heart rate
- Rapid breathing (hyperventilation), sweating and / or tremor
- Feeling of weakness or tiredness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Having gastrointestinal problems
Some symptoms of a panic attack, which are sudden attacks of anxiety and overwhelming fear that last for several minutes, can also overlap with COVID-19. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), symptoms of a panic attack can include:
- Pounding or racing heart
- Sweating
- Chills
- Tremble
- Respiratory problems
- Weakness or dizziness
- Hands that pinch or numb
- Chest pain
- Stomach ache
- Nausea
How to tell the difference between COVID-19 and anxiety
There is clearly some overlap in symptoms, particularly with rapid breathing or shortness of breath, feelings of weakness or fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems. Additionally, coping with bothersome coronavirus symptoms can also stimulate symptoms associated with anxiety, such as feeling jittery or having trouble sleeping.
But there are some key signs of COVID-19 that I will not do that surface during a general anxiety attack, including fever, new or small loss of taste, cough, sore throat, or runny nose, says Dr. Schaffner. He points out that “rapid breathing and shortness of breath can cause confusion.”
A clue that your shortness of breath may be due to COVID-19 instead of anxiety? It gets worse when you train, says Iahn Gonsenhauser, MD, internist and head of patient quality and safety at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “As you increase your activity, you find that your shortness of breath gets worse and you have a hard time doing things that are typically easy for you, like climbing a flight of stairs,” she says. “Generally, this is not the case with anxiety-related shortness of breath.”
Even during a panic attack, you can he force yourself to breathe, even if it seems impossible for a while. With COVID-19, difficulty breathing is out of your control.
Other symptoms of general anxiety or a panic attack, such as chest pain, rapid heart rate, and dizziness are usually short-lived and often relieve after 15-20 minutes, says Gail Saltz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine. On the other hand, coronavirus symptoms tend to persist for days or weeks, says Dr. Gonsenhauser.
What can I do to try to calm my anxiety?
Try these tricks to see if your symptoms might be rooted in anxiety:
- Take a paper bag, cover your mouth and nose with the opening and inhale in and out to calm your body. “This can sometimes slow down your breathing if you have anxiety,” says Dr. Schaffner.
- Grab a glass of water and try to force yourself to drink small sips. This can help regulate your breathing and ultimately calm you down, says Ken Yeager, Ph.D., a psychiatrist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
- Use a guided meditation app to see if it helps relieve symptoms, says Dr. Gonsenhauser. Apps like this one actually help guide you through meditative exercises and can help calm pervasive anxiety, he explains. Even 10 minutes can be helpful.
- Take slow, deep abdominal breaths, inhaling for a count of five and exhaling for a count of seven. “Do it for five or 10 minutes at a time,” Saltz says.
- Try a full-body relaxation exercise. Squeeze the muscles in a selected area of your body for a count of five and then relax them. “Start with your feet and work your way up to your head,” Saltz says.
When should i see a doctor for my symptoms?
If the above methods don’t seem to help reduce the increased heart rate, smooth your breathing, or improve the feeling of sickness, it’s time to call your doctor for further evaluation. You should also ask to get tested if you experience any other telltale symptoms related to COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or loss of taste and smell.
If you test positive for coronavirus, you’ll be asked to go into isolation and stay there until it’s been 10 days since you started showing symptoms, says Dr. Schaffner. Most people recover at home with plenty of rest, fluids, and medications to reduce fever.
If you have found the above exercises helped but still feel like you are not quite yourself or your symptoms continue to interfere with your daily life, Dr. Saltz recommends contacting a mental health professional. . They will likely recommend starting therapy or medications to reduce anxiety if needed.
Not sure where to find a therapist? Click here.
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