Can You Die From Anxiety-Induced Shortness of Breath?
Symptoms of severe anxiety attack may mimic those of serious health complications, including shortness of breath. However, this is typically not life-threatening on its own. If you think this is a sign of a more serious underlying condition, please seek medical attention.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotional state entire of feelings of worry, apprehension and stress [1].
It is a natural response to stress that manifests as fear, dread, and uneasiness [2]. However, it may also cause physical symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, restlessness and tension, or even silent panic attacks [1, 2].
It may be associated with concerns about future events or abstract fears [1]. However, it is also a normal response to difficulties at work, taking a test, or before making an important decision [2].
Although anxiety is typically associated with a negative perception, it can also be beneficial and provide a boost of energy or help to focus [2]. However, when the feeling is not temporary and becomes overwhelming, it may be indicative of an anxiety disorder [2, 3].
When speaking about anxiety disorders, the affected person is in permanent anxiety, which gets worse over time and interferes with daily activities. Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder [4, 5].
As such, symptoms manifest as panic attacks, nightmares, uncontrollable memories or thoughts, restlessness, problems with concentrating and also difficulty falling asleep [4, 5].
However, anxiety is very individual, and it feels different to everyone. It can range from familiar fear and worry to even feelings of butterflies in your stomach or a pounding heart [5].
Read our other blogs whether medications like adderall or dicyclomine help with anxiety.
Is Shortness of Breath A Sign Of Anxiety?
Yes! Shortness of breath can be a sign of anxiety.
Many people think symptoms like shortness of breath must come from a physical issue. However, your mental health can also affect your physical health in several ways. Anxiety may elicit physical and mental responses, resulting in the fight-or-flight response to protect us. Shortness of breath is one of the physical responses [6].
Shortness of breath is characterized by the feeling that you can’t catch your breath. You might experience tightness in your chest, feel suffocating, or even “hungry” for air. The shortness of breath can also be caused by changes in heart rate [6].
Interestingly, studies have shown a strong association between anxiety and respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath [6].
Even though shortness of breath can be a sign of anxiety, it can also be a symptom of other medical conditions. Therefore, if you are continuously out of breath, it is crucial to seek medical advice to rule out any other health issues.
Can You Die From Anxiety-Induced Shortness Of Breath?
When we experience being out of breath, it is natural that we are worried whether this may influence our life expectancy.
In particular, experiencing shortness of breath, chest tightness, and faster breathing is the body’s fight-or-flight response [6]. Although that might be very uncomfortable, anxiety-induced shortness of breath is typically not life-threatening on its own.
However, there is a complex relationship between anxiety disorders and mortality. Some studies suggest that there is an increased risk of death among individuals with anxiety disorders [7, 8]. To be exact, one study found that women with anxiety disorders had a 1.53 to 2.04 times higher risk of death [8].
Although this suggests an increased risk of mortality for people with anxiety disorders, the studies do not mention that shortness of breath is the direct cause of death. However, they suggest that anxiety is linked with other health issues which increase mortality risk, e.g. cardiovascular problems [9, 10].
To summarize, anxiety-induced shortness of breath and also other symptoms of anxiety can significantly impact the life of the affected individual; however, it is not typically the direct cause of death. That said, it is crucial to look for professional health if you are experiencing symptoms of chronic anxiety like persistent shortness of breath.