Your body feels like it’s on fire with anxiety. You can’t sleep, and you can barely keep food down. You’re constantly ruminating, replaying worries and worst-case scenarios in your mind, and you may be withdrawing from friends and family. You might feel nauseated, experience headaches, heartburn, chest tightness, or a constant sense of dread. Some people begin using alcohol or substances to cope, just to make it through the day.
You may worry that you’re losing your mind. Perhaps you’ve made several trips to the ER for panic symptoms and were prescribed medication for anxiety, yet still don’t feel like yourself.
If this resonates, you are not alone—and there is an explanation for what may be happening.
What Could Be Going On?
Acute Stress Response
An acute stress response is often triggered by a recent trauma or overwhelming life event—such as the death of a loved one, a sudden medical diagnosis, discovering a partner’s infidelity, or painful public humiliation. In the weeks or months following trauma, the nervous system can remain in a constant state of threat.
During the next 3–4 months, you may experience:
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Brain fog, fogginess, or derealization
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Difficulty completing basic daily tasks
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Increased forgetfulness
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Extreme fatigue
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Tension headaches
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Panic attacks
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Social isolation or withdrawal
This is a common trauma response, not a personal failure.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop at any age and is often triggered by prolonged stress or trauma. It involves recurrent panic attacks and a growing fear of bodily sensations.
Symptoms may include:
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Fear that physical sensations mean you’re having a heart attack or stroke
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Fear that you are “going crazy” or losing control
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Using alcohol or drugs to calm anxiety
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Avoiding leaving the house or certain places
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Fear of fear itself—believing anxiety is dangerous
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Recurrent panic attacks with symptoms such as:
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Racing heart
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Shortness of breath
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Dizziness
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Shaking
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Full-body tingling
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Intense feelings of unreality or dissociation
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Panic disorder is highly treatable with the right kind of therapy.
Adjustment Disorder With Anxiety or Depression
If you are navigating a major life transition—such as a move, starting college, a demanding new job, or the end of a relationship—you may be struggling to adjust emotionally and physiologically.
This can lead to:
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Panic attacks
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Difficulty concentrating or completing work
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Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
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Crying spells
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Insomnia
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Headaches
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Stomach aches or digestive issues
Adjustment disorders are real and deserve care, not minimization.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Sudden onset OCD can occur at any age and often emerges after trauma or extreme stress. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can feel like being trapped inside your own mind, as fear shrinks your world.
You may notice:
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Severe insomnia
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Panic attacks
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Constant mental problem-solving or rumination
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Repetitive behaviors (compulsions) you can’t control, such as:
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Checking
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Counting
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Cleaning
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Lining things up
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Tapping
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Excessive body monitoring
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Feelings of doom
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Fear of harming others
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Fear that you are a bad or dangerous person
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Intrusive thoughts that feel disturbing, shameful, or frightening
Intrusive thoughts are a symptom—not a reflection of who you are.
The Good News: You Will Not Feel This Way Forever
It is terrifying to realize that just a few months ago you were functioning well, and now your body and mind feel completely out of control. You may be desperately trying to figure out what went wrong or whether you’ll ever feel normal again.
The short answer is: yes, you will recover.
Anxiety disorders, trauma responses, panic disorder, and OCD are highly treatable. Evidence-based trauma therapy and anxiety treatment can help your nervous system regulate and restore a sense of safety. In some cases, working with a psychiatrist may also be helpful.
The first step is acknowledging that this is something you need support with, and that it won’t simply resolve on its own. Life has thrown you a hardship, as it does for all of us at some point, but it will not break you. With the right care, most people not only recover; they emerge stronger, more grounded, and more resilient than before.