Feel Like Passing Out, Faint – anxiety symptoms

Causes

Feeling like you will pass out has many causes. Here are some of the most common:

1. Hyperventilation/Hypoventilation

Stress hormones are released into the bloodstream when you are stressed, anxious, or think you are in danger. Stress hormones cause the body to change its breathing patterns from slow, deeper breaths to rapid, deeper breaths (hyperventilation) or fast, shallow breaths (Tachypnea).

When your breathing changes to either of these patterns, it causes a decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the bloodstream [1][2]. Lower levels of CO2 in the bloodstream can cause you to feel lightheaded, dizzy, woozy, and faint, as well as a host of other anxiety-like sensations and symptoms.

Some people hold their breath or under breathe when they are stressed or anxious, causing hypoventilation (not enough oxygen). Not enough oxygen increases CO2 in the bloodstream, which can also cause the sensations of feeling lightheaded, dizzy, woozy, and faint, as well as a host of other anxiety-like sensations and symptoms [1][2].

This sensation can be alleviated by deliberately slowing your breathing and making yourself breathe deeper and more regular. Changing to this type of breathing pattern, even for a few moments, can balance the CO2 level in the blood and make you feel better.

This sensation is relatively harmless (although frightening when you don’t know why it’s happening) and not a cause for concern. However, you do want to become aware of your breathing patterns when stressed or anxious, then take appropriate action to manage your breathing better. Deliberately breathing slowly and more deeply will prevent the symptoms of hyperventilation/hypoventilation from occurring.

For more information about hyperventilation and hypoventilation, Recovery Support members can read the appropriate sections in Chapter 4.

2. Low blood sugar

The body, through digestion, converts the food we eat into blood sugar (and other nutrients to help the body rebuild). Much like gas for our vehicle, the body uses blood sugar for fuel.

When the body's blood sugar is within the normal range, the body performs well, and we have a suitable amount of energy to perform our tasks.

However, if the body's blood sugar is allowed to drop too low (from not eating for an extended period), even low within the normal range, we can feel tired, low, and even shaky or faint [3].

If you experience these symptoms, consider when you last ate. If it's been three to four hours (or more) since you last ate, this could be why you feel faint. Eating (fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates, and protein) will most often alleviate these symptoms.

However, if you've recently eaten food containing raw sugar (such as a candy bar, chocolate, pastry, etc.), this could also be why this symptom has occurred. Raw sugar foods convert to blood sugar quickly.

When the body experiences a sudden increase in blood sugar, it automatically takes corrective action (high blood sugar is harmful to the body, so it automatically tries to correct it) by producing large amounts of insulin.

To rapidly correct the problem, the body can sometimes produce too much insulin, thereby pulling too much blood sugar out of the blood, resulting in a blood sugar crash and causing low blood sugar.

Low blood sugar can make you feel faint like you might pass out, have mental confusion, or have shakiness or trembling. (If the body senses that the blood sugar is dangerously low, it will instantly produce stress hormones that can be quickly converted into blood sugar - causing us to feel a surge of energy, even to the point of panic.)

Eating smaller, more frequent meals comprised of whole and natural foods will help the body keep its blood sugar in the normal and safe range, preventing these symptoms.

Recovery Support members can read more information about blood sugar symptoms in the Blood Sugar section (in Chapter 4).

Recovery Support members can read more information on the impact of our foods in the Nutrition section (Chapter 22).

3. Tense muscles

Tense muscles in the back of the head, neck, and shoulder areas can also cause the symptoms of feeling dizzy, faint, lightheaded, and off-balance [4]. Tight muscle groups in these areas can cause the muscle groups leading to the ear canals to tense and affect pressure in the ear canals. Abnormal ear canal pressure can alter the equilibrium mechanism, which can cause the feelings associated with this symptom.

Stress reduction, mild exercise, and rest will help these muscle groups relax, allowing ear pressure to return to normal.

4. Heat exhaustion

Exposure to hot temperatures can also cause the feelings associated with this symptom [5]. If you feel faint, dizzy, and too warm, moving to a cooler and more ventilated environment can help alleviate these symptoms.

5. Hyperstimulation

Hyperstimulation can negatively affect the nervous system, responsible for the body’s equilibrium [6].

In addition to many other tasks, the body’s nervous system is responsible for sensory information (the sensations we receive and experience) and the body’s equilibrium (sense of balance). When the nervous system is healthy, it manages sensory information well. It also provides a stable sense of balance despite our ever-changing environment (temperature, sounds, touch, and other stimuli) and body position (standing, sitting, lying, bending over, etc.).

However, when the nervous system becomes chronically stressed, it can act erratically due to nervous system excitation and dysregulation, homeostatic dysregulation, and erratic hormone changes. This change in behavior can cause sensory and equilibrium anomalies, such as the odd sensations and feelings associated with this symptom.

Moreover, the nervous system uses visual cues to help it establish balance. When we close our eyes, a hyperstimulated nervous system has more difficulty finding equilibrium. This is why many anxious people who experience dizziness and motion symptoms find their symptoms subside somewhat when they focus on a stable, distant object. This stable visual cue can help a hyperstimulated nervous system find its “balance.”

This is also why we can become somewhat “dizzy” when we watch something that is moving, when we move our head, and when we change positions — because movement and a change of position can cause a dysregulated nervous system more difficulty re-establishing balance.

6. Stress response

Stress hormones have a dramatic effect on the body. When a stress response is activated, stress hormones cause many physiological, psychological, and emotional changes that enhance the body’s ability to deal with a threat.

These changes include increasing heart rate, respiration, metabolism, and nervous system activity, shunting to the brain and away from parts of the body less vital for survival, and tightening muscles [7]. These immediate changes can cause a sudden “faint” feeling as the body quickly adjusts.

Stress hormones also have a dramatic effect on neurons. The nervous system is primarily made up of neurons, which operate on the principles of electrochemical interaction (electricity and chemical interaction).

Because of this electrochemical makeup, neurons can gather and transmit messages – electric signals - to each other. When the nervous system is healthy, neurons act and communicate normally. Normal functioning allows us to think, feel, and move normally.

However, neurons are particularly sensitive to stress hormone stimulation because of their electrochemical properties.

When we experience a stress response or when the body becomes hyperstimulated, neurons can act dramatically and erratically [8]. This change in neurological behavior can cause many unusual sensory-based sensations and symptoms, including those associated with equilibrium, our sense of placement in our environment, and feeling faint.

7. Fatigue; lack of sleep

Stress, such as from overly apprehensive behavior, can severely tax the body’s energy resources. Chronic stress can also disrupt sleep, causing the body to become tired, fatigued, and even to the point of exhaustion.

Fatigue can cause the body to exhibit all sorts of symptoms, such as feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and like you will pass out [9].

8. Other Factors

Other factors can create stress and cause anxiety-like symptoms, as well as aggravate existing anxiety symptoms, including:

• Medication
• Recreational drugs
• Stimulants
• Low blood sugar
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Dehydration
• Hormone changes
• Pain

Select the relevant link for more information.