Here's How the 3 Levels of Anxiety Actually Work [Stress, Smooth Muscle, & Cognitive]

Watch our FREE full series on anxiety HERE: bit.ly/3vVe18s
Anxiety does not originate in your thoughts, even though that's the common belief. Feelings of anxiety (as well as anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder) actually manifest in your body. Few know this better than MedCircle Certified Educator Dr. Kristy Lamb, who is double board certified in both psychiatry and family medicine. In this interview, she breaks down the 3 tiers of anxiety in your body & how to spot them.
She also answers:
How do we spot the type of anxiety we're experiencing?
What are the effects of these levels of anxiety on our physical and mental health?
When we're experiencing anxiety, which tier do we focus on coping with first?
What should we actually do when we're experiencing one of these tiers of anxiety?
Thanks for watching our youtube video! Watch more educational videos like this at MedCircle.com.

[@MedCircle]

- *Watch our FREE full series on anxiety HERE: **bit.ly/3KWiziX* -

[@marion0613_private]

the first stage and one part of the second

[@amandareicha5065]

For anxiety attacks, meditation and slow deep breathing will help, but I must lay down and take and emergency anxiety med due to anxiety attacks being able to cause seizures. For panic attacks, it's difficult. I try the breathing and my emergency med, but it's difficult to rationalize. The panic attacks can come directly after a seizure I had in my sleep, so I wake up in panic mode. I try to tell myself it's not a heart attack, I don't feel pain, deep breaths, I just need to calm down and that I have to wait it out. I try to focus on what my body feels and be rational to the best of my ability.

[@ahmadzabata94]

she got it all i mean her approach and understanding of the matter bravo madam

[@LyndseyMacPherson]

This is revolutionary in scale. How we approach anxiety will/should never be the same after this understanding. MedCircle finds some really amazing professionals--I love Dr. Lamb! She just adds so much wisdom and energy to the already terrific roster of Dr. Judy and Dr. Ramani.

[@cherryontop1137]

Thank you for this video! In the past four months, I suffered from two strange episodes who I was overwhelmed and stressed at work. I suffered intense fatigue, dizziness, inability to understand what people were saying to me (it was like they were speaking another language). I could barely talk myself. On the drive home, it seemed as though the roadway was turning on its side. I completely disassociated because of the intense stress that I was under being an essential worker during this time. These symptoms are no joke and are terrifying!

[@Linda2]

How I can relate to what you say. I was under intense anxiety whilst caring for my dying father. My BP went thru the roof and was overriding the BP meds. My Dr ended up putting on on a very strong dose of Beta Blockers and anti depression meds which helped. I had server headaches all the time, for months. It took years for me to recover from the anxiety. Then my late husband of 40 year's was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and here we go again headaches and I just felt ill. I was underweight. 48 kilos I should be 54 kilos. I stayed on our isolated, land 40 acres and tried my best for 8 years. I have sold the land and now live in a small community. It's been 1 year. I have put on weight without even trying and my anxiety levels have dropped completely. I am discovering a new me. No headaches after 20 year's of having them. I didn't realise how anxious I was until recently. I guess my point is a huge change that I felt would really stress me has done the opposite. I wish you wellness and strength. 🙏

[@galvanycarrillo3957]

@@Linda2 Could you share us what help you most to overcome your anxiety? Physical exercise? If so, what type? Sharing in community? Thanks in advance for share us your experience! 🙏🏼😉😁

[@Linda2]

@@galvanycarrillo3957 The deciding factor was moving. I loved our land and our cute creative house we built together. I didn't realise that the land was stressing me so much, I loved our beautiful mountain we lived on, I loved our home ❤️. I couldn't work it out why moving changed everything. This house is a very ordinary house, nil creativity and people next door. I remember thinking, "prey I haven't made a huge mistake:! I have found out that consciously I might love where I live, re: our land and beautiful home, doesn't mean my inner being agrees. My energy levels are much better, my BP is staying down, but still on BP meds on a lower does. Up on the mountain I'd wake up and within minutes I was so anxious I had to get up. Here I can lie in and no anxiously. My old doctor told me don't just lie there or sit there, do something, anything! It was very sound advise. I did work 4 hours a week in our local community centre for 7 year's. I no longer do. I walk the cat 🐈 for 30 minutes or more, most days and play with the very energetic dog 🐕 4, 10 sessions a day, throwing his ball. I don't know if this helps you. It was a huge surprise to me how moving has changed my life. I do practice Astrology, have done for many years and when things get stuck in my head I ask myself some astrological question, re: a planetary configuration and hammer it around to get my mind to still. Strength and power to you 🙏.

[@Linda2]

@@galvanycarrillo3957 I failed to tell you my husband died. I couldn't continue to live on our land. 7 years later I moved.

[@smilingu2741]

I can relate so much as I feel like my life is like I'm dreaming. I can watching TV and all of a sudden it sounds like they are speaking a different language and it can last for half an hour, I have out of body experiences, things seem distorted occasionally and my anxiety heightens these thoughts and feelings. I have actually asked people if I'm actually there because I don't know if I'm dreaming or not 🤔🤯😱. I thought it was the lack of sleep from working nights for 14 years but I've never had a good sleeping pattern due to the traumatic life I've had but I still feel the same and I'm not working at the moment due to illnesses.

[@ylana4444]

The thing that stood out for me is that we can actually have CONTROL calming down the physical part....and THAT in and of itself gives me peace knowing that if a panic attack happens “I got this”.

[@shelly2758]

Fantastic info. I had a co worker have a panic attack on me. Her eyes rolled back and you could watch her just fade away and faint. Thank god she was sitting on a table top. Or else she would have hit head on the concrete floor. She had just lost her son due to an overdose. I was talking to her about it. How it wasn’t her fault. She hadn’t really talked to anyone about that. Once i released her from the guilt, her brain couldn’t deal. Her body couldn’t take it and just checked out, I knew what it was when it was happening. Shes better now but still carries some guilt. She at least speaks regularly with a therapist. Great video, medcirlce ! Keep up the good work.

[@TheAgraupman]

That anxiety is physical!I took her suggestion to do a plank when feeling anxious and realized how much of an effect that had!

[@warlockofwordsreturnsrb4358]

Push ups, jumping jacks and lunges help as well I've found. For that floaty, in your head stage of panic, it's more useful to me than meditation.

[@johndawn4612]

This is exactly why yoga is wonderful for me

[@shyaaammeneen63]

@@johndawn4612 Reduce negative thoughts with a simple practice. Your breath and mind [brain] are closely related causing stress-anxiety. For a better life sit on a chair, neck straight, eyes closed and observe the sensations of your incoming--outgoing breath at the entrance of the nostrils for 5-10-15 minutes or more. Don’t fight your thoughts. Slowly the mind will relax. No deep breathing needed. Do the practice without any expectations. Change happens from within by itself. Day or night, when taking a walk, sitting in a park, when reading, before sleep etc sit or lie down and observe your breath. Like me, make this a lifetime daily habit to have a good life. Avoid constipation as it affects the mind instantly. Best wishes Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor.

[@Truerealism747]

Do you have any muscle constant symptoms

[@miriamadahan1730]

Kyle , you are the BEST interviewer, giving space for the speaker and showing so much caring! Thank you. You are a role model of empathy and true caring.

[@Coral_Forever]

Yes I agree Kyle is an engaging and connecting interviewer!!

[@christiesalvame1071]

I don’t why I’m crying but im sure because of happiness. Because this video literally explained everything 🥺

[@tracydanneo]

I had high levels of anxiety during my divorce. I discovered Pema Chodron’s videos on tonglen meditation which include a basic mindfulness meditation at the beginning. It really took 3 years to figure out how to be in my body during the anxiety attacks and to feel like “I got this”. Thank you for this video!

[@RainbowCatButterflyTV]

It is incredibly useful video - so much help in 19 mins. It is so important to remind myself that in the moment of anxiety I shouldn’t be trying to just “shake it off” or “ignore it” but rather stop and watch what’s happening and be mindful of what happening atm. It was also great to hear that I should stop and be present when washing hands, I for example, always rush through million things while brushing my teeth, trying to get to the next thing I have got to do. I realise how much I “rush” myself into all these anxieties. Thank you Kyle and Dr 🙏🏻

[@trudylawrence7909]

she is wonderful, I look forward to more from this doctor

[@stephenabney]

When I am at my highest level of anxiety, into panic, I dunk my face in ice water, let it go up my nose a little, hold as long as I can. That grounds me back to reality very fast. Repeat until I'm over it, and gives medicine time to help too.

[@waciao3967]

Such a good interview! I always thought that anxiety is due to over-thinking in the brain rather than what goes on inside the body! Mindfulness is the key to healing! ❤️ ❤️

[@bhawnaprabhanand]

I've suffered from anxiety and I got over it, but the experiences were horrible. The therapist is absolutely right that anxiety is more of a physiology business.

[@vivel7508]

How any advice

[@hinabaloch4210]

How u cured, give me tips

[@Truerealism747]

Did you have constant muscle tension so glad you got well

[@SweetiePieTweety]

This was excellent. I already know the concepts on a deeper level but it is confirming. One element that was critical from the training I have attended is that you can’t implement something you haven’t practiced and made automatic. So practicing what you would do 15 minutes a day three times a day creates the automatic pathway in the brain body system. Then when you need it it’s there. A soldier can not execute what is not practiced daily. Become an anxiety master soldier! Kyle the Dr. Ramani insert was endearing. I know this sweet mentor simply giving you permission to enjoy your hand washing ritual to live yourself had to be so empowering ❤️❤️❤️

[@derrick9635]

. I totally buried my childhood ICU hospitalizations .parents never understood the anxiety signs as a child .it led to self medicating and torturous binge drinking .only when i got sober did i connect the dots .im living the severe anxiety scale and its torturous .turns out ive a genetic predisposition for anxiety also ,just lovely double whammy . ,woke with buzzing in my ears 3 months ago ,i cant believe it .i want to be sedated and put asleep . Very informative video ,thank you . Peace.

[@JonathanWhoever]

Anxiety and depression can cause severe physical pain. Muscle cramps, joints hurt, dehydration from nervous sweats, etc. I cycle and when I run my heartrate up over 170bpm it still doesn't hurt as bad as a full on panic attack. I can let up, my heart starts to slow, but a panic attack can go and go.

[@MedCircle]

Jonathan, we have a video on how to recognize and manage a panic attack, it may help: watch.medcircle.com/anxiety-disorders-root-of-mental-health/videos/anxiety-disorders-7

[@JonathanWhoever]

@@MedCircle My first big panic attack was 17yrs ago. I ended lying halfway in the bathroom and half in the hall. Thought I was dying of a heart attack. I laid there thinking I would be found in nothing but my underwear. That was the beginning of a battle I still battle everyday. I've learned if I'm having an attack in a safe place to just go with it, run through it, it's over faster that way. I've been in treatment pretty much ever since. Lost a career, lost friends, due to just the craziness. Guess they really weren't good friends after all. But, my family, wife and kids are still with me. And they are AWSOME!

[@Truerealism747]

How is your muscle tension

[@courtneyyamanishi-baker2889]

This was so helpful. I have been experiencing health issues related to stress and it wasn't until that happened that I realized how bad my stress and anxiety had gotten. The levels of anxiety really resonated with me. I've been having a lot of the highest level creeping in and I didn't understand why I couldn't just "snap out of it." So much derealization, spaciness, fatigue, even the ringing in my ears and blurry vision. I didn't realize that was a way that anxiety could manifest.

[@petercofrancesco1620]

Did Your Ringing in Your Ears Calm Down ? I Hope You Are Better .

[@Truerealism747]

Do you have muscle tension

[@ShineLikeFireflies]

The ringing in my ears did calm down, and yes I did have muscle tension related to my anxiety symptoms.

[@Truerealism747]

@@ShineLikeFireflies did you have this everyday and for how long muscle tension

[@Truerealism747]

Do you have muscle tension everyday

[@gingerrae1659]

Dr. Lamb is amazing! Everyone should see this! I'd also like to see Dr. Lamb credited in the title of the video and the description. We definitely need to see more from her!

[@JenR1215]

i never thought about it dealing with physical health. i will take these tips and practice during my daily routines.

[@TimPetrone]

So I've struggled with various forms and degrees of anxiety for 20 years. It started with cardiophobia (a fear of heart attacks). So when I was 15, my grandfather died of a heart attack. That was my first experience losing someone close to me, and it effected me on many levels...far more than I realized at the time. One noticeable effect, is that I stopped crying. I was a very emotional person growing up, and I cried a lot. I did cry the night my grandfather died...but that was the last time I would cry for many years. I also learned that I cope with loss fairly well in many ways...or so I thought (I'm still unsure on that). My grandpa has been gobe for 25 years now, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've cried (like REALLY cried) since then. Honestly, I can only think of 2 occasions right now...there may have been 3. Both occasions were when I was going through extremely rough patches, and just reached a breaking point. Anyway...there was another effect my grandpa's death had that began 5 years later, when I was 20-years-old. I smoked weed for a couple years back then...pretty heavily...and one effect of it was the ability to focus intensely on something, and to do so for long periods. So one day I was thinking about my grandfather's death, and how he died...and I started wondering what a heart attack might feel like. Without realizing it, I had begun to focus very intenselt on imagining what a heart attack might be like...and then I became aware that my heart was racing, and my breathing seemed "off", and I became a little light-headed. It was a fairly mild experience, but it was my first experience with higher than normal levels of anxiety, bordering on panic. After that, this started occuring every time I smoked pot...unless I was also drinking alcohol. Eventually, I couldn't even smoke while drunk without experiencing pretty significant anxiety (still not full-blown panic attacks...but severe enough anxiety that I had no choice but to quit smoking weed altogether). Weed may not be thought of as a stimulant...but it can raise your heart rate, and it's not uncommon for it to induce anxiety in people. With me...weed would raise my heart rate, which would remind me of my grandfather's heart attack, and this would induce anxiety. I became TERRIFIED of heart problems. Even after I quit smoking weed...any time my heart rate would increase, I'd start feeling anxious. Sometimes it would feel like it was lower than usual, which would also cause anxiety. Occasionally it would skip a beat...which, you guessed it, caused anxiety. This expanded over time, and I started becoming very anxious any time I felt "off" in any way that I thought could be related to my heart...so light-headedness; shortness of breath; any sort of pain in my chest; etc. At 21, I had my first panic attack, and my friends rushed me to the hospital because none of us knew what was wrong...and that's when I first learned what a panic attack WAS, and was told for the first time that a panic attack can feel nearly identical to a heart attack. Shortly after this, I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Still, I would find myself in the hospital 3 or 4 more times in my early 20's due to panic attacks. Even when my brain was aware that it was a panic attack...some other part of my brain was convinced there was something very wrong. There were even a few times when I knew it was a panic attack, and wasn't consciously afraid it was anything more...but since I wasn't able to stop the attack on my own, I had to go to the hospital to get medication in order to calm down. I don't know how many times over the years that I was told panic attacks can feel identical to heart attacks...but it was A LOT. Despite telling countless Dr.'s, therapists, counselors, even psychiatrists that my anxiety and panic disorder were directly tied to my fear of heart problems (and I can pinpoint the exact moment when I first developed a panic disorder...or started to), none ever so much as spoke the word "cardiophobia" to me. I've known for 20 years that I have a somewhat irrational fear of heart attacks...but it was only a year or so ago when I did some research online and discovered that cardiophobia is actually a real thing, and I was far from the only person struggling with it. So over the past 2 decades, I've been treated for various anxiety and depression disorders in a wide variety of ways, and have tried pretty much every kind of medicine, therapy, counseling, etc. there is...but very few medications, treatments, or therapies have helped AT ALL...and the few that are effective, are either only slightly helpful, temporarily helpful, or when it comes to medications, are either controlled substances that Dr.'s try to avoid prescribing, or they have side effects that I can't handle (for example, anti-depressants make me numb to all emotions, which is far worse than even severe depression for me...and they've all had sexual side-effects that I couldn't deal with. They also weren't effective at all for panic attacks). What IS effective, are benzodiazepines. Not only will they stop a panic attack, but they also make me feel like a normal person altogether, at least for several hours. In my 20's, I wasn't really depressed...it was mostly just general anxiety and panic disorder. For about 8 years now, though, I've been struggling with SEVERE depression and social anxiety (and thanks to this channel, I know believe I've had Avoidant Personality Disorder for my whole life...or at least most of it). I rarely have panic attacks. I come pretty close almost every day, but I've learned how to get them under control before they get too bad about 97% of the time. I will say, though, that none of the breathing exercises or suggested activities that Dr.'s recommended ever worked for me, no matter the level of anxiety at the time. I basically had to just learn how to take control of my mind and body on my own, mainly through just force of will...occasionally certain activities might help...but they aren't the same every time. Sometimes going for a walk and getting fresh air works...other times I have to just lie down for awhile. Sometimes it helps to be around people I'm close to...other times that just makes it worse. My point is that it's different for everyone. Anyway...currently, my mental health has gotten so bad that I'm unable to work, socialize, spend more than a half hour in public places (less if they're crowded), and even basic functions are extremely difficult, and often even impossible for me to do without feeling so overwhelmed that I'll just shut down. I pretend whatever task or responsibility is causing me stress simply doesn't exist. I often cancel or reschedule appointments...even important ones; any task that is required of me causes me stress (like WAYYYYY more stress than the average person), and it's 100x worse if there are time constraints, deadlines, or any sort of aspect of it that is beyond my control. I'm 40, gay, and I've been single for 20 years as a result of my anxiety and depression issues. Even online dating is hard for me. Then something pretty significant happened. So remember that irrational fear of heart attacks I've had for so long? Well 2 years ago, it went from irrational to very rational when I actually had a heart attack at 38-years-old. And although there are many different types of heart attacks, and symptoms can vary greatly...for me, it was absolutely NOTHING LIKE a panic attack. Basically, I was sitting on my bed watching youtube videos, when I suddenly felt a sharp pain on both sides of my chest, a little below my armpits. It was weird, but very quick, and I thought little of it. I figured it was just a weird muscle spasm or something. A few minutes later, I started feeling like I had heartburn. Given that I've had chronic acid reflux for 15 or so years, this wasn't an unfamiliar pain, or an uncommon one. So I took a few Tums, and the pain faded...but then came back a few minutes later. I took a few more Tums...the pain subsided, then returned again a few minutes later. This was unusual, but not unheard of. Sometimes bad heartburn requires something more than just Tums, and that's happened to me before. (story continues below...)

[@TimPetrone]

(...continued from comment above) Still...I was slightly anxious due to that pesky cardiophobia...so I decided to join my roommate outside for a cigarette to help calm my nerves (I smoked for 25 years...switched to vaping almost a year ago, and plan to decrease the nicotine levels gradually until I can quit that as well). So about halfway through my cigarette, the pain had come back, so I decided to go inside and just lie down for a bit. That was when I started feeling "clammy", which was NOT normal for me, so I decided then to call 911. I was still convinced it was just bad heartburn, but I didn't want to take any chances. The EMT's did an EKG, and it was inconclusive. So we all agreed I better go with them to the hospital. They gave me a nitro pill in the ambulance, and another as we pulled into the hospital (which was so close, I could see it from my front porch)...but they didn't help. The first nurse that took my vitals said that was a good sign that it was probably not a cardiac issue. Then they did an EKG, and though they couldn't tell for sure, they informed me that they thought I was having a heart attack. Things got pretty hectic for a little while...they put in a Stent, and stopped the attack. My chest was still a little sore for the rest of that night...but I was feeling ok by the next day. I was in the hospital for about 3 or 4 days. They said the attack was "moderate", and was caused by a 100% blockage. There were other 60-70% blockages elsewhere, which led to a double bypass surgery a year later. So it's pretty rare for a 38-year-old to suffer a heart attack. I wasn't super healthy...but I wasn't all that unhealthy, either. I was pretty average. So it was kinda crazy that I had a heart attack at that age...especially when you consider that I've had this pretty severe cardiophobia for nearly 2 decades. The craziest part of all, is that I remained very calm throughout the entire experience...even after I knew that I was actually having a heart attack. And at the time, I wasn't receiving any treatment or medication for my mental health issues. The best way I can explain it, is that my phobia had mentally prepared me for it. I knew that if I panicked while having a heart attack, that would make it much worse, and possibly kill me...so I temporarily locked that fear away somewhere in the back of my mind, because I was terrified that if I DIDN'T, I would die. The doctors and nurses were all shocked by how calm I was. They'd never seen a heart attack patient remain so calm throughout the whole thing, and given my cardiophobia-driven panic disorder, it shocked everyone who knew me, as well as myself. The human mind is a very impressive thing...far more than I realized prior to that experience. Anyway...I just wanted to say that when it comes to anxiety disorders, everyone is different. There are common treatments that may work more often than not, and medications that can be effective for some sufferers...but the common stuff doesn't work for everyone. It doesn't work for me. Unfortunately, the only treatments that help me at all involve medication...and the only meds that work for me are controlled substances. Since I have no income, I'm stuck with whatever public health care I can get, and seeing a good psychiatrist is something that isn't always possible...and the health care providers I CAN SEE either don't like prescribing controlled substances, or are prevented from doing so due to the policies of their employer. I understand why they'd try to avoid those medications...they can be addictive; alter your personality if you abuse them; and some can cause these problems very quickly. However...I've been prescribed all sorts of anxiety/depression meds over the years. I know how they effect me; how much I can take without it causing problems; and exactly which medications work well for me, and which DON'T. Since I've tried basically all of the NON-narcotic meds and none have helped even slightly, it's frustrating trying to find a doctor who understands how to judge when these meds are the best option for a patient, and if that patient can handle them with minimal risk. For me, the only treatment that helps is talk therapy combined with medications...specifically Klonopin (clonazepam), and ketamine nasal spray. They've been working for me for around 3 years, but I moved to upstate NY a few months ago (from Oregon), and so far have been unable to establish mental health care, OR even find a doctor that will prescribe me those meds temporarily, until I can get some mental health care established. My mental health is the reason I moved across the country in the first place. I couldn't function normally on my own, and I moved here because I needed help from family with moral support and just day-to-day life. I can't even put into words how frustrating it is to be denied the care I need over and over and over again, when my mental health is so severely poor that I can't work, date, have a social life, or handle simple responsibilities without becoming completely overwhelmed. All I want is a doctor who will treat me in whatever way I actually NEED and can handle, without basing my treatment plan solely on what does or doesn't work well for other people.

[@musicalnomad8]

I used to have panic attacks do to a stressful work environment until I finally left. It’s been a while now but it started up again recently in trying to do a job search during this time when jobs are scarce but I have been learning to manage.

[@caleuxx9108]

Thank you for this great overview of the different levels of anxiety and how it manifests in the body. As far as I have learned, anxiety just a normal emotion and a panic attack is an anxious response to the normal emotion of anxiety. Emotions are signals and at the same time emotions give us energy to respond to the stimuli/trigger. We need to understand the signal and what it is trying to tell us. Are we in danger? Is someone trying to harm us? Are we being overburdened? People who suppress their anger sometimes end up feeling anxiety instead. Arent these the basics?

[@bs6342]

I often use that example with my patients about how only slightly moving the rudder of a boat over time can completely change your journey course 🙂

[@wintrywinter]

Would like to hear more about this different type of body reaction, when meditation is not the right solution. When blood pressure is low and you get intense headaches on regular basis. And tingling hands.

[@pikkuoo]

A heartfelt thank you for this amazing video! I have experienced anxiety almost all my life and have been in therapy for years and years, yet still this explanation of the three stages has been the first actually helpful, actionable advice. My baseline is at stage 1 and I get to level 2 every day. When I have a lot of stress I can get to level 3, and thus am sadly also anxious about my anxiety. You are doing such an important work at med circle!

[@Truerealism747]

How are you now

[@catherinepraus8635]

It has totally effected my physical health its been amazing going no contact with my abusive relationships my healh has gotten so much better that and using all the tools that have been presented to me by professional support still have extreme anxiety issues but getting better thanks guy's

[@garyweston3269]

This. Having found my way back from diagnosed cptsd, and related anxiety issues.. I can personally attest to these three modes of anxiety. Stress, smooth muscle, and cognitive. As the levels rise, it seems to expand from one to the other. Once my daughter and I escaped the abusive situation we were in, the levels flipped and reduced backwards from cognitive to muscle and down.

[@MedCircle]

Thanks for sharing your story, Gary 🙏🏻 you might also find value in our 3 different series on cptsd, domestic violence, and anxiety disorders and MedCircle.com

[@angelataylor5241]

My 3 kids and I are at the point where we got away (completely new state) from our abusers (no contact with all of our relatives) and we are now getting therapy and figuring out how much crap we went through. My memories are getting clearer and I now recall more fully when I remember stuf (the good and the unhealthy). It is quite an experiance.

[@franpost9800]

This was so informative! We can treat ourselves when we know how. Dr. Lamb you have taught us the how.

[@wintrywinter]

Highlighting the difference between the 2 types of reactions to stress is an absolute revelation. I've had crippling fatigue and foggy brain for months now. And recently tingling hands. No idea why. And inability to do my work properly, making the stress and anxiety even worse day by day. A growing to do list, but struggling to perform. Total viscious circle i don't know how to break. Horrible. As someone else said, people speak to me, or i try to read something but i don't understand it. Brain can't do it. Frightening.

[@ReAlNeRd1]

How are you now? I’m currently dealing with this

[@wintrywinter]

@@ReAlNeRd1 hi. I am much better now. This was an awful time, but managed to get through it with help of friends and lots of rest and introspection. Also stating at work that I was not coping. I feel it creep back at times, but now I rest before it gets too bad. Or I do something that relaxes me. Can be heavy gardening, diy, painting. Mainly things that are a bit physically demanding and require some focus. It takes the tension and anxiety away even to rebalance my perspective on things.

[@wintrywinter]

@@ReAlNeRd1 For now, just rest and eat properly. Walks are good too if you have a bit of energy for it. It will pass. Just don't be hard on yourself. Accept it is an awful time, but it won't last. Your body and mind need a break. You'll get better soon 😍

[@MrsD3Aer]

I’m having body tramblings, I cannot even get a cup of thee normally to my mouth. I also have stomach and intestinal problems of the tress/anxiety... I don’t feel it coming but I just let it happen and tell people when it happens. I feel ashamed but I must tell why, cause everybody notice it. But people don’t really understand. All thanks to my “sweet NPD mom and sister”.... I do breading, learned it from Qi Kung...still I tremble in certain situations.

[@MedCircle]

Thank you for sharing your story - you may find value in our full series on coping with anxiety: bit.ly/3099pvD

[@GarlicGrinder9]

I had what I now (thanks to this video) was a panic attack from college related stress. What helped for me was taking slow deep breaths in the nose holding for a few seconds and out the mouth. Then identify everything im feeling physically. Then things I see. Anything to remind me "whatever youre panicking about will not kill you immediately and going from there.

[@annag-h6659]

Outstanding insights! I learned more about anxiety from this video than I have from years of therapy. Thank you!

[@catlover78901]

Thank you soooooooo much! As a 13 year old with chronic anxiety no one will believe me!

[@jonniemaemiddletonlotte6747]

I knew there was more to it than being anxious. Thanks a bunch.

[@Itsyoungagain]

Dr. Kristy Lamb is the best!

[@sanamsitaram7940]

The idea of being able to have control over the physical body to release anxiety helped a lot for sure.

[@xxissamexx]

Also the muscles and anxiety was a new correlation that I found out from this vid!

[@carolashlee8002]

I related to the women with health issues as a child. I too, spent many years in hospital with asthma. My son died from collapsed lungs, due to a virus when being treated for leukaemia. I have CPTSD I have a lot of anxiety & panic attacks & , Covid has bought it on. I m get fed up with people telling me to change my thinking & stop worrying. I have been learning breath work, I find that very helpful.

[@janellehughen6971]

I like this interview talk because it ties the mental process with the physical body. Sometimes when experiencing anxiety, a person would ask me, "What's going on in your body right now?" I never really felt like I could answer this question adequately or effectively because I just didn't see the value of the connection. Dr. Lamb does a nice job clearly explaining the mental and physical connection in practical ways.

[@solitasinsinnetti2024]

Wow Im blown away. I literally for the past for days I have been avoidant and isolating from the world and have watched myself progressively worsen in terms of anxiety and the sensations mentioned. Knowing the importance of breathing there was one day where I felt light headed and foggy where I tried to continually with deep breathing. Eventually I kept breathing to the point where I felt like I could feel the cavity of my skull and like there was cold air vacumming the gap between the brain and the skull. It wasnt nice and the migraine progressed and persisted, I love beong validated by these videos I'm deeply grateful for helping humanising our mental health. Have a great day and continue this great work it is truly a God sent. 🙏

[@johndeal4381]

Very interesting. After my nasal surgery, I started having severe anxiety and panic attacks. Hyperventilation, chest pain, feelings of abandonment and loss.

[@BBHDragZz]

Yoooooo i know this is old but I had the same experience. I had nasal surgery a couple months ago. And after I got it done I don’t think I ever bounced back after. I’ve had terrible anxiety my whole life but after that surgery my stress and anxiety flared up and haven’t been the same since.

[@urbanmeyer9725]

@@BBHDragZz i know this is also old but i also had nasal surgery and same!

[@pupucelapuss4438]

5:59 : WOW! I just tried the "5-4-3-2-1 groungding" technique. It is not as simple as it seems! It took me at least 4 minutes to get through the 5 steps, and I'm not even in a anxiety mode. I realize I'm not used to "connect" with my own body, and listen to the basic signals it sends me. Naming them is even harder!

[@PindersGardenVlog]

As a Functional Medicine Clinician, and a Holistic Nurse Practitioner, I am so appreciative of this perspective.

[@Truerealism747]

Are you in uk

[@lovingfox1003]

I have panic attacks every morni g when I wake up. Anxiety is a torture. My case is severe theres no day that i feel normal.

[@MrsD3Aer]

I have hurtful flashbacks every morning, makes my mood going down worth. We must strengthen ourselves!! We only have one life to live, let’s make it ours! ❤️

[@lovingfox1003]

Been to several therapies and it burned all my savings. Been through different medications it made me drowzy and sleepy all the tine. Fighting hard as much. Thank uou for emphatizing. Its tough when people treat you ugly them not knowing how it really feels. They just say "its all in the mind" fighting fighting

[@lovingfox1003]

@AtheiHumanist thank you for the link. Been to a lot of it fighting fighting

[@lovingfox1003]

@@MrsD3Aer same here the flashbacks are there it reminds you of what your current situation is and you cannot escape it... you want to escape by just not existing but youre afraid of death. The feeling ia being stuck in a phantom realm you cannot escape and have to deal with daily. Thanks for the love

[@suzihazlove4979]

I am having anxiety now too , early mornings. I think its adrenaline, cortisol imbalance. Maybe blood sugar issues... dysregulated hydration, etc... I'm still trying to figure this out.

[@lindseycassella3015]

I started guided meditation in 2019. I was at a level 3 last year and at some points I did focus too much on my body sensations at first and it made it worse. I didn't feel connected to my memories and my entire perception was skewed. I have greatly improved with the physical symptoms now I am constantly checking in with my body. I have been over a year and it makes a world of difference.

[@vidpoch]

This is really important. Quite revelatory. It would be great if you made a transcript or blog post or some kind of written summary of the information available as well so that it's quick and easy to refer back to in the future. Making little notes-to-self from TED talks is simple thanks to the transcript, for example.

[@charlielove5060]

Thanks, this ties in with Ekhart Tole's books, which I am listening to on Audible. They are helping a lot, as it's this, with my PTSD

[@mangucito9917]

Waooo I learned that anxiety it's from stress, nerves inside that can't be control amazing thank you for this videos I really thought that anxiety come from my mind that I have mental disorder.

[@HarlemLightsMD]

This is fantastic information. I am a medical provider in GA. I deal with anxiety daily, and I’m on the moderate-severe scale of anxiety- red zone. It does affect my work and I feel depersonalization, at times. I enjoyed this session while having a migraine.😞 I’m glad I found MedCircle. Referring this to all my associates. Covid-19 has exacerbated this anxiousness in all of us in the medical industry.

[@rynehemsworth1785]

I didn't know a thing about anxiety disorder and didn't know I have them. The topic is really gives good information. I started having anxiety when I was in college I couldn't sleep well am gonna wake up in the middle of the night thinking oh I forgot to do my homework even though I did it. I constantly worry about something I don't know. What I did is I made a list a to do this it's actually helpful to lessen my worry. Until I started panick attacks I didn't even know. It's like losing your mind like ur about to pass out, die and every worse scenario u could think that will happen to you... I started feeling physical pain like back pain high blood pressure palpitations. Then lately covid attacks it's the peak of my panic attacks I totally thought I literally losing my mind. I asked my mom to see a cardiologist and we found out I have mitral valve heart disease which is already present in me when I was younger. It only got worsen because of my anxiety.... Not yet clinically diagnosed patient or to anyone who doesn't have access to professional treatment like appreciate this to help us understand more of how to cope up with our anxiety issues not to self diagnosed ourselves. To anyone who are suffering you are not alone seek a good person to vent out your stress. (Lucky me I have) Knoq you triggers of panic attacks. For me my triggers are deep conversation, eating dinner, dawn. Avoid them at all cost if not try to relax, breathe, think of something else instead of thinking ur panicking. Lastly be physically active. Walk it really helps don't lock yourself inside the house if not try to get ur self busy. Clean ur house...

[@johndawn4612]

This is a gamechanger. I never wouldve thought that those floaty times were my anxiety dropping into a parasympathetic response. I always thought it was the opposite so id just do breath work and meditate.

[@boostmobile9249]

Self - AWARENESS ABILITIES. "How am I sounding during my discharge of emotions???? Look at other person's receiving my insightful information??? Communicating, 🗣️ speaking emotions to your loved one. Plans.

[@erinrose14]

The hand washing part and the stomach part really opened my eyes to ways anxiety can even exist in way is don't know and how I can help deal with it in such small ways

[@alyfen69]

Having g a bad moment so I found this video right now. So thank u. The breathing- we need to do it always. 😅 The 3 sec check in -how r u breathing g, oh ur not. Ok let's take some breaths. So I did. I'm calmer now. And I am mindful, but when I sleep 😴 I wake up and my overthinking mind gets the best of me. I hope with practice I can work on this better.

[@yishujia186]

After a small hip injury, my lower body have some kind of weird burning sensation. I go back to the doctor. He inspected my X-ray image and check my body for any pinched nerve. He said I am really okay. No need to go back. I searched the internet for a while. And I realize it's actually my anxiety. I have anxiety for some years. But I don't know it can cause feeling like nerve damage.

[@Truerealism747]

How are you now I got constant tension nightmare

[@yishujia186]

@@Truerealism747 I don’t have pain now. I learned to relax my body. Breathing exercises help a lot.

[@Truerealism747]

@@yishujia186 how long did it take wonderful

[@yishujia186]

@@Truerealism747 Finding out the method that works for me is a hit-and-miss process. That takes years. Once I found something that work for me. It takes several weeks to see major improvements.

[@Truerealism747]

@@yishujia186 check out TMS yeah no what you mean nightmare what medication are you on now

[@nancywysemen7196]

attune,attune.....compassion. excellent overview. thank-you.

[@Chris-hp4nx]

I don’t know if I can do everything she is saying, but I love her for explaining this to us. What an amazing doctor. The part that we need to FORGIVE ourselves. I am getting divorced and wish I could have saved my marriage with this information.

[@nicoletiana]

currently waking out of my sleep by forgetting to breathe or feeling like i needed to breathe in, waking up with body jerks and heart palpitations... so scary and frustrating, I JUST WANT TO SLEEP 😭

[@LaGrossePaulik]

Wow, that is important. I suffer from anxiety big time, so that I cannot maintain a job and 'normal' social life, so I'd definitly go search for more info about this very long named therapy! From the meantime I'm going to take notes from this video! Thank you, that was very instructive! Sometimes internet is so worth it...

[@Truerealism747]

How are you now

[@ivybanks7936]

I suffer from severe anxieties, just had a panic attack at work and emotionally had a mental breakdown due to my stressful job. I hate when my Manager keeps telling me to stop stressing - which causes me to feel bad about feeling anxious all the time or when my work colleagues say stop panicking. I blame this job because of the very people I work with. I isolate myself and love the silence but then I'm fighting against my thoughts when it's too quiet. What the eff is wrong with me. 😔😪🙁

[@jaentat3588]

I can relate! When someone tells me to slow down and stop being so hard on myself I just want to scream: how?! Or when i stay longer than I'm supposed to (bc I actually want to finish up for once) and someone goes "you still here?!" I get so stressed! Do you also Feel like you don't have control over your work? Like, afraid to miss important info? You forget things? or Feel like things take so much longer for you to do than your coworkers (perhaps because you start with one thing and switch to another and realise that you should have started with a third thing and then do that instead)? Feel like you're falling behind and don't know where to begin to catch up? Can't seem to find a way to organize and follow through? This is what it is like for me. I have ADHD. If this is what it's like for you too, maybe u should look into it. The stress of trying to do things in a way that I just can't has burnt me out three times.

[@Chris-hp4nx]

@@jaentat3588 I have ADHD, finally getting medicine because my husband is divorcing me because I am anxious all the time, and don’t exercise. 2 of my kids have it also and are on meds. I have a narcissistic mother, so I have no value to her. I am sad because I am a good person, but appear fearful to my husband when really what I needed was love and support from him.

[@JenR1215]

Thanks for this video. I had my first therapy session ever, Sunday. I'm doing my best to figure out what i'm struggling with and how to cope before it destroys me more than it has.

[@MedCircle]

Congrats for starting your mental health journey 🙏🏻 therapy can make all the difference

[@JenR1215]

@@MedCircle i'm still in that fearful stage(?) of entering therapy. with covid it's through webcam and i'm not sure if thats good or bad. I just hope i've found the right therapist to treat me, because thats my biggest concern.

[@Coral_Forever]

The blurred vision aspect was a new idea for me. I didn't know about the 3 different levels before.

[@angelataylor5241]

This explains a lot for me. I had tools as a adolescent and teen that helped me with anxiety. I didn't even know that was the name of that feeling. I have had my body loose health and fitness over the past 24 years. With the decline of my health, I couldn't do things I did before that helped me with my anxiety(of which I didn't know I had). I've learned a lot in the last 4 years: new things and names for stuf I knew\figured out for myself but didn't have a name for Or I didn't have words to express them. Thanks for your help.

[@Truerealism747]

How are you today

[@angelataylor5241]

I am doing better. I have tried medicines and they work for about 1 or 2 months and then they no longer work. So they are only a temporary solution for me. I have been learning new ways of managing and reducing the anxiety and depression which work so much better and help me feel more in controll of my self which in turn reduces both anxiety and depression. Therapy works so very much better than pharmaceuticals.

[@Truerealism747]

@@angelataylor5241 asvit helped your pain

[@405OKCShiningOn]

thank you med circle, I found dr Damani thru here, thankyou!

[@warlockofwordsreturnsrb4358]

This is actually brilliantly helpful advice, and lays out a simple direct path to get a better handle on anxiety, backed up by science. xoxo.

[@sridevikakuturi3950]

Compassionate mindfulness stood out. Thanks for bringing this to us.

[@miloradvlaovic]

What stood out to me is Dr. Lamb's ingenious leveling, that is, the 3 levels of anxiety. Because you'll constantly hear therapist saying you have to be mindful and accepting of your condition but they don't say WHEN, or HOW. Which makes it sound like absolute hogwash. These people never imply, that mindfulness includes action too (ex. from the vid - planking), on the contrary, they claim it means "going with the flow", or rather suffering the experience passively. And like the good doctor here explained, that simply *does not work* in the "red zone" (panic attack etc.) for anxiety. When and how are important, and since anxiety is obsessive in nature, this type of structured, active and analytical perspective makes all the difference in copying.

[@loumonte658]

Most appropriated video. So informative.

[@robxnlouise3117]

That was amazing, thank you. What stood out to me was treating the different types/stages of anxiety with different approaches.

[@jonniemaemiddletonlotte6747]

Just excellence. Good stuff Dr. Lamb. Thank you Kyle K.

[@petercofrancesco1620]

24 Hour Tinnitus left Ear ,With Trembling In Side My Body , Numbness In My Thumbs, Neck Shoulders Down My Back , Thighs And legs .

[@Truerealism747]

Any oain

[@petercofrancesco1620]

@@Truerealism747 , occasional pain that comes and goes , right and left ear has stopped. Gabapentin 100 mg three times a day has helped tame the ringing down.

[@suzihazlove4979]

Oh my God that's exactly what was happening to me my blood pressure was going down but no doctor could figure it out this is unbelievable why don't all doctors know about this we can either get high blood pressure or low blood pressure from stress...

[@apoorva745]

Well, this video was really very informative and helpful. Simple but effective. Great job 👍🏻

[@Sundayjean]

She does an excellent job of explaining this!

[@dinglebarry528]

Can you do a series on motivating a young adult with Aspergers, please?

[@Blueshadow2772]

Agreed!! Med Circle hasn't covered Asperger's / ASD. The stigma is massive and I feel like med circle as a large platform and will do it Justice. That will hopefully help people understand. As somebody who was just recently diagnosed with ASD. The amount of times I have to explain to people of what it feels like is a lot. Let's break the stagma.

[@dinglebarry528]

Bridget J - Thank you! Med Circle is a very interesting channel. The host, Kit Kiddleson (sp?) does a wonderful job actively listening, engaging, and seems to ask all of the right questions of his guests. Beautifully done to the rest of the staff as well.

[@clarebaxter777]

@@Blueshadow2772 What is it?

[@Blueshadow2772]

@@clarebaxter777 Hi Clare, ASD is Autism Spectrum Disorder. When people think of autism they usually have one idea of what someone with autism is like. When in reality it's a spectrum. Instead of it being a straight line with low functioning and high functioning labels. It's a circle not a line. So the phrase you've met one person with autism. *You've met one person autism. We're all different. That's why it's really hard to diagnose sometimes especially women who have ASD. 1. Because women are better at masking it 2. The diagnosis is based off of boys who have ASD. After vigorous research for 3 years as a woman I finally got diagnosed at 29.

[@robynlee243]

Thank Dr. Lamb & Kyle; great information as always! I was wondering if you would make a video specifically about panic attacks.

[@manusha1349]

Thank you for this, great advice 👏🏼

[@astrogirlmp3]

Something that's been bothering me is that my problem really used to be the lower level symptoms, like the constant repositioning, or fidgeting when something triggers my anxiety to spike up, and then when I learned how to conquer that and through realizing people will only see how nervous we are when we use those (voluntary) tells, I was able to manage it and put a pin it. Confidence is supposed to feel uncomfortable, so that's when I learned that the people around me would expect me to do my regular tells, but when I don't and let it simmer I've won, so to say lol. Thattttt being said - like immediately after I was riding the wave of being over with that level, I've grown into the literal involuntary tells that are so indescribably bothersome to deal with and the cognitive disruptions. The facial twitching when I'm talking to someone new that I'm not exactly comfortable talking with all willy-nilly yet, or if I'm giving a presentation lol. It's so annoying because I can feel myself doing it, and while it's under my mask normally, it's still something that I worry is visible, and my only thought is to calm myself down but it seems I don't know how. Lol big rant just to say I think it's pretty bogus I graduated from something I could manage to getting these twitches all out the blue, just when I think I've got my anxiety under wraps lmao. Stress sucks.

[@FreshAgenda]

Thank you for this video!

[@shyaaammeneen63]

Very informative video. Offering a suggestion to feel better. Reduce negative thoughts with a simple practice. Your breath and mind [brain] are closely related causing stress-anxiety. For a better life sit on a chair, neck straight, eyes closed and observe the sensations of your incoming--outgoing breath at the entrance of the nostrils for 5-10-15 minutes or more. Don’t fight your thoughts. Slowly the mind will relax. No deep breathing needed. Do the practice without any expectations. Change happens from within by itself. Day or night, when taking a walk, sitting in a park, when reading, before sleep etc sit or lie down and observe your breath. Like me, make this a lifetime daily habit to have a good life. Avoid constipation as it affects the mind instantly. Best wishes Shyaaam Sir. -Counsellor.

[@brandymoore6599]

Chronic stress and anxiety can be deadly. Mine got so severe that my entire endocrine system shut down. It took weeks at the Mayo Clinic and an ungodly amount of meds, but I’m still kicking …knock on wood. 😕

[@Truerealism747]

What happened to your system

[@gitarman666]

I always though (and experienced) fight, flight and “freeze”, or is freeze just an extreme form of flight? That semi catatonic state that renders one fetal in both posture and thought as if “The Bear” commonly used in the description of the a very natural response to a true life threatening situation,,, is chasing you but our logical mind steps in between our survival instinct and reminds us “hey meat you can’t run from this and you can’t fight it unarmed” so one hits the ground depersonalized not caring how it ends (alive or dead) but simply that it does indeed end, And to that some of us see life itself as this same conflict with death as the inevitable outcome to all that are unfortunate enough to draw their first breath The scale of happiness and positive life situation is just so heavily outweighed by the opposite in so many lives in so many countries were there are simply too many poor, downtrodden tools of socially elite I have been both, both are human, both are broken and I don’t wish to be either 60 year old sufferer of panic, agoraphobia, anxiety with some depressive episodes over 46 years, Unfortunately finding someone like this doc where I live is pretty much impossible I’ve been told my issues are existential in nature but after seeing any psychiatrist I have yet to leave without a unwanted prescription and finding a psychologist with this docs education and experience eludes me to this day Northeast PA, Lehigh valley just in case

[@foothillgirl7989]

Is it possible to skip the second level? I think i go from 1 to 3 pretty quickly.

[@lopirobinson1991]

I'm always holding my breath and not realizing it.

[@johndeal4381]

Constant dryness and too much airflow through the nose with ENS. I wish I could restrict my airflow. It's like being conscious of every breath.

[@Cali49er]

Anxiety causes headaches and muscle aches and tension.

[@luisbaermann9882]

I really needed this information

[@letsgofishingene]

You both are so helpful. Thank you 😊

[@muhammadsuliman7796]

I have involuntary muscle twitching/movement on my back left side of the body, particularly where the kidneys attached. Is it a sign of danger? I doesn't hurts or painful but just movement and increasing as my stress levels increases.

[@sawad_m]

I was had same but now fine

[@craigmerkey8518]

stunning! Powerful... thank you !!!!!

[@christiecochran18]

This is great advice for optimistic introverted sensors dealing with high anxiety like ISFJs and ISTJs. Someone like me an ENTJ with very low awareness of introverted sensing can’t do this when experiencing high anxiety. This is bad advice for optimistic extroverted intuitives with pessimistic introverted sensing. Focusing on their severely anxious body makes things worse. They need to visualize future possibilities until their body regulates. My ENFP daughter has been sick and experiencing levels of anxiety there uncharacteristic for her. She’s in the middle of sobbing When she sees a cat near the side of the road. She takes a deep breath and says that cat was going to cross the road and get run over! She instantly feels better. She goes from severe to mild anxiety. I tell her I want to help you feel better so I am going to take you to get donuts and a drink from sonic. The treat of carbs sugar cause her to feel better physically.

[@nola8509]

I hate anxiety it took a lot from me I love playing basketball I feel like I don’t enjoy it anymore due to feeling off balance and dizzy I want to recover and get my life back.

[@stephfromearth]

This was so helpful. Thank you ❤️

[@mcm9619]

Looking great Kyle. This is what Buddhists have been banging on about for hundreds of years. Follow Thich Naht Hanh and read his classic " The Miracle of Mindfulness" .

[@malloryplease]

From experience, when I have a panic attack and try to do the “grounding technique” doesn’t work for me because it makes me more aware of how I don’t have control of anything. All of the other symptoms I experience such as tingling, feeling hot, feeling like I’m going to die no matter what, chest pain, feeling like water will help revive me, stomach ache and nausea, feeling like I can’t hear… none of those techniques works. That being said, in minor situation where panic doesn’t get out of hand, mindfulness really does help. Distractions help. If it doesn’t…ER, here I come lol. So embarrassing.

[@malloryplease]

As I listen more to the video, I’m and the more I’m educated. The more I can help myself as well as educate the people around me to make me feel safe. The worse thing is feeling like people don’t take you seriously.

[@xxissamexx]

I agree and really informative! Love how much clarity this video has.

[@anenkaorin7786]

I carry all my anxiety in my stomach & have several disorders of the digestive system as I've become older. Can this have anything to do with my chronic anxiety disorder?

[@Truerealism747]

Yes aka tms

[@nataliehaymaker7855]

I have struggled for so long with anxiety that my body is so exhausted and like just given up

[@emilysladek9292]

Is dopamine produced when you regulate your anxiety through breathwork and feeling it in your body?

[@hennysutjiono]

You got this K! 💛